German Course Compass: Central coordination office for courses for initial language orientation

The Coordination Office German Course Compass is responsible for supporting steering and controlling tasks and also for ensuring the structures of initial language orientation at the municipal level for asylum seekers in Schleswig-Holstein. The target group of the German language courses offered by EOK.SH and STAFF.SH, as well as municipal courses, includes those asylum seekers who have a longer waiting period or no access to an integration course at all: Persons whose deportation has been suspended, persons who have permission to reside, persons from safe countries of origin. The German Course Compass supports the regional adjustment of course requirements and course offerings and provides coordinating support for the establishment, expansion and optimisation of information, referral and networking structures.

If you have any questions or need advice or support regarding German courses, the coordination office is your go-to point of contact for providers, migration counselling centres, asylum counsellors, volunteers, employees from offices, municipalities, authorities, and all other institutions and actors who are involved in accompanying and supporting asylum seekers on site and in referring learners and interested parties to the learning opportunities.

The German Course Finder (www.deutschkurs-sh.de), which is part of the German Course Compass, provides a clear overview of current and planned course offerings via a map view. It is possible to register for a suitable German course right away, whether as a face-to-face or online offer, or to submit a form with your needs, if you cannot find a suitable offer. The coordination office uses the resulting visibility of needs to adjust the offer structure and to enable timely access to the German course offers for all interested parties.

The German course compass project is promoted by the Ministry of the Interior, Rural Areas, Integration and Participation and by the Landesverband der Volkshochschulen in Schleswig-Holstein e.V. (State Association of Adult Education Centres in Schleswig-Holstein).

Do you have any questions?

Do you need support?

For more information, please contact:

Berit Schlachta

Landesverband der Volkshochschulen Schleswig-Holsteins e.V.
Koordinierungsstelle Deutschkurs-Kompass

E-mail: bs@vhs-sh.de
Tel: 0431 97984-105
Mobile: 0173 8406435

Starter package for refugees in Schleswig-Holstein

Within the context of the STAFF.SH – “Starter package for refugees in Schleswig-Holstein” project, coordinated by the State Association of Adult Education Centres in Schleswig-Holstein, courses for initial language orientation are provided for asylum seekers. Access to the courses is open to persons with a residence permit, a toleration permit (“Duldung”) and persons with a waiting period for the integration course. The courses are funded by the state of Schleswig-Holstein, so participation is free of charge for learners.

The courses provide the following content:

  • Knowledge on the way of life and etiquette in the new social, societal and geographical environment
  • Knowledge about local counselling and service offers
  • Linguistic and cultural basics for communication competence in the German language

A STAFF course includes

  • A basic course:
    3 modules of 100 teaching units each; with compulsory A1/A2/DTZ examination.
    4 modules of 100 teaching units for literacy courses, examination not compulsory
  • an advanced course:
    3 modules of 100 teaching units each with compulsory A1/A2/DTZ examination

Initial orientation courses in Schleswig-Holstein

Within the context of the EOK.SH – Initial orientation courses in Schleswig-Holstein project, coordinated by the State Association of Adult Education Centres in Schleswig-Holstein, courses are held for initial language orientation for asylum seekers. Persons with a residence permit and with a waiting period for the integration course have access. Persons from safe countries of origin, persons who have come to Germany in the context of family reunification, as well as persons with suspension of deportation (exception: in the case of toleration according to §60a Par. 2 Sentence 3, the right to participate exists) do not have access.

The courses provide the following content:

  • Relevant topics, such as values and norms of living together, work in Germany, medical care, school and kindergarten, etc.
  • Knowledge of the way of life and etiquette in German society, combined with the respective vocabulary and linguistic expressions.
  • Knowledge about local counselling and service offers

An EOK (initial orientation course) consists of

  • 300 teaching units, with six compulsory elective modules of 50 teaching units each
  • A1-/A2-/DTZ examination

Following an EOK, a STAFF advanced course can be attended.