Colorful fellow players in Wittmund: Children find friends during the break!

Colorful fellow players in Wittmund: Children find friends during the break!

In Wittmund, a special project was launched at the Finkenburg School in order to promote social interactions among the students. A colorful “fellow play bench” was set up in the school yard, exactly where there is often loneliness during the breaks. This should ensure that no child stays alone during the breaks, but has the opportunity to play and laugh with others.

The idea for the "Mitspielbank" comes from the student representative (SV) of the school year 2023/2024, supported by the SV advisory teacher Larissa Ricklefs. "In several SV sessions, each child has created their own draft for the bank. The various designs were spotted, discussed and finally created from the individual ideas a joint design that was implemented exactly in this way," explains Sebastian SchneeMelcher, the headmaster of the Finkenburg School.

How the fellow play bench

The concept is simple, but effective: If you don't have a play partner during the break, you can sit on the bench and wait for another child to then take activities together. This bank plays a crucial role in bringing children together who may not have the courage to address others.

"This project is intended to strengthen social interaction in school life and counter the feeling of exclusion," emphasizes SchneeMelcher in an official message. The commitment of the students and the creative ideas have made a significant contribution to the fact that the bank was not only functionally but also visually appealing.

The implementation of this project was supported by the Hansbeuzz Foundation, which gave the Finkenburg School one of the three coveted Hans -beutz prices for democracy promotion. The school plans to implement a number of other projects in the sense of democracy, from which the students should also benefit. "Special thanks also go to the class representatives of the past fourth year, who are already in secondary schools," added the headmaster. A rainy weather shortly before the summer holidays had led to the campaign to be postponed several times, which delayed the implementation.

The response to the "Mitspielbank" was consistently positive after just a few hours. "A great idea that is not only an optically added value for everyday school life at the Finkenburg school," says the headmaster. The goal is that such initiatives will continue to be promoted in the future to create a pleasant and inclusive learning environment in which all children can feel comfortable. The school community not only sees a piece of furniture in this bank, but a symbol of friendship and community.

For more information about the activities of the Finkenburg School and the supporting projects, see the article on www.nwzonline.de .