Integration
Path towards Inclusion
SOCIAL OFFERING
Open Sewing Courses
WHAT DO WE OFFER?
Social Fabric promotes a holistic approach to integration with corresponding strategies to achieve a vision in which people from refugee backgrounds can participate in Swiss society.
We advocate for social inclusion and educational opportunities. As a community, we believe that we have a responsibility to treat all people and our environment with care and respect.
Our craft is sewing. Textile crafts are accessible in all cultures and are free from stigma. Through creative textile crafts, we create a space where people can meet each other at eye level.
Our offering includes opportunities for social inclusion as well as education and work integration.
Through the education, we support the individual development of the young employees so they can achieve economic self-sufficiency. Together with well-established partners in the field of work integration, we aim to directly improve the chances of refugees entering their training for the Swiss labor market.
We believe people who are aware of their potential, skills, and competencies and who have thus gained economic independence are less exposed to the risk of social exclusion and discrimination.
Open Sewing Course is an easy-going social space for creativity and inclusion that takes place twice a week. During the course hours, participants from refugee backgrounds are welcomed to create their own clothing from the fabrics and equipment available in our atelier and practice German with each other and our volunteers.
The courses are free of charge and require no prior registration. Volunteers with expert sewing skills are present to guide the sewing projects. Participants can join the course once per week.
TIME:
Wednesdays from 2.30 until 5 p.m. (The group is full)
Thursdays from 9.30 a.m. until 12 p.m.
LOCATION:
Social Fabric Atelier
Eichstrasse 29, 8045 Zürich
LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT LEVEL:
A1
Stipendium
The Members of Social Fabric form an important part of our community sewing atelier. They have unlimited access to the atelier and equipment within the opening hours, access to Social Sewing Courses on Tuesday evenings, and possibility to join Weekend Sewing Sessions.
Through our Stipendium programme, we offer membership to people who have a refugee background free of charge.
REQUIREMENTS:
German language level from B1
Motivation letter
Experience in sewing
The Stipendium is sponsored by independent donors or collections of corporate fundraising. It is also possible to finance the Stipendium through social benefits if the commune has a budget for social inclusion.
We welcome applications throughout the year.
EDUCATION
Pre-Apprenticeship
The pre-apprenticeship is an intensive 1-year programme that prepares the participant for an apprenticeship (EBA or EFZ) in tailoring or any other field.
During the year, pre-apprentices are employed by Social Fabric and join our production team. The aim of the pre-apprenticeship programme is to expand on the following skills: prototyping and sewing textile products, time management and team work, customer service and logistics, work ethics and organisation within a small enterprise. The programme includes weekly German lessons in a practical setting.
Together with the participants, we map out most suitable next steps in their career paths and adopt our education accordingly. We support our pre-apprentices with coaching and helpful connections. Pre-apprentices visit Berufschule Mode und Gestaltung for 1.5 days a week and work at Social Fabric for 2.5-3.5 days.
Social Fabric offers this valuable position to 2 people every year. Between January and April we offer Schnuppertage and are happy to receive applications.
EDUCATION LEVEL:
Vorlehre
PARTNER SCHOOL:
Berufsschule Mode und Gestaltung
TIME PERIOD:
1 year
NEXT AVAILABLE POSITIONS:
2 pre-apprentices starting in August 2022
CONDITIONS:
Position is available only for a person who has a refugee background
REQUIREMENTS:
German language level A2
High motivation
Experience in sewing
APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER QUESTIONS:
info@socialfabric.ch
Apprenticeship
We work with the Zürich-based organisation AOZ to offer positions under their GEP Programme, which is a voluntary work placement program for people with refugee backgrounds. The placement and administration is managed by AOZ while we offer work experience in our production team.
The programme is especially directed towards people with very basic German skills and those who are not yet allowed to be employed due to permit restrictions. Social Fabric strives to make a positive contribution to assist people who don’t yet have many options. The German-speaking work environment, as well as the important role of being a team member, empowers our GEP participants and motivates them.
We are committed to providing this valuable experience to at least two people each year. The work placement at Social Fabric can be requested through AOZ.
We started with our Apprenticeship programme (EBA) in 2018 with the first graduate finishing the Apprenticeship in July 2020.
Apprentices are employed by Social Fabric for two years in order to reach the Eidgenössisches Berufsattest (EBA) as Bekleidungsnäher*in. They will join our production team and start an education in tailoring. Apprentices will visit the Schule für Mode und Gestalten am BBZ in Olten for one day to learn theoretical knowledge for the profession.
During the practical part of the apprenticeship, the focus lies on sewing different pieces of clothing using both machines as well as handmade techniques which the apprentice will learn to do in our atelier.
Due to the difficult landscape of tailoring in nowadays Europe, only very highly motivated people should apply for this position. We recommend always to apply for a pre-apprenticeship before this step.
Next available position opens up in August 2023.
EDUCATION LEVEL:
Eidgenössisches Berufsattest (EBA)
PROFFESSION:
Bekleidungsnäher*in (Tailor)
PARTNER SCHOOL:
Schule für Mode und Gestalten am BBZ in Olten
TIME PERIOD:
2 years
NEXT AVAILABLE POSITIONS:
1 apprentice starting in August 2023
CONDITIONS:
Position is available only for a person who has a refugee background
REQUIREMENTS:
German language level B1
APPLICATIONS AND FURTHER QUESTIONS:
info@socialfabric.ch
WORK INTEGRATION
GEP Programme
