Personally shaping change!

Civil society needs individuals, a vibrant society thrives because of their involvement. The Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg supports young people who want to contribute as volunteers to shaping their environment, to facilitating change in society. In individually developed projects, they have the opportunity to be active, develop friendships and gain important experiences.

We assist in the implementation of the projects over the course of one year with training and international meetings. Individuals between 18 and 25, from Germanspeaking countries, from Central and Southeast Europe and from CIS countries can become active, can work together and overcome borders.

The mission of the Robert Bosch Stiftung ? to promote understanding between people ? is effectively put into practice in the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg.

Being Active Through Project Work

Successful involvement draws its energy from an individual?s own motivation. The Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg offers the freedom to develop and exchange ideas and to experiment in their implementation. In addition to motivation, knowledge and skills are needed for project management. Working on individually conceived projects which are for a limited period of time trains the fellows in a wide range of competencies. Creativity is essential ? particularly in conceptual development. The fine-tuning of project concepts and their implementation teaches organisational skills.

The voluntary projects of the fellows cover a wide range of topics and project forms ? from civic education to social and cultural involvement.

Development: Finding Ideas

Theodor-Heuss fellows first apply for international summer seminars. Here, lively, varied groups engage in an intercultural dialogue, discuss social topics from various perspectives, share experiences and receive inspiration for their own activities.

Fine-tuning: Creating Concepts

In the second stage, ideas are turned into concrete concepts. Teams are formed and supporters acquired. In a project meeting project participants are brought together, open questions are clarified and the finetuning phase is completed. The range of projects is diverse, from intercultural theatre workshops to socio-political topics. Didactic training for future teachers is offered as well as student clubs and ecological street actions.

Qualification: Training to meet the Needs

In the ?hot? phase, project work intensifies. This is the best time for training tailored to the needs of the teams. In addition, a mentor is assigned to each project to support the project work.

Reflection: Opening Perspectives

Project work opens up new perspectives for personal and professional development. Developing an international network of contacts enables one to see the world beyond one?s own. New competences are developed. In a wrap-up seminar, the experiences and the lessons of the project work are evaluated.

Professional Guidance

International trainers, the programme?s coordinators and a network of former fellows accompany project teams composed of volunteers.

Trainers design the international training programme at the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg. They develop concepts for regional cooperation projects in various languages. Their international experiences and knowhow enables them to apply a broad spectrum of methods. Their own practical experience in voluntary projects further adds to their abilities. The continuity and quality of the seminar leadership is ensured through a train the trainer programme which runs over several years.

The head office of the MitOst Association in Berlin is the base for the programme coordinators of the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg. They organise the training programme of the fellows, develop cooperation projects and oversee public relations issues.

Fellows remain active after their projects have ended. As alumni, they develop further projects within MitOst and, in regional networks, are active in promoting cultural exchange.

Interest in Regional Cooperation

Project work as a method for promoting the willingness to engage in volunteer community functions differently in different cultural contexts. The Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg develops for this purpose concepts and cooperates with interested partners.

The palette of our work extends from the development of a complete training schedule in collaboration with public institutions ? in Russia, for example, in the framework of the cooperation project, ?Daily Involvement?, (Гражданская активность каждый день) with the Ministry for Culture and Youth of the Region Perm ? to a joint development of methods with grassroot initiatives.
The international experience of the seminar leaders in the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg facilitates solutions which are appropriate to the target group, and which integrate countryspecific qualities.

Theodor Heuss

With the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg, the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the MitOst Association commemorate an exceptional person, whose life?s work promoted understanding and reconciliation between nations; who himself contributed to overcoming cultural and political barriers in post-war Europe.

As a writer, politician and first president of the Federal Republic of Germany, founded after Word War II, Theodor Heuss advocated a new political culture, one which would overcome the political culture of National Socialism.

Democracy was, for him, primarily a way of life and an attitude: The liberty of the people depends on the internal freedom of the individual. To the present day, the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg has remained committed to this maxim. The name Theodor Heuss is also notably linked to the history of the Robert Bosch Stiftung: In the 1930s, Robert Bosch entrusted Heuss with the writing of his biography (Robert Bosch ? His Life and Achievements). In so doing, Bosch supported a liberal opponent of the National Socialists, who had been dismissed from his public functions in 1934.

Contact Data

Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg
A Programme of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and MitOst e.V.
Schillerstr 57
10627 Berlin
Germany

+49 30 315174-80
+49 30 315174-89
info(at)theodor-heuss-kolleg.de
Programme Coordination Berlin