WASsERLEBEN: Partnership Arrangements Between Companies and Schools Are an Important Factor

Since 1993 WASsERLEBEN has been a regular feature of Wasser Berlin International and is intended above to inform young people, in a playful and interactive way, about the importance of the subject of “Water” and its many, varied facets. As part of this partnership arrangement pupils assist exhibiting companies, playing an active part in planning presentations at the fair and providing support for visitors. The objective is to present information and the subject matter on display in a way that appeals to young people and arouses their interest. For example, during the preparatory phase schoolchildren describe how exhibits should be created in order to catch the attention of their contemporaries. For the duration of the event they are also available for discussions on the stand, as well as giving guided tours of the entire WASsERLEBEN exhibition for groups of visitors. The pupils receive suitable preparation from the companies as well as in-depth support in advance of and during the event. Since its introduction in 2011 the partnership model has evolved very effectively at WASsERLEBEN, meeting with a growing and positive response from companies and pupils alike. Such cooperative arrangements currently exist between the pupils of Wald-Oberschule and the company Hermann Sewerin GmbH, and between Lise-Meitner-Schule and WTW (Wissenschaftlich-Technische-Werkstätten GmbH). From the viewpoint of the pupils another positive aspect of the partnerships is their vocational emphasis, with active involvement in WASsERLEBEN leading to internships as well as to training and study places.

“These partnerships are flourishing”, says Cornelia Wolff von der Sahl, the project manager at Messe Berlin. “We are able to target young people as well as ensuring that they receive highly effective support and assistance. Such a contribution is invaluable because, since presentations are also being staged at the same time at the Wasser Berlin International trade fair, many exhibitors do not have sufficient skilled personnel available. For their part, by familiarising themselves with the many and varied tasks and processes involved with a major event, the young people can obtain invaluable experience. And of course there are the benefits that they derive from seeing how their own ideas are put into practice and how their own personal involvement contributes to the success of the event”.

For many years the exhibitors have included companies, associations, schools, universities and various institutions. In many cases the exhibitors contributions are made in a voluntary capacity. The last WASsERLEBEN, in 2011, attracted an attendance in excess of 11,000.