The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) was included in the talent scouting program of the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW NRW) for the first time in September last year. Three HSNR talent scouts are now starting their work advising young talents from the eleventh grade onwards at schools in Krefeld, Mönchengladbach and the district of Viersen.

With the talent scouts, the HSNR wants to contribute to more equal opportunities in education. The program is aimed at talented young people from less privileged families who need support on the path to their professional future. Talent scouting focuses on the special interests and talents of talented young people in school and extracurricular areas. The individual life contexts of the students are taken into account. This includes, for example, social involvement in clubs, help in the family with caring for a relative or an interest in special extracurricular topics. As contact persons, the talent scouts accompany the young people on their path to an apprenticeship or studies.

The scouts Moana Hoffmann, Laura Köhnen and Stephanie Patzner offer monthly consultation hours at the schools participating in the program. "We advise the young people and develop visions for their future together. It is important to us that the advice is open-ended. The young people themselves decide whether studies, a dual course of study or vocational training is right for them," says talent scout Moana Hofmann. Depending on their needs, the talents are also supported during their apprenticeship or studies.

With helpful networks, the talent scouts open up exchange spaces and networking opportunities for the talents. They also organize multimedia offers for career and study orientation in order to promote the best possible career or study choice and initiate measures to facilitate the transition from school to (dual) studies or vocational training.

"By providing long-term support to pupils, the talent scouts get a comprehensive overall picture of the young people. In their consultations, they promote awareness of the talents' own strengths and potential, which is important for a successful career or study choice," explains Dilek Tekin, Head of Central Student Advice at HSNR.