(Handbook) Mädchen Mischen Mit: Mädchen*arbeit für Vielfalt und Teilhabe (Working with girls for diversity and participation) A manual for girls’ group mentors, 2021
Teenage girls are full courage, energy and good ideas. They have dreams and their own paths to follow, but misogyny, rigid gender roles and intense pressure to conform to narrow ideals can stifle their development. Pursuing their own autonomous goals, they often hit barriers, must fight traditional gender stereotypes and clichés, or even face gender-based violence. At the same time, many girls are discriminated against because of things like their appearance, heritage or religion. All this can hold back their personal growth and prevent them from engaging with society.
‘Mädchen Mischen Mit’ works to overcome all these disadvantages. At mentor-led meetings with their peers, girls share their different life experiences, strengths and interests. Through group activities, games, exercises and discussions, they learn to trust one another and challenge prejudices, while gaining new skills and knowledge together on a range of topics. Among other things, girls learn to be resilient in the face of exclusion, social pressure and rigid gender roles, while finding solidarity with new friends.
This practical handbook is aimed at young people who would like to use the ‘Mädchen* Mischen Mit’ concept to design and lead girls’ groups. As mentors, they should serve as strong role models for the girls to identify with and confide in. The handbook is also intended to serve as a source of support and ideas for people in other fields who are interested in diversity-conscious pedagogy and intersectional feminist work with girls.