when I arrived for the first time at vienna’s main train station on the day
vienna’s main train station on the day
vienna’s main train station on the day that hundreds of refugees started
that hundreds of refugees started
that hundreds of refugees started passing by and arriving in September
passing by and arriving in September
passing by and arriving in September 2015 I never expected it become my home
2015 I never expected it become my home
2015 I never expected it become my home and family for the next few months it
and family for the next few months it
and family for the next few months it was a small waiting area where a handful
was a small waiting area where a handful
was a small waiting area where a handful people were trying to work countless
people were trying to work countless
people were trying to work countless jobs often at the same time at the end
jobs often at the same time at the end
jobs often at the same time at the end of their 20 or 30 hour shifts that many
of their 20 or 30 hour shifts that many
of their 20 or 30 hour shifts that many volunteers were working they were
volunteers were working they were
volunteers were working they were exhausted and it quickly became obvious
exhausted and it quickly became obvious
exhausted and it quickly became obvious that this would not be a sustainable or
that this would not be a sustainable or
that this would not be a sustainable or durable way to help for more than a few
durable way to help for more than a few
durable way to help for more than a few days so the question immediately became
days so the question immediately became
days so the question immediately became how could we address these issues and
how could we address these issues and
how could we address these issues and what even makes a successful and
what even makes a successful and
what even makes a successful and sustainable movement with train of hope
sustainable movement with train of hope
sustainable movement with train of hope the hashtag quickly evolving into our
the hashtag quickly evolving into our
the hashtag quickly evolving into our name everything had to happen now and we
name everything had to happen now and we
name everything had to happen now and we were incredibly lucky if we manage to
were incredibly lucky if we manage to
were incredibly lucky if we manage to think even a few days ahead as ours
think even a few days ahead as ours
think even a few days ahead as ours rushed by like days so there are two
rushed by like days so there are two
rushed by like days so there are two main aspects about communication that a
main aspects about communication that a
main aspects about communication that a movement must care for in order to
movement must care for in order to
movement must care for in order to become sustainable everything starts
become sustainable everything starts
become sustainable everything starts with communication and especially
with communication and especially
with communication and especially important in projects like this where
important in projects like this where
important in projects like this where immediate action is necessary volunteers
immediate action is necessary volunteers
immediate action is necessary volunteers have to know exactly what needs to be
have to know exactly what needs to be
have to know exactly what needs to be done why they are doing it who is
done why they are doing it who is
done why they are doing it who is already doing what and well who is doing
already doing what and well who is doing
already doing what and well who is doing it so in order to become sustainable we
it so in order to become sustainable we
it so in order to become sustainable we continued this treatment of methods of
continued this treatment of methods of
continued this treatment of methods of communication as literally as we could
communication as literally as we could
communication as literally as we could in our experience we found that
in our experience we found that
in our experience we found that effective communication didn’t require
effective communication didn’t require
effective communication didn’t require heavy centralized planning so we weren’t
heavy centralized planning so we weren’t
heavy centralized planning so we weren’t afraid to use a variety of communication
afraid to use a variety of communication
afraid to use a variety of communication mediums like social media instant
mediums like social media instant
mediums like social media instant messaging text messaging and as well as
messaging text messaging and as well as
messaging text messaging and as well as the press we try to find people who
the press we try to find people who
the press we try to find people who really know and believe in what they’re
really know and believe in what they’re
really know and believe in what they’re doing because today if you’re smart
doing because today if you’re smart
doing because today if you’re smart enough about it social media can be a
enough about it social media can be a
enough about it social media can be a really powerful tool to help your
really powerful tool to help your
really powerful tool to help your movement
movement
movement invisibility in nearly no time of course
invisibility in nearly no time of course
invisibility in nearly no time of course helping refugees is always also
helping refugees is always also
helping refugees is always also political but nevertheless we try to
political but nevertheless we try to
political but nevertheless we try to keep political content on Facebook and
keep political content on Facebook and
keep political content on Facebook and Twitter to a minimum it wasn’t matter of
Twitter to a minimum it wasn’t matter of
Twitter to a minimum it wasn’t matter of the heart but we rather expressed it to
the heart but we rather expressed it to
the heart but we rather expressed it to the media instead and what we also found
the media instead and what we also found
the media instead and what we also found it was that it’s important to never
it was that it’s important to never
it was that it’s important to never neglect older technologies a lot of my
neglect older technologies a lot of my
neglect older technologies a lot of my working life has been spent on events
working life has been spent on events
working life has been spent on events and movies so I learned early on that
and movies so I learned early on that
and movies so I learned early on that none of these would ever been weight
none of these would ever been weight
none of these would ever been weight without walkie-talkies and the second
without walkie-talkies and the second
without walkie-talkies and the second problem is attracting volunteers not
problem is attracting volunteers not
problem is attracting volunteers not only we worked through a very loose body
only we worked through a very loose body
only we worked through a very loose body map structure rather than a more rigid
map structure rather than a more rigid
map structure rather than a more rigid self down structure but we tried to
self down structure but we tried to
self down structure but we tried to include everyone as fully as we could so
include everyone as fully as we could so
include everyone as fully as we could so when trying to attract volunteers the
when trying to attract volunteers the
when trying to attract volunteers the biggest obstacle here is fear people
biggest obstacle here is fear people
biggest obstacle here is fear people want to help but large projects like
want to help but large projects like
want to help but large projects like this are intimidating and new volunteers
this are intimidating and new volunteers
this are intimidating and new volunteers are often afraid that they will do more
are often afraid that they will do more
are often afraid that they will do more harm than good and this is because
harm than good and this is because
harm than good and this is because volunteers don’t know where they are
volunteers don’t know where they are
volunteers don’t know where they are needed they don’t know which if their
needed they don’t know which if their
needed they don’t know which if their skills are required but what they know
skills are required but what they know
skills are required but what they know is exactly what they are able to do so
is exactly what they are able to do so
is exactly what they are able to do so we made all information describing what
we made all information describing what
we made all information describing what we needed as accessible as possible so
we needed as accessible as possible so
we needed as accessible as possible so people could provide it almost instantly
people could provide it almost instantly
people could provide it almost instantly as soon as they arrived we immediately
as soon as they arrived we immediately
as soon as they arrived we immediately integrated them into your system with
integrated them into your system with
integrated them into your system with consideration and trust paid towards
consideration and trust paid towards
consideration and trust paid towards what they can and want to do so everyone
what they can and want to do so everyone
what they can and want to do so everyone had their fair share of responsibilities
had their fair share of responsibilities
had their fair share of responsibilities no matter if it ended right within their
no matter if it ended right within their
no matter if it ended right within their immediate radius or in some cases 150
immediate radius or in some cases 150
immediate radius or in some cases 150 meters on the other side of the station
meters on the other side of the station
meters on the other side of the station in order to fulfill this they’re most
in order to fulfill this they’re most
in order to fulfill this they’re most people around two can direct volunteers
people around two can direct volunteers
people around two can direct volunteers to wherever their help is needed based
to wherever their help is needed based
to wherever their help is needed based on the skills they haven’t the things
on the skills they haven’t the things
on the skills they haven’t the things they feel comfortable doing with them to
they feel comfortable doing with them to
they feel comfortable doing with them to work do you really want to do we showed
work do you really want to do we showed
work do you really want to do we showed people that we trust and respect them
people that we trust and respect them
people that we trust and respect them and we received their commitments and
and we received their commitments and
and we received their commitments and the chance in return and we didn’t make
the chance in return and we didn’t make
the chance in return and we didn’t make a difference who comes from where and
a difference who comes from where and
a difference who comes from where and what background anyone had so because of
what background anyone had so because of
what background anyone had so because of this we didn’t really had the need to
this we didn’t really had the need to
this we didn’t really had the need to instruct anyone there were certain rules
instruct anyone there were certain rules
instruct anyone there were certain rules some of them written down on handouts
some of them written down on handouts
some of them written down on handouts but most of them were just implied so in
but most of them were just implied so in
but most of them were just implied so in some point it just became instinctive
some point it just became instinctive
some point it just became instinctive how to get along with each other this
how to get along with each other this
how to get along with each other this was achieved very simply do by splitting
was achieved very simply do by splitting
was achieved very simply do by splitting all of our tasks into smaller self
all of our tasks into smaller self
all of our tasks into smaller self organized teams and establishing a
organized teams and establishing a
organized teams and establishing a constant flow of information between
constant flow of information between
constant flow of information between them so unlike in the first day everyone
them so unlike in the first day everyone
them so unlike in the first day everyone could fully concentrate on what they
could fully concentrate on what they
could fully concentrate on what they were doing if anyone was unhappy with
were doing if anyone was unhappy with
were doing if anyone was unhappy with the way they had to do things and felt
the way they had to do things and felt
the way they had to do things and felt it would work better otherwise they just
it would work better otherwise they just
it would work better otherwise they just tried it out mostly leading to more
tried it out mostly leading to more
tried it out mostly leading to more effective and also more satisfying ways
