Children’s Center Geislingen

Current Program of the Children’s Center

Agapedia K19 - Herzenssache Home

Jürgen Klinsmann, together with his former youth coach Werner Gass from SC Geislingen, had the idea to get involved with children in the heart of Geislingen. In several meetings in 2017 and 2018, together with the city administration in Geislingen and OB Frank Dehmer as well as the schools, associations and providers of child and youth welfare, they have mobilised a consultation process in order to ensure the optimal use of the premises of more than 500 sqm for the children in Geislingen. Five working groups have identified the need for a children’s centre for children aged between 6-12 years and with a community dimension. The children’s centre is financially supported by the SWR And is therefore called “Agapedia K19 – Heart Matter House”.

Other projects of Agapedia Germany

“The way children see the world shapes the way they face it as adults.”

The K19 children’s center is a place where everyone is welcome, feels comfortable and can feel like they belong. The center offers acceptance and protection for all, giving everyone the foundation and space to develop and pursue their own interests. Children of all backgrounds and religions are welcome at K19. At K19, the children have the opportunity to spend their free time in a meaningful way, make friends and receive support. Our offer is supplemented by project weeks, excursions and much more. Voluntary participation is a core principle of our work, so that every child can take part in the K19 activities according to their interests and wishes. Since its opening in December 2019, 120 children have visited the children’s centre every week to spend their free time in the afternoons. In addition, the K19 is a meeting place for associations and non-profit institutions that use the premises for their activities.

ESF Plus "Ways out of poverty - empowerment through information and education"

The ESF Plus project “Ways out of poverty – empowerment through information and education” is currently being implemented at the K19 Children’s Center (2023-2025). As child and youth poverty is above all family poverty, our project focuses on three levels:

Career orientation for 14 children from the 5th grade onwards

At least four career guidance events will be held each year. At each activity, a job profile is presented and made tangible through practical exercises. The job profiles are based on the opportunities and wishes of the children and young people. The activities are carried out in cooperation with local companies as part of a learning and education partnership and, where possible, are led by trainees.

Preventive everyday offers

The selected children will be integrated into the regular program of the K19 Herzenssache Kinderzentrum. They attend the K19 playtimes every week and take part in the programs on offer. This allows a relationship and trust to be built up with the children and young people. This relationship serves as the basis for teaching social skills and basic social values.

The educational offer for parents at K19.

The educational project for parents includes a weekly low-threshold parents’ café and a language course. On the basis of the interests surveyed in the parents’ café, thematic groups are developed together in which project-oriented educational offers on the areas of everyday life take place (career, school system, applications, nutrition and health topics, educational issues, etc.). The project is intended to give parents the opportunity to experience K19 as a non-formal educational venue and to find a trustworthy contact person.

We see a connection between the preventative work with the children and young people and the parent project, in which the women are empowered to improve their situation by introducing them to help systems and practical tips, as a great opportunity to counteract poverty and the risk of poverty. At the same time, we are looking to the future with the career orientation project and want to introduce children and young people to the world of work at an early age and help them discover their talents and skills.

The ESF Plus project is co-financed by the European Union and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Integration.