Education for all: We support!

Even though it may be hard to believe in a country like Germany in 2023 – education is unfortunately not accessible or guaranteed for everyone. Many children and young people, for example, have to do without school materials or tutoring opportunities because their families simply cannot afford them. Children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds who receive a recommendation for a grammar school (Gymnasium) often cannot attend because their families lack the financial resources.

For scoolio and FuturePlan, students have always been at the center of our focus. That’s why it was very important for us to advocate for equal opportunities. In the summer, we decided to donate 5% of the revenue generated from ad placements in the scoolio app and the FuturePlan 2023/2024 student planner during the months of July and August 2023.

With success! We were able to donate €250 each to Die Chancenstiftung and the German Children's Fund, both of which focus on supporting children and young people. Supporting these organizations was a heartfelt project for us! We had the opportunity to interview representatives from both institutions and learn more about their work.

The Chancenstiftung

This foundation is dedicated to ensuring that all young people have access to education. It provides scholarships for professional tutoring to disadvantaged children and young people.

First, our readers are interested in what the Chancenstiftung stands for. Please briefly describe the foundation’s mission.

The vision of the Chancenstiftung is to ensure that every young person in Germany receives the best possible support and completes their education with a diploma and a strong belief in their own success—regardless of their background or their parents’ income. That’s why we support children and young people from less privileged families across Germany with free educational scholarships. In doing so, we aim to contribute to greater educational equity in Germany. In few other industrialized countries does a child’s academic success depend so heavily on their family’s resources as it does here. It is important to us to equip young people with the tools they need to pursue their dreams and goals independently and actively participate in society.

How are the donated funds primarily used? How are these projects selected?

Donations are used for our educational scholarships, which fund tutoring sessions or German as a Second Language (DaZ) classes for our scholarship recipients. Typically, tutoring takes place twice a week over a period of 12 months. Recently, we also introduced shorter "welcome scholarships" for children and young people with refugee backgrounds, focusing on learning the German language. This initiative was a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but it also supports young people from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iran.

How does the Chancenstiftung specifically support students and young people? What projects are funded?

Our target group consists of children and young people aged 5 to 20 who need support on their educational journey. Therefore, all of our scholarship programs are aimed at students. To qualify for a scholarship, families must demonstrate that they are financially unable to cover the costs of tutoring themselves.

How quickly do donations reach the institutions or recipients?

Our scholarships are in high demand, meaning donations in the form of tutoring or DaZ lessons reach our scholarship recipients almost immediately. It is very important to us to provide timely assistance to children and young people. As a non-profit organization, we are also required to use donations within two years of receiving them—but in most cases, we use them much faster.

What impact has the foundation achieved with donations so far?

The Chancenstiftung helps children and young people achieve their academic goals, whether that’s advancing to the next grade level or obtaining a (better) diploma. So far, we have supported more than 2,500 young people. Half of them improved by at least one grade in their tutoring subject during the scholarship period. However, it’s not just about better grades—it’s also about developing learning techniques, key future skills, and a growth mindset. By the end of the program, scholarship recipients are often more independent and motivated, demonstrating problem-solving skills, resilience, and teamwork abilities. You can find our evaluation online.

One story that stands out is that of 13-year-old Maxi, who had severe anxiety about writing. Nobody knew until he confided in his tutor. With her support, he overcame his fear, and his academic performance improved dramatically.

German Children's Fund

Since 1972, this organization has been committed to fighting child poverty, advocating for children's rights, and promoting the participation of children in decision-making in Germany. The German Children's Fund also supports equal opportunities in education.

First, our readers would like to know: What is the mission of the German Children's Fund?

The German Children's Fund (Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk e.V.) has been advocating for children's rights in Germany for over 50 years. Its primary focus is on eliminating child poverty and promoting the participation of children and young people in decision-making.

How are the donated funds primarily used? How are projects selected?

The organization funds projects that improve the lives of children and young people, such as new playground equipment, youth hip-hop workshops, or cooking classes that bring refugee and local children together.

How quickly do donations reach the institutions or recipients?

Half of the funding can be applied for as an advance payment. The remaining amount is disbursed upon completion of the project.

Would you like to support these organizations? You can learn more at www.chancenstiftung.de and www.dkhw.de.

Author: Team scoolio