Our pedagogical concept
The EJBW is bound to its guiding principle of strengthening democracy, and in all of its work follows the question: »What enhances democracy, and what endangers it?«
The key topics that the EJBW addresses arise from its remit as a European Institute for Youth Education and Exchange, from the challenges that confront democracy in Thuringia, in Germany and in Europe, and from the questions posed by Weimar as a place of learning and a place to learn from. The areas in which the EJBW works are:
- Education in Europe and its politics
- Education in history and politics
- Socio-political and civic education
- International youth work
- Education in human rights
- Thuringia’s »School Without Racism – School With Courage« programme
- as the Special Department Co-ordinator for the »Weimar Local Action Plan«
The concept for our pedagogical work is set out more elaborately in the pedagogical profile of the EJBW.
Pedagogical colleagues at the EJBW orient themselves using the following model:
Our pedagogical guiding principles
Our mission
We work at the EJBW – a place of non-formal youth education outside the school environment, where young people live together, meet one another, exchange views and learn. We accompany young people in their development into self-aware, open-minded, supportive, conscientious and committed individuals. We embolden them to get to know the way our society is structured, to challenge it critically and to shape it in a free, democratic, social and fair-minded spirit. We encourage them to take a broader view in every respect, to try new things and to develop a vision for themselves and for society.
What we stand for
We respect every single young person as a free and self-determined individual whose integrity is to be protected and whose needs and interests are to be considered. The basis of our educational work is a humanistic conception of people, the recognition and appreciation of every individual, the free development of their personality, the equal value of all human beings and respect for diversity. We make room for open, democratic dialogue and the free exchange of controversial opinions. We promote empathy and solidarity and aim to inspire acceptance of responsibility and dedication to a liberal, democratic, social and just societal order. For us democracy is not just a form of government but above all a way of life.
How we work
We enable young people to learn autonomously with their hearts, hands and minds. Our paedagogical work orients itself around young people’s questions, awakens curiosity, supports debate and offers diverse ways of learning: learning through experience, through contemplation, through communication with others and through one’s own behaviour. We use Weimar as a place of learning with its rich cultural, philosophical, historical and political diversity, so that topical socio-political questions can be grappled with in situ and put in historical context. We engender intercultural and international communication and exchange by bringing young people together from all over the world. We do everything we can to ensure that young people are glad to be here, that they enjoy themselves and that they feel free.
Our contribution to the professional discourse of youth education
We work in an exemplary manner and with our experience and specialist knowledge are able to make a contribution to the continued development of youth education and international youth work in Thuringia, in Germany and in Europe. We participate by offering our own national and international programmes for practitioners as well as publications and cooperation in committees and work groups for the professional discourse of the subject.