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Mastering German is a priority for integration into German society
When unaccompanied foreign minors (UFM) arrive in Germany, they have the right to housing, health, and education. However, most of them do not speak German at all, which is very tricky for them all the more that they have to deal with administrative procedures, accommodation, school, and every action. Therefore, speaking German becomes a necessity, as it is the gateway to integration into the German society. It is thus necessary to build relationships, go to school, find a job, and a place in society.
What HUBI does about this situation
Our association offers UFM German refresher courses for one year.
Our goal is that they can then go on with a vocational training, an apprenticeship that will prepare them directly for a job they like. This training is called “Die duale Ausbildung” in Germany. Some of them can even pass the “Abitur” (equivalent to British A-level), if they have the necessary skills and motivation and go on to study at university.
At the same time, we offer students the opportunity to participate in field trips that will take place on a regular basis, because learning a language is not just an objective, it is also a way for UFM to immerse themselves in the German culture and way of life. These field trips include museum visits, hikes, exchanges with German students, visits to cultural sites, or participation in career orientation days to learn about jobs and training offers in Germany. In doing so, they will be able to assimilate German culture and integrate into society. It will also be an opportunity for students to practice their German and improve their skills even more quickly.
Organization of courses
We take care of UFM between 15 and 18 years old. As soon as they arrive at the association, they take a competence test and are divided according to their level of German. We offer course programs at different levels :
- Program for beginners and level A1 : these students are divided into classes according to their native language and have teachers who speak their native language (we have volunteer teachers speaking French, English, or Arabic and we also have volunteers speaking the local language of the country of the UFM ). The objective of this class is to reach a minimum level B2 at the end of the refresher year.
- Program for levels A2-B1 : these students are all in the same class and the teaching is in German. The objective of this class is to reach a minimum level C1 at the end of the refresher year. (Foreign minors arriving in Germany with a higher level than B1 are an exception but they can still take part in the courses and the field trips that we offer).
The courses we offer take place from Monday to Thursday in the afternoon as UMF are required to attend “Gymnasium” classes (equivalent to Highschool in the UK) or “Realschule” classes (which is a school preparing students for vocational training) in the morning.
Special program for illiterate
Illiterate UMF arriving in Germany face twice as many difficulties. When you cannot read and write and you live in a world where everything is computerised and coded, it is almost impossible to understand the world around you.
These young people need more time than others to learn German, which is why we have defined a special program for them. This program takes place over two years.
- In the first year, our volunteers teach them how to write and read German and how to count.
- In the second year, they can join the beginner class with the other UMF and continue learning German.