JBH - Youth Job Assistance in vocational schools

The project

Usually, upon the completion of their general school education, students then either attend a vocational school or they take advantage of an apprenticeship programme in a company. Those incapable of directly benefiting from the two previously mentioned options, attain, in most cases, a supplemental qualification by successfully completing a so called vocational preparatory year (BVJ) in a vocational school. The students have attended either a special or a secondary school and have poor school certification upon completion or none at all. Deficits that many suffer from are inefficiency and learning disabilities and they lack the abilities and moreover the possibilities needed for the independent planning of the course of their lives. The project “Youth Job Assistance in vocational schools 2008" attacks this problem and is a continuation of the successful work of the similar ESF projects which were implemented from 2004 till 2007.

The aim of the project is to motivate BVJ students to develop perspectives for their private and professional lives and to assist them in the realisation of these perspectives as well. Clearly expressed, that means that the students receive assistance in the selection of a profession and in the search for apprenticeship and they also receive support in the preparation for such vocational training or occupation. Responsible for the execution of this task are youth workers (social workers who work with youths) of the Kolping Training Centres in Schwäbisch Hall / Crailsheim who are deployed in both vocational schools of the Schwäbisch Hall / Crailsheim rural district. They care for as many as 250 students to whom they offer routine consultation. Within the framework of individual case assistance they work together with the student in the development of plans for the students future, arrange contacts with information offices and with the authorities and give support in the search for apprenticeship and with job applications as well. The parents of the BVJ students are involved as well.

An important prerequisite for successful youth assistance is the close and goal-oriented co-operative work with the respective teachers of the BVJ students and with all other involved positions in the instruction of these students. For that reason meetings of a regional working party are held regularly each school year. Participants include the schools, the youth welfare department, the local employment agency and the youth workers as well.

Together the group works on finding ways of offering every student a perspective upon the students’ completion of the vocational preparatory year. The aim is a placement quota of 95% in an apprenticeship / job / further education or job preparation measure. This high goal stands under the motto “no certification without continuation”.

Kolping Training Centre
Schwäbisch Hall / Crailsheim

Contact partner
Gerlinde Frey, Head of Training Centre
gerlinde.frey@kolping-bildungswerk.de

EU Funding Programme
ESF Objective 2

Sum of Funding
49.855 €

Period of Funding
01.01.2008 – 31.12.2008

Financially supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Baden-Wuerttemberg with funds of the European Social Fund.