Service-learning is a project-orientated form of learning and teaching that combines academic learning with community service. By taking responsibility for the organisation and implementation of a project 'outside' the university, students process subject-specific content by applying it in practice.

This is precisely the form of learning chosen by the four students Christine Dathe, Frederike Schlote, Kathleen Jaentsch and Isabell Mende from the third semester of the Health and Social Care degree programme at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. The embedding of the project in teaching and at the same time in practice is made possible by a model cooperation between Szilvia Schelenhaus, a qualified psychologist and lecturer at the FHN, the Nordhausen Family Centre (sponsor: Jugendsozialwerk Nordhausen) and the J.H. Pestalozzi Support Centre.

The concept for this pilot project was jointly developed by Szilvia Schelenhaus, who has been teaching "applied psychology and action concepts and methods of social work" at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences since 2010, Vivian Grabe, the head of the family centre, and Bärbele Herr, the head of the support centre.

The four students are taking part in Szilvia Schelenhaus' interdisciplinary project. Their first task was to organise the content of the project. Since November 2013, they have been leading a weekly children's theatre group - a third grade class at the Pestalozzi Support Centre. Rehearsals take place on the premises of the family centre.

Girls and boys aged 9 to 10 have the opportunity to give free rein to their creativity and imagination. Under the guidance of the students, the children develop a stage version of a classic fairy tale. They are encouraged in their motor, cognitive and social skills through free acting, relaxation exercises, role-playing and movement games.

The project is planned for an entire school year, so that at the end of the project the children have the opportunity to perform the result in the form of a play for their parents, friends and teachers.

The professional support and continuous reflection of all those involved is an integral part of service learning. Recently, the participants met at the Pestalozzi Support Centre to sum up what has happened so far.

The positive feedback from the accompanying teachers and, above all, the children, has further strengthened the students' motivation. The successful start of the project is due in particular to the great commitment of the head teacher to offer the children extracurricular support opportunities.

The family centre, with its child- and family-friendly facilities and dedicated staff who support the students, plays a major role in ensuring that the children enjoy participating in this project. A public performance of the play is planned for spring 2014.

In the coming summer semester, Szilvia Schelenhaus's interdisciplinary project will continue to prepare further service-learning projects.