VISION
THE bEAR’s vision is to create a world, where every story matters.
MISSION
Because we all have stories to tell. Stories connect us.
THE bEAR’s mission is to provide a dignified and professional setting for people of every possible background to share experiences that are meaningful to them. We share these stories with as many people as possible so that this unifying effect can unfold. THE bEAR’s ultimate goal is to make our communities more tolerant, connected, and compassionate, one story at a time. Therefore THE bEAR is committed to making the following social contributions:
To honor and celebrate the diversity and commonality of the human experience.
To promote mutual understanding and connection through storytelling.
To promote the art of autobiographical storytelling on stage, on the airwaves and in workshops in Berlin and around the world.
To promote the art of autobiographical storytelling as a form of self-expression and self-realization in educational systems. To enable members of society to express themselves with self-confidence.
To help disadvantaged members of society to share their personal experiences and, as a result, to create better understanding and tolerance in our communities.
To provide equal opportunities and access for all genders, all abilities, all age groups, all social, economical and cultural backgrounds, all citizens - regardless of their legal status or language barriers.
To find, develop, share and preserve stories as our cultural heritage.
To provide opportunities for intercultural exchange.
To give members of society something to support: a sense, an art, a purpose, a passion.
To make science and research accessible to the general public through storytelling.
VALUES
At THE bEAR we are committed to the following:
TO act honestly, truthfully and with integrity in all our interactions and dealings;
TO seek out diversity of voice and representation and to provide equal opportunities for staff, consultants, volunteers, board members, storytellers and partners, regardless of self-identified gender, race, identity, sexual orientation, nationality/heritage, economic background or other;
TO treat every individual with dignity, respect and fairness, including our staff, board members, volunteers, consultants, storytellers, audiences, and the world at large;
TO provide a safe and fair working environment for employees, board members, volunteers, consultants, storytellers and partners, including supportive conditions of employment that protect their rights and well-being; This includes maintaining a work and performance environment free from sexual, racial, ethnic, religious, age, disability, sexual orientation and gender-based harassment and bullying. Such harassment is expressly prohibited;
TO be good citizens of the world and abide by the spirit and letter of the law;
TO act responsibly towards the people and communities in which we work and for the benefit of the communities we serve;
TO be responsible, transparent and accountable for all our actions; and to improve the accountability, transparency, ethical conduct and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector.