Introductory course

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The introductory course , also known as introductory service , was used to provide introductory instruction to those doing community service (ZDL) in Germany .

Community service duties

According to § 1 ZDG , recognized conscientious objectors did not perform military service with weapons ( Article 4, Paragraph 3, Clause 1 of the Basic Law), but tasks that serve the common good, primarily in the social field. Since 1960, this has included serving in hospitals, sanatoriums and nursing homes as well as other institutions that pursue social and charitable goals. In 1984 environmental protection was added as an area of ​​application. The service provider had to perform his service conscientiously and to be trained if the purposes of community service required it ( § 27 ZDG). In addition to the in-house briefing, there was the subject-specific introduction and support ( § 25a , § 25b ZDG).

In 1971 the first state community service school was inaugurated. Above all, it offered "instruction on rights and obligations in community service and civic instruction". Introductory courses have been held since 1977.

Forms of the introductory course

The introductory course consisted of two parts:

  • the mandatory one-week civil service-specific introduction with the fields of action democracy and society as well as the essential characteristics and tasks of civil service (civil service law), which is mandatory for all ZDL
  • the two-week subject-specific introduction, if the type of activity in the community service required special knowledge (e.g. in the nursing service )

In the civil service-specific introduction, the community service provider was taught the essential basics of community service. The course offered the opportunity to deal with the institution of community service (nature and tasks) and to question what community service means for individuals and society. The educational mandate of the civil service schools according to certain guidelines was justified with the character of the civil service as compulsory service with restriction of basic rights and as a social service in the interest of the common good. There was also information about payments in cash and in kind, as well as the rights and obligations of those doing community service. A seminar on political education was also part of the course. The topics were broad; it was about current political and social issues.

Many community service workers who were deployed in special social areas had no prior knowledge of their job. The community service provider should be introduced to his / her activities in the various possible uses. The introduction should provide the community service provider with the necessary knowledge that he needs to properly carry out the given instructions in his area of ​​responsibility and - if necessary - to be able to provide independent services.

In the subject-specific introduction, basic knowledge should be imparted that would enable them to perform their service competently and professionally appropriately. The special needs of the people being looked after had to be taken into account. Those doing community service should be made aware of the situation in which the people in need of help are and the difficulties and problems they have to live with. It was just as important to experience your own possibilities and limits as a helper and supervisor. Another focus was to learn and develop linguistic and human skills for dealing with the people to be looked after. The lessons included the skills, knowledge, experience and needs of the course participants when selecting topics. Accordingly, people doing community service from environmental and nature conservation were introduced to their special activities and tasks.

The subject-specific introduction was offered with the following focuses:

Community service providers in the areas of handicapped care / assistance, care for the elderly and the sick could be trained to become certified "helpers for social service (BAZ)".

Organization of the course in Germany

The course was compulsory. For the duration of the course, the civil service provider was relocated to the civil service school. Likewise, the official accommodation of the community service provider during this time was the community service school. From a purely legal point of view, the ZDL was obliged to spend the night in the hostel of the civil service school - according to the civil service law, he had to be there after the end of classes until 11 p.m., unless an extended night exit was approved until 1 a.m. As a rule, the night exit was approved in principle and the return of the community service provider after this time was not checked or absenteeism during the night was not sanctioned.

The teaching times were counted as working hours. The community service school paid for the food, so that no food allowance had to be paid. The lecturers and the rector of the civil service school were authorized to give instructions to the ZDLs during the course. Failure to attend classes was in principle punished as an unauthorized absence or flight from work ( § 52 , § 53 ZDG).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Lukas Stoffel-Jossen: Community service and political education in Germany in: Nonviolent handling of conflicts. General training for people doing community service , University of Bern, 2008, p. 15
  2. ↑ Federal Office for Civilian Service (BAZ): Introductory Service / Introductory Course , 2008
  3. ↑ Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth (Ed.) (2000): Political education at Zivildienstschulen. Guidelines, Bonn 2000
  4. ↑ Emergency services: Somehow knead Der Spiegel , April 26, 1982
  5. ↑ Employment of community service providers in schools for the mentally handicapped and for the physically handicapped (special schools) Leaflet, decree of 4 August 1978-3013-34033 (SVBI. P. 309) - VORIS 22410 01 00 46 003. School and law in Lower Saxony, accessed on 27 June 2017
  6. ↑ Course: Helpers for Social Services (BAZ), TdC 23026