Neuenmarkter trains to become an educator

Not only women, but also men are trained as educators. One of those who has entered the social work field is 20-year-old dominik paul, who, after successfully completing his high school diploma, is undergoing training at the daycare center in neuenmarkt.

His parents' house is just a few meters away from the day center. More than 15 years ago, dominik paul attended the facility himself. Now he is ready to be trained as an educator there. On 2. September saw the start of the apprenticeship – the 20-year-old was welcomed with open arms by the teachers as well as the boys and girls.

They did not let him go
Why he chose a career that is still unusual for men? "I wanted to do something with people, especially with children. I'm a youth coach and i know what it's like to work with them," he says, says the young man from neuenmarkt, who has already completed an internship at the kindergarten. "I liked it so much that I decided I would definitely go into social work. The children have not let me go." He completed his internship as a 16-year-old. After a voluntary year at the diakonie in bayreuth, he visited another seven different facilities.

The director of the neuenmarkt daycare center, stefanie will, is impressed by dominik paul: "we already knew him from his internship. That's why we weren't surprised that he chose this path. We were all happy to see a man arrive at last." There have been no negative reactions from parents either.

The "cock of the walk
Dominik Paul is the "cock of the walk" among the 15 educators at the daycare center. "But I have no problem with that at all. I have a sister and already worked with educators during my voluntary year. The chemistry is right, says the young man.

The work is refreshing. "Somehow you stay young yourself. You can also play freely with the children and experience things that you remember from your childhood, the 20-year-old sums up what makes the job so special. But the work isn't all honeymoon: "of course, there are also striking boys and girls. Every child has its own peculiarities. You look at what strong and weak each has."

Kindergarten teacher hanna leimenstoll works with dominik in the group. "He is doing a good job. The children are thrilled", says leimenstoll, the female that the 20-year-old is surrounded by the boys and girls. "Especially the boys at home only hear about "dominik", according to the educator. There are also many single parents. The offspring would then lack a father at home. "It's good to have a man in the kindergarten." Leimenstoll recommendation to other daycare centers: "be open and get in with the men. They are a very important animation."

Dominik paul is employed in all areas. He is on table duty, distributes lunch, and takes on pedagogical tasks. Soon he will also have to diaper toddlers. "I've never done it before, but I'm sure it'll work out."

His training was supposed to last five years, but thanks to the voluntary social year it will be shortened to four years. After a practical year, which he is now completing, he will attend two years of school at the fachakademie fur sozialpadagogik in hof and finally a practical year for admission to the educator's examination. With the vocational training he has completed, all doors are open to him: "I can work in a kindergarten, but also in an old people's and nursing home or in schools."

The fubball partner
About "their Dominik's children are enthusiastic. Six-year-old louis treptow confesses: "actually, i only liked boys." The fact that the 20-year-old also plays fubball with the boys is what makes him so valuable to miro sollecito (5) as well as jonas schonfeld (4). "I like the dominik. I can cuddle with him too", says four-year-old jule leimenstoll.

Pastor ulrich bohm, the young trainee's employer, is also pleased: "we have had good experiences with male youth trainees and are pleased that dominik is a young man who wants to do this training. I think male educators are worth their weight in gold in daycare centers. The masculine is also enriching in education."

Pastor: manners are worth their weight in gold
Playing with children takes an important place in his education. Pastor bohm: "i think male educators are worth their weight in gold in daycare facilities for children."