WERKstattSCHULE e.V.

WERKstattSCHULE e.V. was founded in 1983 as a charitable, non-profit youth educational provider in Heidelberg in the Rhein-Neckar region. The association was initially created to compensate the lack of link between formal and practical education for the youngsters. In general, we support young people on the verge of starting their professional lives with and without social and personal handicaps and difficulties with cognitive learning. This work is not part of formal education at school but an additional offer. There are more than 30 professionals employed by the association, mostly youth workers with practical and pedagogical experience and different skills in various areas such as wood craft, metal craft, sculpting and carving, artistic design and drawing. With these kind of projects WERKstattSCHULE e.V. is closing a gap in educational offers for young people. Many are lacking the practical connection to decide on a future profession. Oftentimes, students are lacking knowledge of their own talents and key competences, to have a confident look into the future and choose a profession. Our main goals and projects: 1. Occupational orientation for young people at schools in the region: The association intervenes mostly in schools in order to give the pupils entering occupational life a general idea of what handcraft and artistic jobs can be like. We always try to create something useful for the schools and the pupils such as benches, tables, playgrounds, and any sort of common area that can be used in a school. We also like to bring a personal and unique touch to our work. Most projects at schools are rather short (1 week on bloc or one day per week). 2. Youth welfare: Although it is not the only goal, it is very important for us to support youngsters with fewer opportunities and NEETs. Therefore, we decided to create educational programs based on social, psychological, and pedagogical teaching trying to reprocess the consequences of youngsters’ unemployment and school dropout (long term). These programs are called LÄUFT and TALENTWERK. They basically offer a daily structure – that means we work, learn, eat, and have fun together! 3. Intercultural exchange: In 2021 we established a project for young women with and without migration background called KNOTENPUNKT. Main goal is to create possibilities of encounter and exchange of different cultures, religions, and generations. We organize workshops, excursions and get togethers. 4. European activities and activities around ESC: We are hosting and sending European volunteers since 2017 and took part in Erasmus+ youth exchanges. Among our participants and young people in the region we try to acquaint European programs such as the ESC. For more information about our ESC projects visit: www.werkstattschule-international.eu Der WERKstattSCHULE e.V. besteht seit 1983 als gemeinnütziger Bildungs- und Jugendhilfeträger in Heidelberg und dem Rhein-Neckar-Kreis. Der Verein wurde ursprünglich gegründet, um eine Brücke zwischen formeller und praktischer Bildung zu schlagen. Generell, unterstützen wir junge Menschen, die auf der Schwelle zwischen Schule und Beruf stehen. Wir haben Projekte für junge Menschen mit und ohne soziale und persönliche Probleme und Lernschwierigkeiten. Unsere Arbeit ist nicht Teil der formellen Bildung an Schulen, sondern vielmehr ein zusätzliches Angebot. Das Team besteht aus über 30 Mitarbeitern, die sowohl über eine pädagogische als auch über eine künstlerische oder handwerkliche Ausbildung in den Gewerken Holz, Metall, Stein etc., verfügen. Durch diese Projekte schließt der WERKstattSCHULE e.V. eine Lücke im Bildungssystem. Vielen jungen Menschen fehlt der praktische Zugang, um sich hinsichtlich zukünftiger Berufe zu orientieren. Häufig sind sich junge Menschen ihrer Talente und Schlüsselkompetenzen auch nicht bewusst und es fällt ihnen schwer, selbstbewusst ihren beruflichen Weg zu beschreiten Unsere Ziele und Projekte: 1. Berufsorientierung für junge Menschen an