Diversify

Diversify supports young people in Hamburg aged between 16 and 35 years with a migration background or from socioeconomically disadvantaged families who are interested in a professional career in the political field. The program relies on a diverse range of offerings including mentoring, internships, and workshops to sustainably strengthen political representation and participation. In the mentoring program, experienced politicians accompany the participants for up to twelve months in their training and career planning. Practical insights are provided through the internship program: here, beneficiaries receive up to €1,000 per month for a multi-month internship with political officeholders. Additionally, the student program enables internships with mayors during the autumn and Easter holidays, remunerated with €100 per week. Within the Diversify Academy, workshops on rhetoric, networking, and speechwriting open up new skills, while the Diversify Talks enrich the public discourse on democratic participation.

The funding is provided as a grant and is aimed at individuals with few or no academic role models in their families. Key criteria include the degree of social disadvantage, political motivation, and the prospective fit with the program. With a maximum funding amount of €1,240 for internships, Diversify supports living expenses during the placements. Applications are reviewed through a standardized procedure with fixed deadlines. The goal is to better reflect societal diversity in political bodies at the municipal, state, and federal levels. In this way, Diversify actively contributes to promoting equitable political participation and strengthening social cohesion.