The German Children and Youth Foundation (DKJS) is committed to the educational success and social participation of young people in Germany. The focus is on children and young people who grow up in difficult circumstances. To achieve this goal, the DKJS brings together stakeholders from government, business, academia, practice, and civil society and works with them to develop practical responses to current challenges in the education system.
Our vision is that every child and young person in Germany grows up loved and protected, supported, and challenged. The DKJS improves the opportunities for educational success and participation of all young people living and residing in Germany, especially those in risk situations. In one of the greatest transformations of our society, education is the decisive key to shaping one's own life and career well.
This requires not only more infrastructure and qualified personnel, but also a qualitative development of the education and support system, of which the DKJS is a part:
- fit = individualised / seamless / social space related etc.
- more youth-oriented = life-world-oriented / action-oriented / youth culture etc.
- more future-oriented = digital skills / 21st century skills etc.
This is particularly relevant for children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds.
We bring the strengths of children and young people to the fore, increase the acceptance of change in the education system and the competence to shape it. However, we do not simply call for change in the education system. Within the framework of concrete programmes (over 34 local and nationwide programs), we promote dialogue processes between the practice and governance levels and improve the effectiveness and sustainability of support and reach 540.000 children and young people every year.