Corona consequences for Osnabrück students in focus - results to guide education funding

Osnabrück, July 13, 2021

How does the Corona pandemic affect schoolchildren in Osnabrück - and what makes them feel better? Professors Dr. Sonja Nonte and Dr. Christian Reintjes are investigating these and many other questions in their current "Muntermacher" survey. Initiated by the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation and the City of Osnabrück, the school researchers have created an online survey that is now being used in Osnabrück schools until July 30.

"We rely on the expert knowledge of the Schüler:innen"

"From the children and young people, we can learn first-hand how they fared during the pandemic. They are the experts," says Nonte. "We rely on the knowledge and experience of the students," adds Reintjes. However, fun is not to be neglected: The ten-minute individual survey is followed by a creative competition. Together, the classes can then make a free contribution to the world with their wishes for the time "after Corona" - whether photo, video or wood sculpture; there are no limits to the imagination here. Prizes such as a visit to the zoo for the whole class will be raffled among all entries.

"Targeted and needs-based promotion".

The initiators of the Bohnenkamp Foundation and the City of Osnabrück hope that "Muntermacher" will make a valuable contribution to research into the consequences of corona. However, it is not to remain with the pure scientific evaluation. The results are to guide future support for the Schüler:innen. "We want to support the children and young people in a targeted and needs-based manner, but to do so we need to know where exactly we can best help," says Michael Prior, spokesman for the Bohnenkamp Foundation's Board of Directors. "What could be more obvious than to ask them directly?".

Council has already approved €500,000 for city's education and support fund

The council of the city of Osnabrück has already approved a 500,000€ fund, which will be used in a targeted manner with the help of the study. The head of the education department, Ute Tromp, is sure that "the education and support fund and the study will make a valuable contribution to promoting the youth of our city."

Evaluation begins immediately, results already after the summer holidays

The researchers will begin evaluating the questionnaire directly after the deadline for submission. The results will then be presented after the summer vacations.

Information on "Muntermacher":

"Muntermacher" is a project within the framework of the support fund of the city of Osnabrück in cooperation with the 'Netzwerk Bildung - Stiftungen für die Region Osnabrück'. With the "Muntermacher" project, the foundations and the City of Osnabrück are addressing the children and young people directly in order to find out first-hand how they fared at school and at home during the pandemic. The aim is to find out what is on their minds, how they feel and what they would like to see in the future. To this end, an online survey will be conducted in all primary, secondary and vocational schools in the city of Osnabrück by July 30.

Further information on the project is available at: www.muntermacher-os.de

Information on the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation:

Under the motto "Promoting education - taking everyone along", the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Foundation supports innovative, professionally validated and sustainable educational projects that improve the educational opportunities of children and young people. The Bohnenkamp Foundation is deliberately a regional foundation that primarily supports projects in the city and district of Osnabrück. Specifically, the Bohnenkamp Foundation promotes and organizes:

• Projects that strengthen and develop self-competence and motivation, especially among socially disadvantaged children and young people.
• Projects that strengthen and promote families as an important and continuous educational instance.
• Initiatives that serve to build networks and educational partnerships.
• Measures that contribute to the development of a healthy lifestyle in families, daycare centers and schools as a basis for successful educational processes.
• Initiatives and organizations that positively shape and accompany educational pathways, especially transitions.
• Projects that are innovative and seek solutions that are technically sound and take into account new scientific findings.

Committed to these focal points, a number of projects with model character have already been realized through the support of the Bohnenkamp Foundation.

Further information at: www.bohnenkamp-stiftung.de

Press contact:

Frederik Kathmann press adviser

Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp donation Klaus Strick way 28 49082 Osnabrück

Telephone 0541 18564051 E-Mail presse@bohnenkamp-stiftung.de