Education Officer Program (BiRef)

The Education Officer Program Baden-Württemberg funds recognized independent providers of child and youth welfare services and their associations active in Baden-Württemberg. The goal is to support the academic and vocational training, as well as the social integration of young people through full-time education officers.

The Education Officer Program funds personnel costs for full-time education officers. The funded activities include planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs, counseling and organizational development, as well as conceptual and quality development in child and youth work and youth social work.

The program offers project grants covering up to 90 percent of recognized personnel costs. Funding is provided as a fixed amount per full-time position, which is adjusted annually. The funding year is the calendar year, and the grant can be approved for the current and the following fiscal year.

Specific conditions must be met for application and eligibility, including project start after application, professional qualification of education officers, minimum scope of employment, and compliance with reporting and auditing obligations.

Applications for the Education Officer Program must be submitted punctually before the start of the funding year. Depending on the type of applicant organization, submission is either directly to the Ministry of Social Affairs or via intermediary organizations such as the State Youth Council (Landesjugendring) or the LAG Youth Social Work. The Ministry of Social Affairs is the approving body.

The Education Officer Program is legitimized and governed by a specific administrative regulation of the Ministry of Social Affairs Baden-Württemberg, as well as by relevant state and federal laws in the field of youth welfare and education. There is no legal entitlement to funding.