IYF and The Goldman Sachs Foundation developed a partnership in 2003 aimed at supporting a dynamic program that promotes youth leadership, creativity, and entrepreneurship. The one-year pilot project will target secondary and high school students in Germany.

The Goldman Sachs Foundation is a global philanthropic organization funded by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Its mission is to promote excellence and innovation in education, and to improve the academic performance and lifelong productivity of young people worldwide.

The “School Clubs and Enterprises” program – to be established in 12 schools in western and eastern Germany – will benefit hundreds of students and their communities in and around the cities of Munich and Brandenburg. The German Children and Youth Foundation (GCYF), a member of IYF’s Global Partner Network, will implement the program.

The joint initiative is based on two of GCYF’s ongoing successful youth initiatives. The Goldman Sachs Foundation funds will be used to support GCYF’s “school clubs” program, which provides a venue for junior high students to participate in self-directed activities, including running social programs, coffee shops, or theater groups. The funding will also introduce the program from eastern to western Germany, thereby helping to expand GCYF’s “school enterprise” program, which enables high school students to develop their own “virtual” businesses – such as print shop or an Internet café – gaining them valuable knowledge, skills, and experience in the business sector. All participants will learn the importance of responsibility, accountability, teamwork, and social skills.