Learning together, growing together
An interim conclusion from the collective accommodation in Tiefenau
14.10.2025
Since the start of our course at the collective accommodation in Tiefenau, only a few weeks have passed, yet a lot has already happened. The course has attracted great interest. At almost every session, new interested people showed up at the door, so we quickly had to make a sign saying that the course was already fully booked.
Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that digital skills go far beyond the course topic Writer. Questions such as “Where and how do I save my documents?”, “How do I organize folders, files, and emails?”, “How do I quickly find important information again?”, or “How can I help myself when I get stuck?” are on the minds of many participants. Together, we develop practical solutions that can be applied directly in everyday life, whether when creating application documents, communicating with authorities, or organizing personal files. It is especially wonderful to see how participants are flourishing and approaching tasks with growing self-confidence. Their emails are becoming more structured, responses and homework are arriving more reliably, and their trust in their own abilities is noticeably increasing. The group’s sense of community is also impressive: participants support one another, explain things to each other, and motivate each other to keep going.
A special moment occurred when, on one Saturday, none of the iSTEP team members were available. Instead of cancelling the class, three participants, under our guidance but on their own initiative, took responsibility for organizing the morning session themselves. They were given topics to prepare and then presented them to the group. The result was truly inspiring. Another highlight of the courses are the interactive
For us as instructors, this course is also a valuable learning journey. With every session, we discover new perspectives on learning habits, language barriers, similarities and differences, as well as moving, surprising, and inspiring life stories. This openness toward one another creates a special atmosphere of togetherness, where learning becomes a shared process. To help this sense of community grow, we are looking for people who enjoy sharing knowledge, offering support, and discovering new things together. Whether as a volunteer course assistant, language support, or simply as a curious co-learner — every helping hand and every idea enriches the course and strengthens the community. If this speaks to you, we’d love to hear from you.
The completion of the first Writer module is just around the corner. After that, two more course sessions will follow, at the end of which the first participants will receive their certificates, an important milestone and a great motivational boost for everyone eager to continue learning. After the first course concludes, we plan to hold a joint feedback session with participants and organizers. This will be an opportunity to exchange experiences, gather feedback, and discuss how we can make the next course even better.
