martas hostel - The right accommodation for your school trip to Berlin

School projects and educational programmes of the Berlin City Mission

Poverty, neediness and homelessness can be observed in every major city, especially at the central railway stations. The motto is often: look away and move on. The martas guesthouses are located directly on the extensive grounds of the Berlin City Mission. Take advantage of a class or group trip to Berlin to find out from the staff on site how the Berlin City Mission deals with these issues and what help it offers to people in need. Unless otherwise stated, our guided tours are free of charge. However, we would be delighted if you would support our work with a donation:

Verein für Berliner Stadtmission
IBAN: DE67 3702 0500 0003 1555 00
BIC: BFSWDE33XXX
SozialBank AG

Please state the purpose of the donation!

Focus on poverty and homelessness

‘How can you really help a homeless person?’, “Why doesn't he rent a flat?” or ’Why doesn't he just stop drinking?’ These are all questions that need to be asked and answered. As part of guided tours and workshops, we offer you the opportunity to find out what the Berlin City Mission is doing to combat the plight of the homeless. You will find out what options they have for showering, charging their mobile phones, getting suitable shoes, receiving medical treatment despite not having insurance and where they can get hot coffee. The tours are conducted by employees who are experts in their field. The aim of our programmes is to educate the heart: Only knowledge can sharpen the eye, promote understanding and broaden horizons.

Focus on sustainability and upcycling

On average, the Berlin City Mission receives 11 tonnes of donations per week. In winter it can be up to 20 tonnes. This includes clothing donations, suitcases, household appliances, shoes, bed linen and much more. We are grateful for this mass of donations, but at the same time this volume presents the employees with logistical challenges. The hub is the TEXTILHAFEN, where all donations arrive, are sorted by hand and a decision is made on what to do with them. The aim is for as many donations as possible to go to the Berlin City Mission clothing store, where they can be distributed to the homeless. We know that clean and intact clothing enables participation and protection. But what if many of the donations are unusable or do not fit the men, 90 per cent of whom are guests at the clothing store, because they are women's clothes? What if wool keeps you warm in winter, but many items of clothing are almost fashionable and made of polyester? Here we show you what we do specifically to ensure that as many donations as possible remain in the textile cycle and do not have to be disposed of.

 

Focus on refugees and refugee aid

More and more people around the world are on the run. More and more people are forced, voluntarily or involuntarily, to find a new home in a foreign place. In a big city like Berlin, it can be easy to make connections, but the many opportunities can also be overwhelming. The many new arrivals can cause worry and anxiety for people who have already found their home. Our guided tours are designed to help people understand the causes of flight, create the conditions for successful integration and strengthen hearts.

 

External provider: querstadtein e.V.

At this point, we recommend guided tours that the Berlin City Mission does not organise itself, but which are thematically similar. We have taken part in the tours we advertise here ourselves. Other target groups can also be reached with digital formats.

 

Curious now?

Do you have any questions about our offers?

We will be happy to advise you by e-mail: