City of Jena continues successful "Time Out" prevention project to prevent truancy

The city of Jena is continuing the tried-and-tested "Auszeit" prevention project to prevent truant behavior. At its most recent meeting, the Youth Welfare Committee approved the draft resolution, which provides for renewed funding of the project for the period from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026. Funding will initially come from the budget of the Youth and Education Department.

Early support for affected pupils

The "Time Out" project is aimed at pupils from the fifth grade onwards who are conspicuous for their truant behavior or are in acute school crisis situations. The aim is to take countermeasures at an early stage before problematic behavior patterns become entrenched. The young participants receive support in a protected environment to reflect on their situation and develop new perspectives - with the clear aim of returning to their home school.

"With the time-out project, we offer young people a valuable opportunity to break through their school crisis. Low-threshold, supportive services that provide orientation and stability are particularly important in the early stages of truancy. The aim is to open up new perspectives for the young people - and to allow them to return to their everyday school life stronger than before,"

emphasizes Christine Wolfer, Head of Youth and Education at the City of Jena.

Continued need despite funding gap

Since the end of federal funding in 2022, the project has been maintained on a transitional basis with municipal funds. However, due to a lack of funding, it could not be continued in the preventative area from summer 2024. Nevertheless, the city has recorded seven new case inquiries since then alone - a clear signal of the need for this service.

Johannes Schleußner, Head of Education for the City of Jena, emphasizes:

"As a municipality, we have a responsibility to give young people a foothold before they lose touch. Time out is not a nice-to-have, but a key instrument for preventing school drop-outs and keeping life paths open. Taking preventative action not only saves subsequent costs - it also invests in participation, equal opportunities and the cohesion of our city."

Successful cooperation with the Wurzelwerke e.V. association

The project is run by the Wurzelwerke e.V. association, which specializes in socio-educational work with young people in the gardening sector. In addition to teaching practical skills, the main focus is on strengthening self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Evaluation confirms effectiveness - continuation planned

An evaluation of the past few years shows the success of the project: around two thirds of participants have been reintegrated into the regular school system or transferred to alternative educational pathways. If the evaluation results are positive, the city of Jena plans to continue funding the project in the 2026/27 double budget.