Education is the basis for a self-determined, successful life. How to strengthen education in urban neighborhoods is a central aspect of the program from the Hamburg Authority of Urban Development and Housing (BSW), Integrated Urban District Developmental program (RISE). Project schools in Schulmentoren are located in areas with socio-economic challenges that are part of the RISE program. Schulmentoren aims to promote educational success and career entry at schools through special measures, especially for young people with a migrant background.

The project supports comprehensive measures aimed at sustainably strengthening schools in difficult situations (in order) to improve overall learning success. Our methods include blended learning seminars and workshops for each target group, and we work with participating schools to develop individually tailored courses for school-relevant topics.

Parents are trained as mentors through comprehensive courses on the school system where they learn how to inform, advise and support other parents through challenges like helping determine their children’s learning trajectory and helping to ease the transition from primary school to university or vocational education and training (VET).

At each school, students act as mentors to support their peers by helping to create a good learning environment at their school. Thay have responsibilities as advisors and facilitators for their peers, as well as building bridges between students and teachers. Each school also builds a network with out-of-school partners to increase education participation.

The project team from KWB e. V. is responsible for training students and parents as school mentors and our partners from the Hamburg Authority for Schools, Family and Vocational Training (BSFB) train selected teachers from each school as project coordinators in addition to monitoring the implementation of mentors in the schools.