Educational opportunities

Despite all efforts to bring about change, our educational system is not fair. In Germany, an individual's social background still determines his or her career as a rule. The probability of going to secondary school is three times higher for kids from university-educated families compared to working class or migrant families - which is scandalous in a nation that is proud of its educational standards.

Witten/Herdecke University accepts responsibility as a "good corporate citizen" and joins forces with Chancenwerk e.V., and a number of locally based community agents and business representatives to support educational equality in Witten and the region. 

Murat Vural and three other Turkish students founded the non-profit organization Chancenwerk e.V. in 2004 to give children and adolescents from migrant families and others a better chance in life. The principle is simple and efficient: university students help high school students, and high school students help younger students. UW/H students joined the project in 2011 with their "BildungsChancen" initiative.

The basic idea is to offer and accept support. Students in their final years of secondary education receive free tutoring in preparation of final exams from university students; in return they assist with homework supervision for younger pupils. A valuable side effect is practical training in social competences and commitment. Apart from improved performance at school, participants discover new perspectives and are guided and supported in their personal growth. Early contact between university students and high school kids, and also the offer of a "taster day" at Witten/Herdecke University serve to overcome inhibitions and smooth the transition from school to a university education or job training. The concept is flexible, so that final year students may also visit other school types to supervise pupils there. Thus participants come into personal contact with a variety of social and cultural contexts, which certainly helps to reduce mutual prejudices and reservations.

Chancenwerk e.V. started at the Holzkamp Comprehensive in 2011, and Witten/Herdecke University supports this local project with the UWH student initiative "BildungsChancen". Founders Sait Dag and Michael Egermann, now assisted by Julian Geipel, wish to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters at this comprehensive. They presented their concept to fellow students at the opening of the winter term and recruited approx. 20 helpers who after the necessary instruction are now active in the supervision of Holzkamp pupils' homework. They cooperate closely with Chancenwerk and plan to expand their activities to other schools in the region and to find sponsors among the local business community. Chancenwerk operates as a social business and as such invests donations immediately in further non-profit projects. The idea to establish Witten as a city of equal educational opprtunities has the full support of Witten's Mayor Sonja Leidemann.

More: weitere Informationen zum Verein Chancenwerk.

Contact:
Michael Egermann, michael.egermannwe dont want spam@no spamuni-wh.de.
Julian Geipel, julian.geipelwe dont want spam@no spamuni-wh.de.