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 Annette Widell.

Activities Outreach Programme in the school year 2021-22:

  • Summer concert with the "School Brothers
  • Fundraising campaign for the partner school in Lviv, which raised €55,000. 
  • Fundraising campaign (school materials) for the Clemens Maria children's home in Putzbrunn in cooperation with Sustainable Development. 
  • Collection of clothing donations for the flea market that took place during Europe Week. 
  • Kiosk in the primary school assembly hall was open once a month (on a Monday). 

Activities Outreach programme in the school year 2022-23:

  • Every week meetings take place on Tuesdays in the 6th hour in the GS12 craft room (focus: various craft activities, exchange, planning etc.).
  • Every week on Tuesdays at 16.00-17.30 meetings are held in the craft room or cooking studio (elaborate things are made such as: Sewing, batike, knitting, crochet, baking etc.).
  • Once a month, the Primary School Kiosk opens in the GS Aula during the small break from 10.45-11.05 am and during the 6th lesson. Home-baked goods and handicrafts are offered and the kiosk is run by the Outreach students.   
  • Every Thursday there is a bake sale in the HS Aula run by interested classes and organised by Margrette Banatte-Schuster.
  • Tombola held on 8 December as part of the Advent Concert. Students plan and organise the raffle with prizes with the support of Annette Widell.  
  • "Christmas in the Shoe Box" in cooperation with the Clemens Maria Children's Home in Putzbrunn. We receive profiles (with details of age, hobbies, wishes, interests) of approx. 25 children, these are stuck on shoeboxes and distributed in the staff room. Colleagues and classes can then choose a shoebox with a child's profile and put together a Christmas package with their classes (or even with the family) that is suitable for the child. Colleagues/classes have until 9 December to fill the boxes, which will be delivered to the children's home in the week of 12 December.  
  • Book market (various languages, focuses, genres) from 5.12-9.12 and during Europe Week.  
  • Deposit bottle collection: There is a yellow bin in the entrance area underneath the substitution plan screen where deposit bottles are collected. These bottles are handed in by Outreach students and the money is deposited with the other receipts into the account of the Förderverein. 
  • Activities during Europe Week 2023 (fundraising run, upcycling in the ESM rooms, cake sale, art auction with the art department, etc.). Through various activities we were able to raise €22,965 in donations. A great result. Many thanks to all who contributed!

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.

SOS Children's Village Athens

SOS Children's Villages is an association that helps children in need. It is active in 136 countries. There are 16 Children's Villages in Germany and four in Greece.

You can find more information about SOS Children's Villages Greece here: https://sos-villages.gr/en/sos-home-english

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.