Guiding principle

Who are we?

Chill out is a grassroots initiative founded in Potsdam in 1997 and a recognised independent youth welfare organisation that offers and promotes accepting youth and drug work. The high level of commitment of all full-time and voluntary staff and interns is the central resource of our work.

What do we want?

We are in favour of a humane youth and drug policy and a critique and prevention of relationships that particularly represents the interests of young people. We promote the development of a society that is competent in life, risk, intoxication and consumption. We see youth work and health promotion as emancipative strategies that consider and support individuals and groups in their social, ecological and political contexts. We are committed to the creation and preservation of free spaces that enable the greatest possible self-determination in the organisation of one's own living environment and contribute to improving quality of life and development opportunities. We are committed to social integration and participation as well as the acceptance of diverse - including non-conformist - lifestyles and lifestyles. We expressly do not include all forms of group-based misanthropy and all other types of discriminatory attitudes and actions, which we resolutely oppose and counteract.

Who is our dialog group?

Its work centres on the needs of children, adolescents and young adults at the interface between youth and addiction support. Great attention is paid to children and young people in special circumstances. In addition, we promote the educational and parenting skills of professionals and relatives and impart specialised knowledge, particularly on the topics of young people's living environments and participation as well as consumption and addiction. We want to expand the range of multipliers and family members and contribute to better specialist counselling and networking of facilities in this area. We inform politicians and administrators as well as the general public about the relevance of our work, sensitise them to our concerns and encourage them to support our services.

How do we work?

Our way of working is characterised by acceptance and the goal of equal dialogue at eye level, mutual appreciation and respect. Voluntariness and needs-orientation are important principles for us to develop a trusting cooperation with the users of our services. We see them as experts in their own behaviour, problems and needs. We work on a low-threshold basis and seek out our dialogue groups in their living environments. Factual information and education form the basis for a sensitive approach to risk behaviour. We offer comprehensive programmes to promote life, risk and consumer skills. We promote solidarity, awareness and mindfulness. We work in a resource- and solution-orientated manner by strengthening self-efficacy and self-control and supporting people in their search for their own solutions.

We regularly review structures, processes and results by obtaining feedback from our users as well as reflection, dialogue and supervision as a matter of course. We are committed to the development of interdisciplinary, coordinated services and working structures in the areas of youth and health policy through intensive networking.

Adopted by the general meeting on 28 March 2018