History

The work with immigrants began in Recklinghausen in the early 60s. “Support for guest-workers” was then its name and was even back then situated in der BRÜCKE. Greeks, Spaniards, Italians and later Yugoslavs and Turks came to work in Recklinghausen and became new citizens of the city. German language courses geared to the “every day“, lectures about tax returns, questions regarding consumer issues and the social system were all part of the program of the fixed monthly Sunday sessions in der BRÜCKE.
“Integration work with foreigners” was the next term for the task presented to the BRÜCKE starting at the end of the 80s. The little word “with” was hiding an entire program: integration can only be achieved together; the social majority and the immigrants have to work together in unison. And: they don’t exist, the Turks, the Arabs, the Bosnians. It is rather about men, women, youths, senior citizens, successful people and those who did not make it, about different political standpoints, very religious and not so religious people or atheists. In short: The cooperation with immigrant organisations and differences has also during the last decade been the distinguishing features of the work in der BRÜCKE.
The change into the new millennium started a process, which brought the topic of immigration more and more into the focus of social interests and therefore to the attention of politics, especially local affairs. This went hand in hand with a consolidated personalisation in the areas of personnel, organisation, control and the establishment of tasks and objectives.