Youth Employment Agency

The Youth Employment Agency (JBA) ensures that no young person falls through the cracks during the transition from school to work. The JBA, which was set up by the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg in collaboration with the neighbouring Schwalm-Eder district, brings together the wide range of local support services and makes assistance available more quickly, in a more tailored manner and with less red tape. For young people, this means: personalised career guidance; support in finding apprenticeships and jobs, as well as with job applications; placement in work experience placements and entry-level qualifications; support in overcoming social or educational barriers; and access to language support and other assistance programmes. Parents receive clear information and guidance on questions regarding their children’s apprenticeship and career planning, help in understanding funding opportunities and procedures, and referrals to the relevant contact persons. For skilled workers, the JBA acts as a central point of contact for cases requiring a high level of support, coordinates case management, facilitates the exchange of information on transition strategies, and links the Employment Agency, Jobcentres, schools, the Youth Welfare Office, school social work, the regional transition management team and ‘overcome’ to enable coordinated measures. The JBA is based on a cooperation agreement concluded in December 2018 between the participating districts, the State Education Authority, the Employment Agency and the Jobcentres. The aim is to utilise existing services not in isolation but as part of a network, and to provide holistic support for young people across the boundaries of individual areas of responsibility – particularly for those with special support needs as they enter the labour market.

In 2025/2026, the JBA focused its efforts on several specific projects and areas: support for care leavers, a pilot project involving a language course for refugees aimed at helping them achieve B1 language proficiency (continued/expanded in 2026), career guidance initiatives for disadvantaged young people, a training programme for professionals dealing with mental health issues, and an information and discussion event specifically for parents from migrant backgrounds on the topic of career guidance.