Trained to mediate disputes: Bus attendants on the road

Since 2006, they have been helping out diligently in the Bocholt school bus service: the committed students who are training to become bus attendants. This year, after a break due to corona, the project is taking place again, with 13 students taking part.

If problems arise on the bus on the way to school, they are on hand: Bocholt's bus attendants. The dedicated students are available to passengers and drivers and are supposed to calm down disputants on the school bus.

This year, 13 students from the Euregio-Gymnasium, the Mariengymnasium and the St.-Georg-Gymnasium are taking part. They were trained on the premises of Café Karton by social pedagogue Julia Nubbenholt and Detective Superintendent Michael Wanning from the Crime Prevention and Victim Protection Bureau.

From June 8 to 9, the students learned many useful things about communication, de-escalation and dispute resolution. In this context, among other things, everyday conflict situations on the school bus were demonstrated through role plays and suggestions for solutions were worked out.

ID cards for bus attendants

The bus attendants have now received their ID cards. This makes them recognizable both to the students riding with them and to the driving personnel. As a token of appreciation for their voluntary work, the participating transportation companies grant bus attendants free rides during their free time when they present their bus attendant ID card in conjunction with their school travel ticket.

At the schools, support teachers are responsible for supporting the project.

Cooperation partners of the project are:

• Euregio-Gymnasium
• Mariengymnasium
• St.-Georg-Gymnasium
• Borken district police
• City bus Bocholt GmbH
• Westfalen Bus GmbH
• Bus transport Rhineland GmbH
• Lower Rhine transport company AG
• City of Bocholt
• Café Karton (student café)

DEKRA bears the costs for the speaker and the keyholder of the badges.