SeaWatch e. V. and Mare*Go

I have been working as a volunteer coach for Sea Watch e. V. since 2022.
As an “old hand” in the business of civilian sea rescue (since 2015), Sea Watch provides support for smaller organizations, including Mare*Go.

My involvement began in 2019 when I, together with a coaching colleague, conducted a Capacitar resilience training for sea rescue volunteers on the Greek island of Lesbos on behalf of Sea Watch. In a small village on the north coast, where the Turkish beach is in sight during daylight, barely 7 km away. A hotspot for illegal night crossings. People came from Afghanistan, Eritrea and Syria and had been hiding on the Turkish side for weeks, waiting for a favorable moment when the weather would be calm. Or chose the cheaper option in bad weather.

At the end of 2019, two smaller British NGOs were on the ground with volunteers who “spotted” the coast at night to raise the alarm. A boat team whose presence was intended to prevent pushbacks by the Turkish or Greek coastguard and create global publicity. And a team of helpers to provide first aid to rescued people.
Most of the volunteers sacrificed their annual leave to help. They felt powerless in the face of major political constraints, between solidarity and overload of the local population and the collapse of the infrastructure due to too many people. Lesvos was a gateway to Europe, but the plug was simply stuck (Moria). Since the Covid 19 pandemic, NGOs are no longer allowed to operate on the Greek islands.

Pschosocial support for the volunteers comprises selfcare, practical tools for dealing with stress, panic and secondary traumatization. Knowledge about the neurological background and symptoms, team building and support in structuring everyday life.

It was on Lesvos where the overall topic of flight and migration came close to me with human faces and stories. That is why I offer my coaching support to those who dare to do so much more.