Author: Marie Scheurer

SAY HEY backgrounds and research

People say the are willing to help, but they don´t want to feel obligated!

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There are two parties: the NEWBIES on the one hand and the Germans, or LOCALS on the other hand.

Both of them are having different needs because they are in different situations.

We were doing surveys with both groups:

 

-NEWBIES:

We went to a Language school at Berlin where people take German lessons and asked them following questions.

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-NEWBIES are looking so badly for LOCALS who would like to spend just a little time with them!

-NEWBIES are afraid of doing the first step towards LOCALS.

-NEWBIES are afraid of being rejected.

 

-LOCALS:

-LOCALS are willing to help.

-But they say they don´t have that much time and don’t want to have more appointments.

-LOCALS don’t want to be responsible.

-They want to stay spontaneous.

 

How can we balance those two perspectives?

 

SAY HEY on Startnext

https://www.startnext.com/sayhey

Let’s imagine you are new to the city of Berlin. How do you decide where to hang out? How do you meet new people? The SAY HEY tag will help you to orientate and find new spots, activities together with others. And they could become your new friends.
We are convinced that also people who now the city but want to attend new kinds of meetups or learn about something new will love this easy way of connecting spontaneously.

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It’s about having fun, being spontaneous and being surprised by how well interaction works – even if people never met before.

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We would like to see as many SAY HEY tags as possible in Berlin, to really show the openness and kindness which is leading this international scene. People should have the freedom to decide when they are ready for new things.

But see for yourself:

Language Barrier – How can we build a Bridge?

Non-Germans want to learn German and want to take part in social life.
Germans are not as enthusiastic yet. They don`t want to feel obligated.

How can we still create social interaction?

That´s what we already tried out;)

IDEA AFTER RESEARCH:

Giving German people a SIGN which could be a print on a shirt, sticker, bag, what ever that says: “Hey, join us!”/”Don´t be shy!”/”Take part!”…
They´ll have the opportunity to put it on in a situation where they want foreign people to participate – Non-Germans wouldn´t have a as hard time to bring oneselfes to do the first step.