Sozialwesen: Langjährige Kooperation wieder aufgenommen
Bereits seit 2010 absolvieren regelmäßig Studierende der DHBW Stuttgart ein Praxissemester in Schottland bei Yipworld, einer sozialen Einrichtung im Bereich Kinder- und Jugendarbeit und können sich in dieser Zeit fachlich, persönlich und interkulturell weiterentwickeln. Durch den Brexit und die daraus folgenden Einreise- und Aufenthaltsbeschränkungen für Studierende wurde die Kooperation zum Leidwesen aller Beteiligten gestoppt; der Austausch zwischen Yipworld und dem Auslandsamt der DHBW sowie dem Zentrum für Interkulturelle Kompetenz (ZIK) blieb jedoch weiter bestehen und gemeinsam wurde nach Lösungen zur Fortführung der Kooperation gesucht. Nach langer Wartezeit und vielerlei Hürden gelang es nun der Geschäftsführerin und Gründerin von Yipword, ein sogenanntes certificate of sponsorship zu erhalten - eine Voraussetzung für die Aufnahme von Praktikant*innen aus der EU. Ab Oktober 2024 könnten dann endlich wieder Studierende ihr Fremdpraktikum bei Yipworld in Cumnock, eine Autostunde südlich von Glasgow verbringen.
Doris Kupferschmidt, Leiterin des ZIK, hat mit Janice Hendry darüber gesprochen, warum ihr die Kooperation mit der DHBW so wichtig ist:
Dear Janice, could you briefly describe what impact Brexit had on your organization?
Yipworld was disappointed when Brexit happened, not for any political reason but we knew it would create some challenges for us and perhaps be a barrier to the opportunity to host students for their three-month internship in Ayrshire, Scotland.
However, Brexit only delayed the passion and enthusiasm for a short while. It took time and a lot of patience. In the end, we were awarded with the license to carry on this important work. We speak passionately about our partnership with the DHBW Cooperative University and have built a strong friendship with our partners in Stuttgart during all these years.
What motivated you to continue and to invest in the future of the cooperation between Yipworld and the DHBW?
For Yipworld – the partnership between Cooperative University in Stuttgart spans more than a decade and we are so proud to share the message of this affiliation to people within our network. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that this cooperation continues and have completed the new and necessary paperwork. We see this as a new opportunity for 2024 and beyond. For us, there is nothing more valuable than young people learning about other cultures and for our staff to express their passion for our organisation. We look forward to going back to normal – visiting Stuttgart and the University; meeting with students to provide them with an insight of our work and our Scottish culture.
Where do you see the advantages of the cooperation?
For the DHBW Cooperative University I know they value the input and experience from organisations that host students. Students can improve their English speaking skills which might sometimes be quite an undertaking In Scotland and in the rural local authority area here in Ayrshire, Scotland.
We know the University trusts us to provide the students with a safe working environment and with tasks to learn skills to match the curriculum of social work students.
For the students – they build long-lasting relationships with the staff of Yipworld. They learn about local culture and are provided with the opportunity for a hands-on experience of working with children and young people. Whilst living in our country, we provide them with cultural trips and visits to expand their knowledge about Scotland and Scottish culture.