effective and also more satisfying ways
effective and also more satisfying ways to get things done circumstances and in
to get things done circumstances and in
to get things done circumstances and in which we had to help were terrible
which we had to help were terrible
which we had to help were terrible enough as to where so we tried our best
enough as to where so we tried our best
enough as to where so we tried our best to make this momentum experience as
to make this momentum experience as
to make this momentum experience as comfortable as you could for anyone
comfortable as you could for anyone
comfortable as you could for anyone involved taking care of your volunteers
involved taking care of your volunteers
involved taking care of your volunteers by keeping them included and looking
by keeping them included and looking
by keeping them included and looking after they will beam is one of the most
after they will beam is one of the most
after they will beam is one of the most important points and our decentralized
important points and our decentralized
important points and our decentralized structure and reinforce this so systems
structure and reinforce this so systems
structure and reinforce this so systems to keep all of us happy and healthy
to keep all of us happy and healthy
to keep all of us happy and healthy could arise organically around train of
could arise organically around train of
could arise organically around train of hope as every team just adapted to the
hope as every team just adapted to the
hope as every team just adapted to the current situation projects alike train
current situation projects alike train
current situation projects alike train of hope are filling a gap when we are
of hope are filling a gap when we are
of hope are filling a gap when we are needed the most and if we r do it right
needed the most and if we r do it right
needed the most and if we r do it right we cannot fill that gap only adequately
we cannot fill that gap only adequately
we cannot fill that gap only adequately we can fill it well because of our great
we can fill it well because of our great
we can fill it well because of our great adaptability and flexibility volunteers
adaptability and flexibility volunteers
adaptability and flexibility volunteers working together can get things done in
working together can get things done in
working together can get things done in a very professional and even more
a very professional and even more
a very professional and even more importantly humane way as everyone comes
importantly humane way as everyone comes
importantly humane way as everyone comes with limitless valuable and astonishing
with limitless valuable and astonishing
with limitless valuable and astonishing know how with this always in mind and
know how with this always in mind and
know how with this always in mind and hoping to create a best possible
hoping to create a best possible
hoping to create a best possible situation for both refugees and
situation for both refugees and
situation for both refugees and volunteers we managed to grow to a
volunteers we managed to grow to a
volunteers we managed to grow to a sustainable movement that organized
sustainable movement that organized
sustainable movement that organized first care for over four months with
first care for over four months with
first care for over four months with thousands of people coming together
thousands of people coming together
thousands of people coming together around 300 each day to help more than
around 300 each day to help more than
around 300 each day to help more than 200,000 refugees in a most difficult
200,000 refugees in a most difficult
200,000 refugees in a most difficult time of their lives many volunteers do
time of their lives many volunteers do
time of their lives many volunteers do so till today by being part of their
so till today by being part of their
so till today by being part of their lives so they can become part of our
lives so they can become part of our
lives so they can become part of our society this doesn’t need great
society this doesn’t need great
society this doesn’t need great centralized planning or singular leaders
centralized planning or singular leaders
centralized planning or singular leaders it just needs effective communication
it just needs effective communication
it just needs effective communication coordination and everyone needs to feel
coordination and everyone needs to feel
coordination and everyone needs to feel that they are valuable it requires a
that they are valuable it requires a
that they are valuable it requires a structure that encourages openness and
structure that encourages openness and
structure that encourages openness and reduces the intimidation such scenarios
reduces the intimidation such scenarios
reduces the intimidation such scenarios can create never forget that there are a
can create never forget that there are a
can create never forget that there are a lot of people out there who want to help
lot of people out there who want to help
lot of people out there who want to help but just lost the hope that they could
but just lost the hope that they could
but just lost the hope that they could make any difference in order to allow
make any difference in order to allow
make any difference in order to allow these people to do so and become the
these people to do so and become the
these people to do so and become the change that they really want in this
change that they really want in this
change that they really want in this world it just needs someone who
world it just needs someone who
world it just needs someone who simplifies the problem and you can be
simplifies the problem and you can be
simplifies the problem and you can be that person that simplifies a problem
that person that simplifies a problem
that person that simplifies a problem and gives every volunteer the chance to
and gives every volunteer the chance to
and gives every volunteer the chance to find a suitable problem for them to
find a suitable problem for them to
find a suitable problem for them to solve and by this even the biggest
solve and by this even the biggest
solve and by this even the biggest challenge ones become manageable thank
challenge ones become manageable thank
challenge ones become manageable thank [Applause]
”
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