If you have ever attended an event at Give Something Back to Berlin (GSBTB), chances are you’ve seen Matheus in action. Whether he’s chatting with community members, helping set up alongside volunteers, organising with the project managers, or simply providing a welcoming presence, Matheus stands as an essential pillar of the community. As the new point of contact for volunteers, he plays a crucial role in connecting newcomers with opportunities to get involved. From working with refugees in Belgium to becoming the project coordinator at GSBTB, his journey has been one of
many lessons and insights along the way. His role within the community is invaluable and a key reason why GSBTB is what it is today. Here, we delve into Matheus’s life story, his insights on GSBTB, and the future ahead.
Matheus’s life is a tapestry of diverse cultural experiences. Born in Brazil and raised in Belgium, he pursued a degree in social work and began his career at a refugee reception centre. This early experience shaped his passion for supporting marginalised communities and laid the groundwork for the impactful work he would later do with our community.
It was this work experience in Belgium that led to his passion for community cultivation and the building of support systems, but most importantly, it also led to his coming to GSBTB. “That was actually my link with Give Something Back to Berlin. I was looking to do an Erasmus + internship. And I was going around, looking for organisations related to Berlin, refugees, asylum seekers. And I found this [community],” Matheus explains.
Matheus started as an intern at GSBTB in October 2023, a role that allowed him to immerse himself fully in the organisation. His internship lasted until April of the next year, and he started working as an employee at GSBTB immediately after. From the organisers and volunteers to community members, he was able to seamlessly blend into this new role because of his previous experience. Reflecting on this time, he said, “We already knew each other, and [they] didn’t have to spend so much time showing me the organisation, so I already had a strong base from being an intern.”
As the project coordinator, Matheus’s role brings him to all different corners of the organisation. “I’ve been working now as an employee for 3 months. And I’ve learned a lot about what’s going on behind the scenes,” he says. “I assist the project managers with all programs where necessary. And also, one of the things that I’ve been doing lately is being co-responsible for the Community Hub with Mine, the director.” The Community Hub is a welcoming space where people can share their skills through classes, workshops, and activities. Open to everyone, it plays a crucial role in the work Matheus does at GSBTB. As the first point of contact for many newcomers, Matheus helps them get involved with GSBTB, whether they’re joining existing programs or starting their own classes or workshops to serve the community.
Alongside working at GSBTB, Matheus’ transition to Berlin has been personally transformative. “In Brussels, I live in this queer bubble where all my friends are older Gen Zers and young millennials. But here I talk with people of all ages, all sexualities, all colours, all nationalities, all religions,” he shares. Living in bubbles is an experience that rings true for many of us, even here in Berlin—a city burgeoning with diversity and people from all different walks of life—yet many of us only closely interact or befriend those in similar age ranges and of the same ethnicities as us. This is why the GSBTB community is so vibrant; it allows us to learn, grow, and change in ways we hadn’t imagined possible by breaking out of the societal bubbles we often find ourselves in. As a newcomer to Berlin, Matheus’s experience moving to the city was profoundly influenced by GSBTB’s mission to make Berlin a more welcoming and closer-knit community, especially for those new to the city. This mission has made his work here more intimate and important to his own life. Matheus spoke a bit about his move to Berlin and how “here through being in touch with this community, I broke this bubble a little bit. I still have a lot of queer friends in Berlin and participate in the queer activities in Berlin, so I have this bubble. But being [at GSBTB], and working here, I can really break it a little bit and be in touch with all kinds of people.”
This inclusivity is what Matheus finds most rewarding about his work at GSBTB. “It’s one of the few places that I’ve been where they have succeeded in creating a kind and cute and well-working, multicultural community,” he says. “I love to go to the Open Art Space and see these queer people with crop tops doing art next to women wearing hijab.”
As project coordinator, Matheus is excited about the future projects at GSBTB, especially ones that he has been planning with Mine and Ricarda through the Community Hub. “We’re organising some really cool activities for the future. And they are very, very focused on democracy and society. We are organising workshops about societal problems and how to engage more in society, how to start as activists,” he reveals. Reflecting on his journey, Matheus shared how he is grateful for the opportunities and connections he’s made here. GSBTB has succeeded in creating a kind, effective, and multicultural community. It’s a place where different worlds meet, and that diversity is incredibly enriching.
As project coordinator, Matheus is the first point of contact for anyone interested in getting involved at GSBTB and the exciting programmes planned for the future. If you want to begin your journey as a volunteer and get to know this vibrant community, volunteers are needed! Various programmes could use your expertise—whether you are experienced with the ukulele, trained in DJing, a German speaker willing to facilitate language exchange sessions, or simply want to contribute in any capacity, there is a space for everyone. If you are interested, you can contact Matheus directly at matheus.soares@gsbtb.org to get involved!
The future of the GSBTB community is bright, and it is all thanks to the members who help organise, execute, and attend these events that foster connections across all walks of life. Exciting things are on the horizon, so if you’re interested, join us!