Project "Zähne putzen"
Retreat spaces for activists of social-ecological change in ecovillages, communities and political communes
Dear people, if you have a need for relaxation and retreat in your activism, please contact us.
In order to support you, we have been forming a welfare network in cooperation with a large number of ecovillages, political communes and some smaller communities since May 2019. Nowadays more than 30 places provide their rooms and competences to you, in large part freely-given. This initiative comes from the desire to show solidarity and to work together for the socio-ecological change that we need.
We are a subproject of the Global Ecovillage Network Deutschland e.V. and linked up with the Kommuja Network and the #by2020WeRiseUp campaign.
Take a retreat
You know best what you need to recover, reflect and strengthen yourself. So first we need some information from you – What are you looking for? What are your expectations of the retreat? Based on this information, we will then look for a suitable place for you and, once we have an OK from them, we will put you in touch with the contact person at the retreat location. Please bear in mind that it takes an average of two weeks to organise your stay.
We have very diverse places: From small alternative house projects to large ecovillages, from places in northern Germany to Austria and Switzerland (a map of the projects can be found under ‘Retreat Places‘). Some can accommodate larger groups for longer periods of time, others rather fewer people and/or for a shorter stay. And you can of course also use our services as an individual.
If you moreover wish to be accompanied explicitly in the processing of stressful experiences, we will see if we can find a suitable place and facilitator for you.
For further psychological/psychotherapeutic support we also work together with the organisation „Psychologists for Future“.
Our understanding of activism
It is important for us to stress that we have a broad understanding of activism. Thus, we also think in terms of a broad understanding of social-ecological change. For us, for example, sea rescue on the Mediterranean sea is as elementary as queer feminist revolt or the construction of solidary economies. In our perception, all these ‘different’ movements come together and support each other. In addition, we also want to address people who tend to stay in the background, take care of others or support the movements from a distance. With our care network want to strengthen you in all your manifold activities.
We would also like to invite you not to start thinking about recovery, when you are already at or above your stress limit. Overall, we want to promote a regenerative activist culture where we all take ourselves seriously in staying healthy and effective at the same time.
Of course we do not offer any space for discriminating and inhuman attitudes within our network.
Contact us
You are welcome to contact us via the following e-mail address: retreat_in_gemeinschaften@riseup.net (Public Key right mouse click, “save as” to download)
Here you can also inquire about the possibilities of psychological support and which framework conditions you can find in the individual projects.
Write us if you have any other questions, criticism or if you would like to support us in one way or another. For example through additional rooms or your own abilities in the psychological accompaniment of activists.
In order to be able to continue our project, monetary donations are also necessary for us and a large support.