School Mentors hand in hand for strong schools

School Mentors – hand in hand for strong schools! a project run by the Hamburg school authority for schools in challenging urban disctricts

The core idea of the project …(seen from a school‘s perspective) School based and regionally based networks Konzept School Parental Mentors specific concept Project coordinator (one in each school) Training and additional support by a private agency Acquisition and coordination of the assignment of the mentors establishement è up to 20 according to the size of the school Student Mentors è up to 20 … Volunteer Mentors è Parents up to 20 … Aims at student level: è development of the personality è development of good preconditions for learning è school career / vocational counselling

Which schools are taking part in the project? • 27 primary and secondary schools working in challenging urban districts • Main focus areas: Elbe Islands and Eastern districs

Time schedule (overview) Official start of the project: April 1, 2014 April 1 – July 11, 2014: Establishment of the project structures, development of the training concepts etc. School Years 2014/2015, 2015/16 und 2016/2017: Implementation of the project (ongoing training and mentoring activities according to individual concepts in each of the project schools) From school year 2016/2017 on: transfer of the project results Official end of the project: Sept. 30, 2017

Our ideas in 2014… • Parental Mentoring will mainly be „embedded“ in (if possible already existing) easily accessible activities, e. g. in „Parental Cafés“, parent meetings, handicraft work afternoons; these activities will be strengthened by the involvement of trained parental mentors • Student Mentoring will mainly take place in tandems (older student = mentor + younger student = mentee) • Mentoring by External Volunteers will also mainly take place in tandems (volunteer + student); organization in cooperation with existing mentoring agencies

… and what really happened Parental Mentoring • 127 parents trained • „Parental Cafés“ established – specific topics (e. g. transitions from primary school to secondary school, information on the afternoon program of the school, information on councelling possibilities for various problems, …) • Translation support in parent-teacher meetings • Available during regular school-activities, e. g. first day at school, open house, registration week

… and what really happened Student Mentoring • 110 students trained • Various activities established, depending on the age: § How does our school work? How do I pack my schoolbag? Which learning techniques can I use best? (primary school) § Coaching in specific subjects (secondary school) • Mostly work in tandems with fixed time slots • Take part in regular school-activities, e. g. first day at school, open house, registration week

…and what really happened External Volunteers • First cooperations are established • Three key areas: § Literacy Coaching § Personality Coaching § Vocational Counselling • Either volunteers from existing projects or own projects developed in schools

Why does it work? School based and regionally based networks Konzept School Parental Mentors specific concept Project coordinator (one in each school) Training and additional support by a private agency Acquisition and coordination of the assignment of the mentors establishement è up to 20 according to the size of the school Student Mentors è up to 20 … Volunteer Mentors è Parents up to 20 … Aims at student level: è development of the personality è development of good preconditions for learning è school career / vocational counselling

Why does it work? • Development of a strong coordination structure in the schools - coordinators have TIME for the project - they can look after the mentors, assist in their training, develop ideas for further activities with them - regular meetings with other coordinators and the project management team - Specific training program for the coordinators à Possibility to provide ongoing support for the mentors, project can really be embedded and integrated in the school‘s general program

Why does it work? • Co-steering school authority / private agency (focus on the individual „unique selling propositions“) School authority • Close contact to the school management & administration • Knowledge about curricula and school structures • Integration in the school authority‘s general programs for schools in challenging urban districts • Strategic positioning of the project in the structure of the school authority

Why does it work? • Co-steering school authority / private agency (focus on the individual „unique selling propositions“) Private agency • Knowledge in training parents and students • Possibility to adjust courses to special needs of schools • Counselling for schools

Next steps • Retrospect – one year into the project, what can we learn for the future? • Target Agreements for 2015/2016 – with all 27 schools • Further implement the structure in schools – in order to be able to continue after 2017, when the ESFfinancing expires • Various Seminars and panels with school management & administration • Strenghten public relations – within the schools and for the project as a whole • Transfer best practice to schools who are not part of the project

Welcome to Hamburg! Next meeting in Hamburg 23/24 November • Suggested topic: „Chain of preventive measures“ • Day 1: Information and discussion on the topic with experts from different authorities and agencies involved • Day 2: Discussion on the status of the flagship school to work and next steps, possibility to visit a school/day-care center/educational center We are already looking forward to welcoming you!

For more information please contact: Eric Vaccaro Director of the project in the Hamburg school authority eric. vaccaro@bsb. hamburg. de Jessica Kratt Consultant in the Hamburg school authority jessica. kratt@bsb. hamburg. de Dr. Alexei Medvedev Director of the project in the „Koordinierungsstelle Weiterbildung und Beschäftigung“ (KWB) = private agency responsible for the training programme medvedev@kwb. de