21 young people have been trained in youth work

21 pupils from the August-Vetter Vocational College have successfully completed their youth leader training and received their certificates last week. The certificate ceremony also marked the start of the new 2026/2027 training year. This academic year, 30 pupils are taking part in the training programme.

The August-Vetter Vocational College offers this training programme in partnership with the City of Bocholt's Department for Youth and Family Affairs. It is integrated into the school day as part of the curriculum and prepares young people to take on responsibility in child and youth work.

"We are delighted that 21 pupils have successfully completed the qualification. They have learnt to take on responsibility and to work together to develop programmes for children and young people. Their experiences also encourage the new cohort to get involved", said Deputy Headteacher Anne Berger during the certificate presentation ceremony.

As part of the training programme, the participants acquired basic educational skills and explored, amongst other things, the legal aspects of working as a youth leader. The training also included a first-aid certificate. The pupils strengthened their social, organisational and communication skills and learnt to apply theoretical knowledge in practice. The qualification also forms the basis for obtaining the nationally recognised Youth Leader Card, or 'Juleica' for short.

Gudrun Koppers, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Bocholt, thanked the participants in a welcoming address for their commitment and emphasised the importance of voluntary work for the local community. The graduates illustrated what the training programme teaches in practice through their own experiences. In addition, a tour of the gallery showcased results from the training programme, the key elements of which were explained by Nicole van Baal from the Youth and Family Department. Finally, the supervising tutor, Christina Zydra-Echelmeier, recognised the participants' successful completion of the course by presenting them with their certificates.

For the 30 participants in the new cohort, the kick-off event marked the start of their training for the 2026/2027 academic year. Through this collaboration, the City of Bocholt and the August-Vetter Vocational College are supporting efforts to attract qualified young people to local child and youth work.