Future Kids is a programme offered by AOZ (an organisation run by the City of Zurich that specialises in migration and integration) for primary school pupils in the canton of Zurich. It is aimed at promoting learning and integration, and is aimed at children who receive little support with their schoolwork at home, meaning their chances of success in the local school system are reduced. In 2021, a total of 56 ZHAW students from seven Schools supported the school children as mentors and helped them to make better use of their learning abilities.

Self-confidence and motivation

The students visited the children once a week at their homes for between one hour and 90 minutes over an extended period. During this time, they not only focussed on going over schoolwork, but also on sharing learning and work strategies. They also worked to improve the pupils’ motivation, self-confidence and concentration. The ZHAW students were likewise able to benefit from this process: In addition to being able to have their commitment recognised in the form of ECTS credits or as part of their internship, they profited from participation in a well-planned and meaningful social programme that ran alongside their studies, received a reference for the work they performed and gained the unique opportunity to familiarise themselves with a completely different living environment first hand.