We found early on that Martin's life served well as a chilling example for pupils, students and young adults. That's why we decided to focus heavily on this group.
From the many positive feedbacks from teachers and students, we were able to see that the tour is perfect for school classes. A great example of this is the recommendation from Uta Hadacek MSc and Claudia Chlebecek MSc - Nursing educators at the FH Campus Wien for healthcare and nursing:
The fact that Martin's reports and stories are based on his own experiences (with homelessness and drug use) and are therefore authentic increases the deterrent effect. In addition, the students generally had positive memories of the tour:
Student: I could have listened to Martin for hours. The walk with him was awesome.
Student: I still (2 weeks later) think of Martin from time to time. It was great... but it also made me think.
Student: The best we did in Vienna. In parting, Martin said we shouldn't label people if they don't conform to the ideal image or if they're homeless...because we don't know their story. I want to remember that.
Even on the school's own website from the Rainergymnasium (from the 5th district) you can find an experience report about the tour:
„….. Despite the difficulty of his experiences, he made it clear with a lot of courage and humor that homelessness can affect anyone. It can help to gain certain privileges and a good social network. Without blaming his parents or the gaps in the welfare state, he appealed with a lot of insight and self-reflection …..“
Due to the many inquiries from various teachers, we have decided to now also offer a drug-specific lecture on addiction prevention. Martin comes to the respective school (if logistically feasible, alternatively at a different location or as a zoom meeting) to give an one-hour lecture (or a teaching unit) specifically on the subject of drug use and the resulting consequences.
Unlike the normal tour, homelessness is only mentioned here in connection with drug addiction. He begins with stories about how easily you can slip into drug addiction, how many friends you lose as a result and about the questionable Austrian withdrawal system, which is only a "from bad to worse" solution.
If you are interested in a lecture, you can simply send us a request via the contact form or by email.
*Martin is not a trained tourist guide. He will not and cannot tell you about sights.
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