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Working with Older Volunteers in Manual Intergenerational Projects
Example 4: Missed meetings
At an international meeting a work group is formed with members from Germany, Spain
and Denmark. During the course of the project the group is supposed to meet three
times in different towns. Mr Marquez, a young Spaniard, misses an important project
meeting due to the funeral of a distant cousin, and yet another due to the wedding of a
grandniece. The other group members are angry at his absence.
Example 5: Project with Ukraine
Mr Meier from Germany works as a project leader for an international project and, as
previously agreed, asks a work group from the Ukraine to assume a certain task. The
group spokesman confirms this, but nothing happens. When Mr Meier makes inquiries
weeks later he realises that the group hasn’t started the work. He is very annoyed.
Example 6: Time schedule for an international group
During an international project the participating country groups are requested to assume
certain tasks. The German team creates a time schedule for all the other groups. When
still nothing is heard from the groups from Italy and Greece a week after the deadline,
the Germans are angry and complete the task themselves. A conflict ensues during the
next meeting.
Example 7: Invitation to Wyoming
Through a work colleague, Mr Müller from Munich gets to know an American who is in
Germany for two weeks to attend several conferences. During an evening beer together,
Mr Müller and Mr Cox discuss everything and anything. On leaving, Mr Cox invites
Mr Müller along with his wife and daughter to spend his next holiday with his family
in Wyoming, where his daughter would have the opportunity to go riding and the men
could go fishing. Mr Müller is very pleased about his new friend and gratefully accepts his
offer. When he calls the American a couple of weeks later in order to discuss the holiday
details, Mr Cox is very surprised, can hardly recall the evening at the pub and is evasive.
Mr Müller is disappointed.
Example 8: Example German-Japanese couple
Thomas and Keizo have been married for several years and live in Germany. Keizo is Japanese
and has to sit a difficult examination soon. Two female colleagues visit her home
to help her study. While sitting together, Thomas returns home, greets the visitors in a
friendly manner and retreats so he won’t disturb them. Later, as the guests leave, Thomas
says goodbye. When the couple is alone again, Keizo is upset and blames Thomas for
not having behaved appropriately in the presence of the guests. (Example according to
Kumbier / Schulz von Thun 2006).
Questions for group sessions
• Question 1: What makes the situation difficult, which cultural customs or ways of
thinking could be the cause of conflict?
• Question 2: How can the situation be alleviated / how can the conflict be resolved?
• Question 3: Against your own cultural background, what would be the appropriate
behaviour in this situation and what ways of thinking lie behind it?
Set of Methods 159