In 1997, the initiative "Alt hilft Jung im Jugendbüro" (The old helping the young) was founded
as a way of dealing with the sharp decline in available apprenticeships. Experienced volunteers
offer access to their networks of contacts and provide support to full-time support to
apprentices. As mentors, they also provide individual help to increase young people's
chances to get apprenticeships. The volunteers' objective is to prepare young people for the
next stage in their vocational development, help them apply for apprenticeships and provide
follow-up assistance in the course of their training in order to improve their chances of
success.
There are currently twenty senior citizens between the ages of 60 and 75 mentoring nearly 40
young people. Mentoring begins in year 7 of primary school. At first it often involves extra maths
tutoring or individual language skills training for young people from migrant families. |
