Boosting confidence

All youth projects at Deutsche Telekom are committed to the same principle: to take young people seriously and have faith in their abilities. This is vital for empowering young people to develop the self-confidence needed to lead successful, independent lives.

"Yes, I can!" is the title of an initiative launched by Deutsche Telekom in April 2009 to promote projects and facilities for children and young people. In this way, Deutsche Telekom hopes to encourage youngsters across Germany to recognize their own potential and develop their skills. "Yes, I can!" kicked off with a nationwide competition, inviting entries from projects and facilities aimed specifically at developing core skills among young people between the ages of nine and fourteen.  In fall 2009, up to 100 project proposals will be chosen to receive funding by a jury comprised of experts from the worlds of academia and politics, as well as individuals from public life. In the future, the initiative aims to support between 50 and 100 facilities and projects each year.

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CEO René Obermann hands over the “Yes I can!” sign for the “B8” youth center in Berlin.

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CEO René Obermann hands over the “Yes I can!” sign for the “B8” youth center in Berlin.

The B8 youth center in Berlin Moabit was officially opened to coincide with the launch of the "Yes, I can!" initiative. Built by the Senate Administration for Urban Development and Berlin’s central district, the center is managed by the charitable organization Diakoniegemeinschaft Bethania e.V.  B8 targets young people aged between nine and fourteen, and offers a broad range of projects and activities, including sports, media and cooking projects, all carefully designed to help them to discover, explore and develop their own individual skills and talents.  All experience from the B8 youth center will be incorporated directly into the work of the "Yes, I can" initiative.

Ideas for climate protection

In the United Kingdom, young people are being invited to team up with T-Mobile to devise an innovative application for cell phones. In early 2009, T-Mobile UK, in collaboration with the volunteers’ network "Timebank," launched the Internet platform "The Spark," where young people can post, discuss and evaluate their ideas. The first project focuses on climate change. “The Spark“ invites users to submit creative ideas applying this theme to cell phones. One example is that the phone could be used to calculate the user’s carbon footprint, complemented by text messages with ideas for offsetting carbon emissions. T-Mobile employees who volunteer for this program will pick one winning idea and help the young people to put it into practice. T-Mobile UK and Timebank are also offering 15 other young people the chance to implement their own ideas as part of a volunteering program. The first project cycle is expected to be complete by June 2009.