The charitable purpose of the ESM Outreach Programme consists of helping services and providing assistance. In addition, this programme promotes initiatives that aim to build up contacts and forms of exchange with the local community as well as people from countries in- and outside the European Union.
Participating in the Outreach Programme represents a valuable and enriching aspect of learning and growing up; enabling students to put their resilience and adaptability to test, as well as to develop self-confidence and a sense of responsibility and identity. Taking part in this programme will foment knowledge building, sharing of information, organising fundraising events and personal exchange; all of which help to bridge the gap that divides cultures and nations.
The basic focus is on social aspects: promoting friendships, understanding and mutual support across borders and continents and demonstrating a willingness to learn from people who grow up in a context different than the European School.
The programme is part of the extra-curriculum projects of the school, providing students with a wide range of charity and cultural activities in addition to their academic work. It also fosters their social and emotional skills on an intercultural level, as well as promoting community sense and global understanding, all essential skills enabling the students to become balanced, inquiring and open-minded individuals and creative problem-solvers.
The Parents' Association and the ESM founded the "Förderkreis ESM. e.V". The registered booster club manages the donated funds of all existing charity projects in school and its members are entitled to vote on new projects for which financial funds are required. It is possible to become a supporting member. Coordinator of the Outreach Programme is Isabella Podkowa.
The Outreach Programme is divided into three parts, defined by the projects' regional focus:
- ESM meets Bavaria
- ESM meets Europe
- ESM meets the world
ESM meets Bavaria
The "ESM meets Bavaria" Outreach Programme projects have a regional focus.
Salberghaus - Putzbrunn
The Salberghaus in Putzbrunn near Munich offers in- and outpatient services as well as day care centres for children as young as two weeks old up to 10 year-olds. It focuses on their therapeutic and personal development, while at the same time providing shelter for children and support to families. The ESM donates the entire proceeds of a specially organised Christmas bazar to this institution.
In the past, there have also been donation campaigns for refugees.
ESM meets Europe
The "ESM meets Europe" Outreach Programme projects have a focus on European countries.
High School "Blessed Clementii Sheptytskyi" - Ukraine
This school has 200 students from both high and low socio-economic strata. In the past, it participated in the international, interdisciplinary partnership project PLATO, including an exchange with the ESM. Due to lack of financial funding, the facilities and equipment of the school are in poor condition. Donations from the ESM can help to improve the sports' ground, to stock up the equipment in the natural science department and to do general maintenance work.
Support was also given to the non-profit association "Scuola in mezzo al mare" (School in the middle of the sea), which organises activities for pupils on the volcanic island of Stromboli in southern Italy when it is not possible for them to travel to a school on the mainland.
ESM meets the World
The "ESM meets the World" Outreach Programme projects have a global focus.
Haiti Kinderhilfe e.V. - Haiti Children's Aid Association
The association "Haiti Kinderhilfe" organizes among other things school and home projects, food and medical care for poor children. Its aim is to enable children to help themselves. In this way, they enable children to attend schools. They also support the search for internships and training positions. In addition, the association trains Haitian teachers as well as the educators and pedagogues in orphanages. It also organises the teaching materials needed for the lessons and participates in building the necessary infrastructure. The ESM strives for a long-term partnership in the form of sponsorships.
Zinduka - Education against Mutilation - Kenya
Zinduka means glimmer of hope in Swahili. The initiative aims to support young women and girls in Kenya. Among other things, this is done through educational work and the creation of safe places. Traditional female genital mutilation is still widespread in the country, although it is also illegal in Keina. Child marriages and teenage pregnancies occur, also because sex education is often not taught. To counteract this, the association regularly visits schools and organizes seminars with girls, mothers and fathers.
Previously, the non-profit organizations "LaunchPad" and "Nkosi's Haven" in South Africa, "Blink Now" in Nepal and the "Lahore Grammar School" in Pakistan were also supported for many years.
