Helping young people to discover their professional interests, potential and goals, regardless of their background and their parents' level of education - that is the task of talent scouts. The idea for the NRW state programme Talentscouting was born in the Ruhr region in 2010. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW), the programme has also been implemented in Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL) since 2017 and has been expanded once again since last year with ten talent scouts active in the region. This all takes place under the umbrella of Campus OWL, the network of the five state universities in the region. So far, a total of 4,550 talents have been scouted at 55 co-operating schools in OWL. Last Thursday at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences (HSBI), 17 more schools were ceremoniously accepted into the co-operation and received the "School in NRW Talent Scouting" badge from Anna Katharina B?lling, President of the Detmold administrative district.

Young people from non-academic homes should be able to make better use of their educational opportunities

"In our rather rural region, the nearest university is sometimes quite far away," said the District President. "The talent scouts not only bridge this distance for young people, but also ensure that young people from non-academic homes can make better use of their educational opportunities." Prof Dr Ingeborg Schramm-W?lk, Chairwoman of Campus OWL and President of HSBI, added: "Through individual support and guidance, we ensure that young people can develop their talents in the best possible way. Educational opportunities are still heavily dependent on social background. With our work, we also contribute to a certain extent to decoupling origin and educational opportunities." Dr Sabine Graap, Head of the Student Law, Training Support and Scholarship Department at MKW NRW, also emphasised that "talent scouting increases equal opportunities and accuracy of fit in access to vocational training and studies, regardless of social background".

Pupils and students report on their experiences

Over 80 guests came to the HSBI conference room to celebrate the inclusion of the new schools in the talent scouting programme. Moderator Julia Ures led through the programme, pupils and students reported on their experiences: "I was able to attend lectures at the university while I was still at school and get to know other talented people who study subjects in my desired field," said Rena, a former pupil at a vocational college in Minden, who has now started his studies in civil engineering at HSBI's Minden campus. "That helped me a lot in my decision to study!" Talent scouting is also characterised by its long-term support for talented students in the transition from school to university or training to work: "It was reassuring for me to know that I could continue to contact the talent scouts after I had started my studies," reported Serin, who is now a student at Paderborn University. "Especially at the beginning, there were a lot of questions in this new world for me. The Talent Scouts also supported me with my applications for a scholarship and a stay abroad. I can now also pass on my experience to the younger talents."

Developing talents, becoming key players in society

Annika Ginau, a former teacher at a talent scouting cooperation school and now a talent scout herself at TH OWL, gave valuable tips for the successful implementation of talent scouting at school: "Talent scouting is an ideal addition to career and study guidance at schools. Scouting provides time and space for a target group that could be high achievers in our society but have not yet been able to fully develop their talents. Teachers are the door openers and bring pupils and talent scouts together. When I was able to open these doors as a teacher, when I could say: 'I see a talent in you, your potential, and there is someone who can accompany you on your path even more intensively than I can' - those were always special moments in everyday school life!" The talented Chiara rounded off the celebratory event with a rousing and emotional poetry slam.

These are the 17 new cooperation schools in OWL

Gymnasium St. Xaver Gymnasium Bad Driburg
Rudolph-Brandes-Gymnasium, Bad Salzuflen
Gymnasium Am Waldhof, Bielefeld
Carl-Severing-Berufskolleg für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung, Bielefeld
Hans-Ehrenberg-Schule Sennestadt, Bielefeld
Erich-K?stner Gesamtschule Bünde
Gesamtschule der Stadt Büren
Janusz-Korczak-Gesamtschule Gütersloh
St?dtisches Gymnasium Gütersloh
Berufskolleg Halle
Gesamtschule Hüllhorst
Leo-Sympher Berufskolleg Minden
Ems-Berufskolleg Rheda-Wiedenbrück
Gymnasium Nepomucenum Rietberg
Gesamtschule R?dinghausen
Gesamtschule Salzkotten
Gymnasium Marianum Warburg

This text was translated automatically.