As the nights draw darker earlier, temperatures plummet and streetlights reflect the nearing of the festive season, it’s also a time for reflection among the SEET team.
SEET – Support Education, Empower Together – was founded in 2019 as an association initially comprised solely of volunteers – a combination of multi-national professionals and students – that offers a study support programme for refugees seeking to re(start) their studies in Switzerland.
In 2023, as the association’s ambitions and workload grew, the first part-time employee (one day per week) was hired to support our programme participants and to coordinate administrative projects and partnerships. In 2024, two more part-time positions were created in the equally vital areas of finance and fundraising.
As SEET’s work evolved, so too did the breadth of its support. 2024 saw a 78% increase in the number of refugees supported by SEET. Whilst the majority live in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, our reach has also extended to those living in other cities this year. The refugees hail from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, Sudan, IR Iran and China PR.
As the workload and responsibilities of the three existing SEET sub-teams representing the Programme organisation, Communications and Finance continued to expand, the Board embarked on a restructuring process in summer 2024 to continuously improve its service provision.
The new structure, which became active as of November 2024, now encompasses seven teams: the Programme Management, Communications, Fundraising and Partnerships, Finance and Accounting, Human Capital & Legal Compliance, IT & Knowledge Management, Strategy and Change Management.
While 2024 saw the departure of some volunteer members who had provided invaluable support during the association’s evolution, some fresh faces joined too. SEET’s ranks have been bolstered by new volunteers from as far afield as Honduras, Singapore and South Africa, who are all now living in Switzerland. Diversifying our membership has further enriched the organisation through the onboarding of people with new skill sets, increasingly broad professional experiences, and different cultural backgrounds.
The association is now calibrated to better fulfil its growing commitments, optimise knowledge transfer and bring an increased ‘professionalisation’ towards its operations, not least in the support of its mentees and mentors.
Co-President Nora Diethelm joined SEET in February 2021 and reflected on its journey to date, as well as her hopes for the future: “SEET’s mission goes beyond ensuring equal access to higher education and fulfilling the right to education for everyone in Switzerland” she explained. “We also strive to change our society for the better by fostering the true integration of refugees. This means being open to their presence, recognizing their wonderful talents and strengths, and creating opportunities for them to reach their full potential.
True integration is not about relegating refugees to low-paid job sectors but ensuring they are represented and valued across all fields and sectors. When this happens, refugees can enrich our institutions, drive innovation, and help us build a more inclusive, diverse, and ultimately stronger society.”
SEET’s dream is that one day, equal opportunities will be fully realized, and our work will no longer be necessary. Until then, we remain committed to empowering refugees and inspiring others to join us in this mission.
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