What do young people need to believe in themselves? At WiesPaten, the answer has been for 15 years: Time, trust - and people who accompany them on their journey. On Friday, April 25, around 150 guests from business, education, politics and social work celebrated the anniversary of a network that has reached over 1,200 young people since its foundation in 2009 and opened up new perspectives for many of them - in a concrete, personal and sustainable way.

The focus of the evening was primarily on the people: Young people who have been empowered by WiesPaten, committed mentors from companies, supportive teachers - and alumni who now return to the program as professionals or teachers themselves. The diversity and depth of the stories shared that evening made it impressively clear what WiesPaten has achieved in the lives of many young people.

IHK President and WiesPaten patron Jörg Brömer opened the event with a clear commitment: "We WiesPaten are committed to empowering young people on their path into life. Companies, schools and students work hand in hand to achieve this."

Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende also emphasized the lasting importance of the program in his welcoming address: "WiesPaten have been building bridges together for 15 years. Bridges from schools to companies - and vice versa. The pupils can trust and cross these bridges into a good future."

The evening was hosted by Dr. Patricia Becher, Head of Social Affairs, Education and Housing in the state capital of Wiesbaden. For her, WiesPaten is much more than just a sponsorship program: "WiesPaten is responsibility in action. We don't talk about equal opportunities here, we make them possible - day after day, group after group, encounter after encounter. It's about recognizing the uniqueness of young people and showing them that they are unique: You are important and your path counts."

Nicolas Schmelzer, teacher and TikTok creator, inspired in his keynote speech with personal insights and pointed humor. His message: education must not only be serious, but also approachable and creative. One highlight was the premiere of the new info video and the song "WiesPaten - there's more to it", whose AI-supported lyrics musically captured the idea of networking. Both contributions show how forward-looking and open the program is.

The presentation by a focus group set up in 2024 also showed how WiesPaten is developing in concrete terms. This group identified current challenges and developed practical solutions - for example, to improve the way young people are addressed or to relieve the burden on teachers in terms of organization. Dr. Becher emphasized: "If you take education seriously, you have to listen - to young people, skilled workers and companies."

A special moment was marked by the presentation of the Hildegunde Rech Award for Corporate Cooperation to Thorsten and Theo Baumstark, who have been working with the Trafohaus youth center as sponsoring companies since the program's beginnings and have been taking on responsibility with heart and soul for over a decade. Sabine Herrmann, Head of the Youth Work Department at the Office for Social Work, praised the award winners as "people who take on responsibility with heart and mind - and thus show how commitment can succeed."

Many young people have been continuously supported over several years - a key success factor of WiesPaten. In the current school year alone, 19 companies are involved with 18 groups at eleven locations. Around 40 active mentors are involved - with time, knowledge and genuine appreciation. The reports from former participants were particularly moving: five of them are now active in the network as teachers themselves - living proof of the lasting impact of the commitment.

A look into the future also shows that WiesPaten continues to grow. In the coming school year, IHK Wiesbaden and Wiesbaden Congress & Marketing GmbH will be supporting a new WiesPaten group. At the same time, new video formats are intended to inspire even more young people to participate.

WiesPaten also remains active internationally: WiesPaten has been offering international youth encounters since 2014. More than 20 projects have been carried out since then. Most recently, young people from four WiesPaten groups traveled to the Basque Country in Spain - the return visit of the Spanish group to Wiesbaden took place during the Easter vacations in 2025.

At the end of the evening, Dr. Patricia Becher underlined what this anniversary means: "WiesPaten is not a project that simply runs on the side. It is a learning system that draws its strength from the network - from the interaction between companies, teachers, administration and young people. The program is moving because it works. And because it shows that we can achieve more together if we share responsibility for education and participation."

The large birthday cake, which was cut at the standing reception, was a visible symbol of this community - and of the desire to shape the next 15 years with at least as much energy, joy and impact.

WiesPaten is part of the "Wiesbaden Engagiert!" ("Wiesbaden Engages!") municipal engagement strategy of the Office for Social Work and focuses on binding sponsorships between companies and school pupils. The young people receive tutoring, personal support and insights into the world of work - at eye level and with great potential for impact.

If you are interested in taking part in this mentoring program or would like to find out more, you can find all the information at www.wiespaten.de (opens in a new tab)

If you have any questions, please contact Karoline Deißner, Business Cooperation Office, by telephone on 0151 15196551 or by email at karoline.deissnerwiespatende.

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