Welcome to the vhs newsletter

This year, the approximately 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide are celebrating Ramadan, the month of fasting, from March 10 to April 9 - we wish all Muslims "Ramadan Kareem", a "Blessed Ramadan Month". For many Muslims, it is a festival that they have to spend in or with war. These are difficult times in which faith hopefully gives much strength and confidence. Our thoughts are with you and we wish all of us, all people in this world, peace at last.

During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan means "hot month" and alludes to the heat that arises in the stomach due to hunger and thirst. The date is usually the first thing eaten in the evening when breaking the fast, called "iftar". Ramadan, with its inner contemplation and concentration on God, is one of the five pillars of faith. The other four pillars are Giving alms to the poor (zakat), witnessing the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad, praying five times a day and making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

As Muslims live according to a purely lunar calendar, Ramadan is moved forward by around ten to eleven days each year, so that the fasting period touches on all seasons over time. At its end, there is traditionally a three-day festival to break the fast, the "Eid al-Fitr", which marks the second highest Islamic holiday after the Feast of Sacrifice. Those who fast are rewarded for their self-control and resilience. Conversely, Muslims thank their God Allah for giving them the strength and perseverance to fulfill this sacred duty.

"Awaken the energy within you" - our program motto in 2024. When better to start than in spring? Let's get started with our courses and events. Get inspired here, in the program booklet or on our website.

At the "Start Projekt" production school run by the Offenbach Adult Education Center, teenagers and young adults can gain qualifications in catering and home economics, brush up on their schooling and also catch up on their secondary school leaving certificate. And this is exactly where a certificate presentation took place a month ago, which we would like to tell you about.

In addition to lessons in mathematics, German and biology, the focus is on practical learning in the catering industry. Under the professional guidance of our chefs, the young people work in the ESSbar (lunch with a view of the skyline) run by the production school and in the cafeteria at the Offenbach adult education center.

After 120 hours of work in the kitchen, in the service area and in catering, they can choose to take an exam. This gives them the opportunity - unlike at school - to demonstrate their practical skills and have them certified. You could literally feel the participants' excitement before the exam. It was a serious matter for them - because they wanted to show that they had learned a lot over the last few months. This included hygiene and occupational safety as well as structured work in general. The participants each had to cook their own potato soup. In the end, it was an all-round success. Of the five young people who took the exam, two completed the pre-vocational practical module with very good results and three with good results. CONGRATULATIONS!

Dirk Wolk-Pöhlmann, head of the vhs, presented the certificates: "With the certificate of successful qualification, the participants not only document that they have learned and confidently implemented the content of the practical module, but also that they can work in a structured manner. They have shown commitment and pursued their goals. That's a big plus when looking for an internship or applying for a job."

This exam is an important building block in preparation for professional life, whether in the catering industry or in other professions. They are happy and proud to have passed this exam and are now more optimistic about the future. Successfully passing this exam also gives the young people the confidence and self-assurance they need to pass their secondary school leaving certificate and other exams.

The Start project is funded by the European Union, the State of Hesse and the City of Offenbach. We have also succeeded in acquiring funding from the "Qualification and Employment of Young People (QuB)" funding program for 2024 and 2025. You can find out more about the start project and participation requirements for young people by simply clicking on the image or the headline.

The project "Digital? It's easy!" project at the adult education center aims to help people acquire basic digital skills so that they can use the digital services available in public life.

Various offers are available on our website for this purpose, most of which can be used independently. The project aims to arouse curiosity about the digital world and make it easier for people to enter this exciting area. Take a look at the project website www.offenbach.de/digital-einfach

Among other things, you can find several explanatory videos on the website. The most recent ones were completed in cooperation with the Stabsstelle Digitalisierung Offenbach. The video "What is data?" is now followed by the video "What is open data?". It explains exactly how these digital data sets, which are not personal and are freely accessible to everyone, are useful and who can use them for what.

You can watch the explanatory videos by clicking on the image or the headline.

Once again, we have a great quiz question for you. Anyone who knows something about Offenbach can answer today's question. And there's a rucksack protector to be won, because spring is luring us out into nature again. Good luck! Here is our question:

On which square does Offenbach's weekly market take place 3 times a week?

A: Market square

B: Goetheplatz

C: Wilhelmsplatz

Win one of three neon yellow backpack covers for more safety in traffic and optimum protection from the rain.

Simply send your answer, stating the letter, by April 7, 2024 to: vhs@offenbach.de

We will notify the winners by email by 19.04.2024.

You will find out the answer in the next newsletter. Employees of the vhs and their relatives are excluded from participation.

The answer to the last newsletter quiz is:

Answer B: February has 29 days - February 29 is added.

Congratulations to the winners!