The district Neuperlach-South in Munich is home to many immigrant families, who are mainly multilingual. With the goal of improving the second language skills (German) and thus educational opportunities of children from immigrant families and furthermore contributing to integration and social peace in the city, the Caritas Community Center has offered for many years language support projects for multilingual children of different age groups. In 1999, language tutorials for preschool children from the age of about 4,5 - 6 years were set up. In 2005/2006 parents expressed the desire that the community center continues to support the children after school enrollment in the development of the second language. Besides, the community center wanted to make an attractive offer for young people who want to commit in social project. Finally, the implementation of the idea of "children language coach" brought these two target groups together. For young children, youngsters are often natural rolemodels ("Big Sisters / Big Brothers"). The model "child language coach" uses this children's interest in the adolescents: The children want to learn as much as possible and tell the young people all about themselves, that means they will communicate a lot, thus the common reference language - German - is intensively (without conscious effort) practiced: learning through relationship. At the same time, the young people are just as competent "language models" and are directly and exclusively available. The young people themselves are not very long outgrown the children’s world and can therefore easily understand and empathize with the children and share their interests, preferences and problems. The project "Child language coach" is NOT a tutoring or homework project. The fun of the children to express themselves confidently in a second language is in the foreground.

Frequently, the project develops to be a win-win-win situation:

• The children benefit in their language development and often have sensitive caregivers for their children's concerns and needs.
• The parents benefit from having young people in contact when it comes to small assistance in everyday life (eg in the understanding of official letters; questions about school life or to register for a driving school, etc.).
• Young people who want to work as a language coach usually come from secondary schools, from educated families who in everyday life come rarely in contact with immigrant families. Here they have the opportunity to meet directly other cultures, religions and social realities and thus to develop intercultural competence, which is perceived by them as extremely rewarding.

In the spring of a project year interested families and young people (recruitment of young people through the press, contacts with schools, clubs ...) are invited to an information day. After binding application for the participation in the project "perfect pairings" (short path, good transport connections, comparison of scheduling options ...) are compiled as possible. After the start of the new school year in the fall the new volunteers start with a training on multilingualism / language support. The dates will be agreed directly between the families and the youngsters (1-2 times per week, 1-2 hours). The time can be planned by the language coach completely independent with the child (play, sing, READ, sports activities, go shopping, cook together, etc.) - the focus is on the "Talk to each other!" During a project year the language coaches meet 2-3 times to share experiences and exchange educational tips and suggestions for the coaching hours in the community center. The young people receive from the child’s parents an allowance in the amount of 4.00 € / h. In addition, the young people at the end of the activity to get a certificate of their volunteer work.

Very different urban population groups that have little to do with each other in everyday life learn to know and better understand each other. The feedback from both the young people and the families and children is very positive. Lasting friendships are created between the project participants as well as small networks. The school and everyday stress of young people is also the reason why the basic requirements are kept low at the time commitment: initially only 1 hour per week – is expected for about 5 months. It appears, however, that due to the positive experiences with the children almost all young people are at least available for a whole school year and often even another year. Every year since 2006 10-20 adolescents were engaged as language coaches.

• Questionnaire after completion of project participation for young people
• Planned: parent survey for the assessment of children's language coach project by a student in the social work program
• Side effects: As teenagers with their own migration history increasingly apply to be language coaches, they are motivated to cooperate in the project either because they themselves have experienced positive support while learning German or because they have just been missing this support.

• Two salaried social workers of the community center manage the project within their part-time hours (concept work, organization of project year and support of the project participants, public relations)
• One specialist in language teaching / education on a fee basis for internal training of young people - financed through private sponsorship
• Material costs: learning and play materials available to borrow for the young people to carry out the working language support - funded by private sponsorship; the allowance for young people (4,00 € / h) is paid by the parents