The awareness concept of DemoZ Ludwigsburg

Logo of the awareness team

A wide variety of people come together at DemoZ. Almost everyone in our society experiences discrimination to a greater or lesser extent and/or acts in a discriminatory and violent manner themselves.

Over the past few months, we as the DemoZ team have dealt with this problem in order to develop a more conscious approach to these power dynamics. This has resulted in an awareness concept for the DemoZ.

For us, awareness at the DemoZ means that we are aware that spaces are never completely free of violent behavior and discrimination, even if they pursue this claim. This also applies to the DemoZ. We strive for conscious and respectful interaction with one another in order to make the space safer for everyone. Individual and structural barriers and discrimination should be recognized and dismantled.

We want to take responsibility together and see our reflective awareness work as a concrete task in the implementation of our political stance. We are concerned with social change.

In addition to supporting people who have experienced discrimination and violence, raising awareness also includes preventing discrimination and educating people about (intersectional) discrimination.

For us, awareness at DemoZ means that we are aware that spaces are never entirely free from violent behavior and discrimination, even when they strive to be. This applies to DemoZ as well. We aim to foster a conscious and respectful environment to make our space safer for everyone. We seek to identify and dismantle both individual and systemic barriers and forms of discrimination.
We want to take responsibility together and see our reflective awareness work as a concrete task in implementing our political stance. We are concerned with social change.
In addition to supporting people who have experienced discrimination and violence, sensitization also includes the prevention of discrimination and education about (intersectional) discrimination.

The perspective of the affected person is central to our awareness work. Only the affected person can define what has happened to them. The awareness team acts exclusively in consultation and consensus with the person concerned.
The affected person has the power to decide how to proceed after experiencing discrimination or violence, with the exception of the DemoZ’s predefined „NO-GOs.“
We always act with partiality. Partiality means being unconditionally and in solidarity with the interests of the affected person.
In practice, this basic attitude must be implemented through respect for one’s own boundaries (self-care) and the boundaries of others (conscious and mindful interaction).

We want an atmosphere of acceptance and respect in our spaces. We want people to feel comfortable in our spaces. People have different needs and ideas about what a room looks like in which they feel comfortable.
It’s not about making people feel insecure; they are allowed to make mistakes and even get into trouble. We run DemoZ on a voluntary basis in our free time. We are not free from discriminatory structures and actions. We make mistakes – we are all human.
Rather, it is about taking joint responsibility for society and for each other. We want to look to a future with a forgiving eye, in which discrimination hopefully takes up an ever-smaller part of people’s lives.
You can find more about our basic attitude in our self-understanding at https://www.demoz-lb.de/das-demoz/.

Basically…
  • we ensure that the cheapest drinks are non-alcoholic.
  • tap water is always free.
  • there are signs that point to the awareness team (showcase, bar, toilets).
  • no major event takes place without an awareness team of two people.
  • mobile phones can be charged at the bar for a safe journey home.
  • you can find a list of the barriers we are aware of on the DemoZ homepage. If you want to come to our spaces and see yourself facing a particular barrier, we can talk about it and think together about how this barrier can be overcome.
  • we pay attention to inviting people who acknowledge and respect the awareness concept when booking.
  • we are aware that the awareness concept is part of a process of self-reflection for us and that we work purely on a voluntary basis, which means that we are often limited by financial and time resources.
  • we want to cultivate a forgiving attitude towards mistakes and learn together to create a place where everyone feels as comfortable as possible.
  • we reflect annually on what barriers our spaces and events contain and work towards dismantling them. There are barriers that cannot be changed at the DemoZ, such as the stairs. These barriers are described transparently on the DemoZ website.
  • we can only provide emotional first aid. We are not a counseling center or trained therapists. We cannot provide extensive support work, but we can give you contact information for suitable counseling centers if needed.
The Awareness Team
  • becomes active when boundary-crossing and/or discriminatory behavior is observed, pointed out by others, or when people ask for help in relation to it.
  • is recognizable by a yellow piece of clothing/vest with the inscription „Awareness Team“ and the DemoZ logo.
  • is accountable during their shift (i.e., sober, awake, and mentally stable).
  • is involved in a reflective process that is ensured through regular exchange within the awareness team.
 
Depending on the type of event, the awareness team is present in different formations. At pubs, lectures, and similar events without an awareness team, the bar team is approachable; they can provide material from our awareness box or support in other ways. If you want the awareness team to address a situation, the bar team takes the information and passes it on. At larger events or if necessary for other reasons, an awareness team is on site at the event. The main responsible awareness person is specifically trained for awareness work and is supported by experienced people from the DemoZ team.
Addressing Affected Persons
In the first contact, awareness persons introduce themselves to you and offer their support. You decide whether and to what extent you respond.
Our work is based on confidentiality, partiality for you, and your power of definition. Only you can find the right words for what happened.
Our support adapts to what you need. We can offer you a conversation in a quiet room, for example. We have a collection of different materials that can help you feel better in the acute situation, such as blankets, essential oils, or a coloring book. Additionally, we have information material on counseling centers that you can contact if you need further support.
Together we work out further steps, such as a safe way home, education about discriminatory behavior, or, if necessary, sanctions. The awareness team can, if necessary, remove the violent person from the event for the evening. Our contact options are also available to you after the event. Please note that we cannot offer psychosocial support.
Every incident is documented to ensure transparency regarding the measures taken at a later date. Logging is primarily pseudonymous or anonymous. The logs are protected from unauthorized access.

 

Basically, violent, discriminatory, and boundary-crossing behavior is not tolerated at DemoZ. Boundary-crossing behavior can include sexual assault or harassment, discriminatory or degrading behavior, for example in relation to appearance, skin color, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, origin, or age.
Boundary-crossing behavior does not only refer to physical assaults but can include various forms of psychological, emotional, or verbal violence. Any form of violence is experienced, categorized, and assessed differently due to the personal history and experiences of the affected person.
Fundamental NO-GOs result from the exclusion clause: Persons who belong to right-wing extremist parties or organizations, who are associated with the right-wing extremist scene, or who have already appeared in the past through racist, nationalist, anti-Semitic, or other misanthropic statements are excluded from the events.
In cases where other people are also in acute danger or are suffering significantly from discriminatory or violent behavior of a person, we must protect them. In such cases, we must act, even if it is not in accordance with the wishes of the originally affected person.

At the annual DemoZ retreat, barriers at the DemoZ are reflected upon and a plan for dealing with various barriers is developed. The reflection of the measures takes place in the following retreat.
There are barriers that cannot be changed at the DemoZ, such as the stairs. These barriers are described transparently on the DemoZ website.
There is an email contact that people can contact regarding accessibility at the DemoZ to ask questions and express criticism. The email address is: barrierefreiheit@demoz-lb.de

Here you can reach us for inquiries or feedback. The email addresses are checked one to two times per week. We all run DemoZ on a voluntary basis in our free time, so it can take up to two weeks for us to deal with your message appropriately. Emails to the awareness team are read exclusively by the awareness team.
General contact to the DemoZ Plenum: dz@demoz-lb.de
Contact regarding accessibility: barrierefreiheit@demoz-lb.de
Contact to the awareness team: awareness@demoz-lb.de
Status: 20.08.2024

Die Entwicklung dieses Awareness-Konzept wurde ermöglicht durch die Förderung im Rahmen des
Förderprogramms »Weiterkommen!« des Zentrums für Kulturelle Teilhabe Baden-Württemberg (ZfKT).

Stand 31.08.2024