The Bergische Agentur für Kulturlandschaft (BAK) acts as a link between agriculture and forestry, nature conservation, local authorities and specialist organisations. It has set itself the task of overhauling the subject of agriculture as taught in schools. An interactive brochure on the topics explains the situation in the regional agriculture and its dairy industry.
Planting for the future
The aim of the Solawi (solidarity agriculture) farm collective project at Hermann-Voss-Realschule in Wipperfürth is to teach practical and theoretical knowledge in nutrition, local direct marketing, organic farming, vegetable cultivation and natural recycling processes to students through the school gardening club. The school garden, which had been unused for an extended period, is also being revitalized as part of this project.
Zukunftsschmiede Hückeswagen/Oberberg
The “Zukunftsschmiede” (Future Forge) is a small workshop at the vocational college in Hückeswagen, where additional courses can be held in the afternoon alongside normal lessons. The aim is to get young people interested in technology and the associated professions in a fun and experimental way. Thanks to funding from the foundation, the college has purchased additional equipment, allowing for an enhanced range of courses in digitalization, robotics, virtual reality and 3D technologies.
Performance by the Cologne Hospital Clowns at District hospital in Gummersbach
Since 2005, a duo from the Cologne Clinic Clowns has been visiting young patients at the children’s hospital in Gummersbach once a week. The hospital clowns’ performances help to ease pain and anxiety and distract the children from everyday hospital life. The performances are particularly beneficial for traumatized children from war and crisis zones. The foundation supported with a one-off donation at a time when there was a reduction in small private donations.
Running pleasure for young and old
Every year, the city run encourages young and old to lace up their running shoes and participate. All Wipperfürth schools participate in the community project of the Engelbert von Berg High School and the Leichtathletik Gemeinschaft Wipperfürth (Wipperfürth athletics). In addition, a charity run raises money for a non-profit cause. The Hans Hermann Voss Foundation above all supports the enjoyment of running for youth: Medals are awarded to everybody participating in the student and child runs, jerseys are given to the children, and the school with the most participants is also awarded.
Clarification, prevention and support at schools dealing with social media
The aim is to sensitize pupils to the social media. The focus is on education about opportunities and dangers (data misuse or cyber mobbing) as well as on prevention and support measures. The approach is to train youngsters in classes 7-9 to become media assistants, while at the same time providing a training program for teachers. Under the leadership of the Education Agency of the district Oberberg, together with the Gummersbach County Police Department and the district Youth Welfare Office as well as other organizations as co-operation partners, a structured, district-wide training offer was created, particularly focusing on the rural structures of the region. The organization is to secure the project by setting up a network and long-term collaboration with cooperation partners so that students are not only media assistants at their own school, but also act as multipliers for primary schools and trained media assistants.
Support program for adolescents with school-related and social problems
The goal of the project “Climb aboard – and advance!” is to help young students with school-related and social problems to finish school and find an apprenticeship position. The project of the “Kölner Gymnasial- und Stiftungsfonds” (Cologne high school and endowment fund) has already been offered at various schools in Cologne since 2007 and thanks to funding by the Hans Hermann Voss Foundation, there has been a branch of the project in Wipperfürth since 2014.
Up to 30 students in the 7th grade and up can participate in the project. A social worker supports the youth and offers them a secure place to go for problems in school, at home, and in the social sphere. This counseling and support are still available to the students up to a year after they graduate.