The youth club “Refuge” on the outskirts of the town of Zahna-Elster in Wittenberg looks deserted. The bike racks are empty, the outdoor area with trampoline and volleyball field is deserted and inside the club it is almost eerily quiet. Only one person is still active in the club every day: Head Sabine Hoffmann. She sits in the handicraft room or prepares projects in the common room with which she tries to keep the children and young people happy.
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She describes one of these projects: “During the winter holidays, for example, I put a winter holiday surprise bag for every child in front of the door. There was an apple in it, because when we are in the club we eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Normally we would have celebrated Mardi Gras , so the confetti came in the surprise bag. We would certainly have made things, so I put some handicraft materials in the bag. ”
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The winter surprise bag is just one of countless projects and calls that the 57-year-old starts almost every week by phone. Who builds the most beautiful snowman? Who can do the most jumping jacks? Who helps with sun painting and lets the city shine with these handicrafts?
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The cell phone rings at eight in the morning
Sabine Hoffmann is always there for her children via Whatsapp and telephone. “I tried to keep in touch from the start. That was very, very important to me. And it works. The phone rings for the first time at eight in the morning. The children sit there over their homework, they also like to send a photo and ask if I can look over it. ”
Of course she does. And thus also supports the parents who are overwhelmed with homeschooling from time to time. “That is very important, because there are not just parents with one child. We have families with five, six, seven children. And it is difficult to continuously concentrate on each child. And it is also difficult for the children. I hear very often that the children and young people are longing to go back to school. ”
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Working with the kids is the greatest
Sabine Hoffmann is not a teacher, nor is she a trained educator. She used to work at the vet and only helped out in the afternoons in the youth club. When she got the chance to run the youth club, she took it. Because working with the children is the greatest thing for them: “I do this job with body and soul. I want the children and young people to have a good time here. And when they eventually leave the youth club and one day grows up and If you have children yourself, then they should remember the great time in the youth club. That is my goal. ”
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