The aim of the Elena Bleß Foundation is promoting the international communication of pupils by supporting exchange programmes and work placements abroad for pupils.

On the one hand this shall be reached by organizational and financial support of work placements abroad, on the other hand by financial support of exchange programmes.

Exchange programmes for pupils

For the moment exchange programmes for pupils are supported in selected schools in the neighbourhood of Haltern am See. The participation of individual pupils or of a group of pupils from Germany or the respective host country is supported if otherwise their participation in the exchange is not possible and if there are no other possibilities of support.

Moreover, school exchange initiatives shall be supported if they need additional means like for items on the agenda of special educational benefit (e.g. excursions and local sightseeing tours).

The schools at present intended for support are named under “co-operations”.

Work placements abroad for pupils

Work placements abroad are voluntary work placements of pupils abroad taking place either according to school regulations during school time or in the holidays or by using holidays and school exemptions. Whereas today work placements abroad are often usual for university students, this is not yet the case for pupils.

The Elena Bless Foundation aims at supporting the participation in company work placements for German pupils abroad and for foreign pupils in Germany. Thus intercultural sensitivity is promoted early.

For company work placement abroad the organizational basic conditions shall be made more transparent and – where needed – cost of journey and costs in the host family shall be paid proportionately. This equally applies for pupils from Germany as well as from abroad.

Due to the organizational expenditure of work placements of pupils abroad the programme is started with work placements in Germany and France. In case of a good development of the foundation apart from France and Spain also Great Britain shall be included into the programme.

Here you get to know more about the organization of work placements abroad.

The co-operation with partnership organizations is listed under “co-operations”.