ENGAGE Frankfurt

In a joint project, local schools, businesses and the community organisation Gesellschaft für Jugendbeschäftigung e.V. (gjb; society for the employability of adolescents) have developed a job coaching programme for students at the lower end of the achievement scale to further their career prospects. By combining the business expertise of the companies with the social and educational background of gjb, the programme has had a measurable impact on the local community, as well as the employees and the students.

Process

At 26%, Frankfurt has one of the largest immigrant populations in Germany. Around one-third of unemployed people in Frankfurt are immigrants. One in seven immigrant students do not graduate from secondary school, and 16% of those children depend on welfare, compared to 10% of non-immigrant children.

This year-long programme focuses on the key skills needed to improve school students’ employment prospects. Supported by gjb, business volunteers deliver a range of practical workshops, such as CV writing and interview training. Students are invited to the companies’ offices, exposing them to a real-life atmosphere, this combined with role-play, telephone training, mock interviews and individual feedback, ensures an all round preparation for students, enabling them to take home key skills as well as tangible outcomes, such as professional photos and a freshly crafted CV.

Companies: Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Linklaters LLP, Citigroup Global Markets Deutschland AG, Deutsche Börse Group, Fidelity International

Partners: gjb, local schools

To find out how your company can get involved in this project please contact Jenny Todd.

Impact

Key figures:

  • The programme is now well established in its fifth year. During that time approx. 370 students and 500 employee volunteers have in benefited various ways.
  • 50 volunteers took part this year providing 200 hours of volunteer time
  • 70 students from 4 schools benefitted.

Benefits for students:

  • Job application skills: ‘I obtained my apprenticeship with the job application we did there’
  • Exposure to a new range of experiences: ‘This was my first job interview and I did not know how to behave’.
  • A higher level of confidence, motivation and aspiration: ‘I realised what life can offer, if you really want it’ and, ‘I learned that I can be someone, if I want’.

Benefits for volunteers:

  • Evaluation showed that the volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to expand their own skills and experiences for the benefit of others, as well as expand their own personal networks
  • The overwhelming majority of the volunteers have decided to continue with the programme
  • gjb was able to offer real life learning experiences for the students, enhance their own project management skills and received greater public awareness
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