Miguel Fraczek is studying for a dual Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a focus on migration and integration(Opens in a new tab) in the Faculty of Applied Social Studies(Opens in a new tab) . Miguel is completing the practical part of his practice-integrated degree at GrünBau gGmbH(Opens in a new tab) , where he works with pupils in Dortmund's Nordstadt district.
As part of this practice-integrated dual study program, he is significantly involved in the Nordsterne scholarship on the initiative of his supervisor. In the following interview, Miguel provides insights into the project, everyday working life as a dual student and his motivation, which also has to do with his personal life.
Miguel, please introduce yourself at the beginning.
I'm Miguel Fraczek, I'm studying for a dual bachelor's degree in social work with a focus on migration and integration at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts(Opens in a new tab) and I work at GrünBau gGmbH in Dortmund's Nordstadt district. I founded the Nordsterne-Stipendium project there together with a colleague.
I have been a volunteer talent mentor for many years and have now also been a talent scout since July - with the aim of promoting educational equality and combating educational inequality.
What motivated you to study Social Work in the dual Bachelor's program with a focus on migration and integration?
As a working-class child myself, I was supported by talent scouting(Opens in a new tab) and the RuhrTalente scholarship(Opens in a new tab) when I was at school. This support had a decisive influence on my educational path. Even while I was still at school, I noticed the injustices in the school system - this made me want to study social work and actively tackle educational inequality.
I don't see diversity and migration as a challenge, but rather as a strength and potential with many hidden talents. That's why I deliberately chose the dual Bachelor's degree course in Social Work with a focus on migration and integration.
Miguel Fraczek, student in the dual Bachelor of Social Work with a focus on migration and integrationI don't see diversity and migration as a challenge, but rather as a strength and potential with many hidden talents. That's why I deliberately chose the dual Bachelor's degree course in Social Work with a focus on migration and integration.
Could you describe a typical working day as a dual student?
I am lucky to be able to work very flexibly in my field. I usually start around 11 a.m. in the office, where I plan and organize events such as workshops. After our participants finish school, I conduct counseling sessions with young people and offer various support services that are often neglected in everyday school life.
Once a month, we organize our big Nordstern get-together - a three-hour workshop format where I sometimes work until 8 pm.
Overall, however, I find my working day very balanced: Thanks to the dual study program, I only work from Monday to Wednesday and therefore have a real work-life balance - very different to when I was at school.
What exactly is the Nordsterne Scholarship?
The Nordsterne scholarship is a scholarship program for educationally disadvantaged young people from Dortmund's Nordstadt district. We currently support 30 pupils in grades 7 to 9 from all secondary schools in Nordstadt: the Hauptschule, the Gertrud-Bäumer-Realschule, the Anne-Frank-Gesamtschule, the Helmholtz-Gymnasium and the Kielhorn-Förderschule.
We present our project directly to all classes in the year groups mentioned. To make the application process for the scholarship as low-threshold as possible, we conduct interviews directly at the schools.
Our scholarship is based on four pillars:
- Financial support - 100 euros per month to spend as you wish.
- Learning support - promoting meta-skills such as the ability to concentrate, mindfulness and learning strategies.
- Promotion of hobbies and commitment - we finance and support the introduction to new hobbies, e.g. musical instruments, sports clubs, language courses or political commitment.
- Nordsternetreff - once a month, we hold a workshop in which we discuss topics such as racism, discrimination, democracy, educational disadvantage, future aspirations and talents. We invite guests, experts and role models. Most recently, we invited five representatives of political youth organizations to the upcoming local elections to discuss their wishes for politics with the young people.
Miguel Fraczek about the Nordsterne ScholarshipThe Nordsterne scholarship is a school scholarship program for educationally disadvantaged young people from Dortmund's Nordstadt district. We currently support 30 pupils in grades 7 to 9 - from all secondary schools in Nordstadt.
Miguel, take us back to the early days of the project. How and with whom did the idea of the Nordsterne scholarship come about?
The basic idea came from my line manager and supervisor Stefan Blank. During a trip abroad in Romania, he learned about a scholarship program for educationally disadvantaged children from Roma families. Inspired by this, he developed the idea of creating a similar program specifically for young people from Dortmund's Nordstadt district and applied for funding.
At the end of 2024, we finally received funding from Dr. Ausbüttel(Opens in a new tab) . Together with my socio-educational colleague Collin Hauke, we developed a concrete concept and, as a small team of two, began to publicize the project in the schools of Nordstadt.
You have already awarded numerous scholarships and opened up opportunities through your program. Can you name an exemplary success story from this experience?
Our scholarship holders are all ambitious and have big goals - many dream of study programs such as medicine or law. One particularly inspiring example is a student who has experienced many injustices in her life. Instead of being broken by it, she developed the desire to become a judge in order to stand up for justice herself. She has already completed an internship at the regional court, is bravely applying for new challenges and this summer we gave her the opportunity to take part in a summer camp in Turkey. Her next goal is a year abroad - and I'm sure she'll manage that too.
Finally, we would like to know where you see yourself and the project in five years' time?
In five years' time, I definitely see myself continuing to promote talent. I can well imagine spending my entire professional life supporting young people on their educational path.
By then, we would like the Nordsterne Scholarship to become a regular funding scheme and be significantly expanded. Instead of the current 30, we would then like to support at least 60 young people and further diversify our offer in order to make even more potential visible.
Thank you very much for your inspiring comments, Miguel.
Miguel Fraczek about his futureIn five years' time, I definitely see myself continuing to promote talent. I can well imagine spending my entire professional life supporting young people on their educational path.