**The Family Concept - A Concept of Educational & Entrepreneurial Excellence by Prof. em. Dr. Jürgen Zimmer** Serving in the fight against poverty, Schools for Life take on children from deprived backgrounds. This often means not only economic hardship, but also – to take Thailand as an example – stressful and often traumatic events: child labor, child prostitution, sexual abuse, the alcoholism or drug addiction of family members, violence. Particularly serious is the loss of parents through death due to disease, accidents, disasters or military conflict, or through inaccessibility - for example due to the long-term imprisonment of parents, rejection (such as when a second husband throws the children of the first husband out of the house) or despair, when a single mother with no social safety net or support just can't survive with children. The School for Life in Southern Thailand was set up in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster, many children having previously experienced burdans which the catastrophe of the tsunami exceeded to an extreme degree. Given this initial situation, three aims are of particular importance. Firstly, to recognize the children's rights to experience happiness and loving kindness, and to support them in developing new confidence and hope. Secondly, to provide a therapeutic framework that allows the gradual processing of the events of the past. And thirdly, to encourage the children not to bear the flag of trauma for the rest of their lives, but to turn their biographical scrapyards into gold, in the very broadest sense. Children who attend the School for Life are offered a combination of "family building" and "peer education". The children live with families in houses on the campus, each with one or two mentors, in single-sex, mixed-age groups. The time between late afternoon (after lessons and projects are over) and early morning is spent in the families, who are also responsbile for activities for the weekend, especially on Sundays, as well as making plans for holiday periods. This is supported by the promotion of "peer education", learning and living in mixed- age groups, and the concept of Guardian Angels. These are older children, chosen by younger ones, who look after a group of three to five small children, and who share in the responsibility for their welfare. The inspiration for this feature was the observation that older children, especially boys, began to form groups which lacked empathy and solidarity with the younger children. Guardian Angels need training and supervision, for example in training camps or Guardian Angel conferences, and can also be voted out of their posts. With a Children's Parliament, a President and Cabinet Members, Class- and Project speakers, Guardian Angels and Mediators, the development of a Republic of Children depends on both the success of the balance between the acceptance of youth culture and the acceptance of the supporting role of adults, and the threshold at which each child can turn to a trusted person if something goes wrong and the rights of the child are in danger of being compromised. Transparency, supervision and the principle of "many eyes" also apply with regard to the prevention of abuse, violence, discrimination or racism. Children need loving attention. They need closeness without the transgression of boundaries. A School for Life with children who are "at risk" combines the rebuilding of a reliable family life with "community building", with the development of a community of solidarity, one for living and learning, in which all children and adults are included. In UNESCO terms, each School for Life is an Open Learning Village. ## [Concept](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/196/concept) Chapters - **[1. Little History School for Life Chiang Mai](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/210/1-little-history-school-for-life-chiang-mai)** - **[2. At First Sight](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/209/2-at-first-sight)** - **[3. Characteristics](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/208/3-characteristics)** - **[4. The Family Concept](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/207/4-the-family-concept)** - **[5. Kindergarten](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/206/5-kindergarten)** - **[6. Schooling and Deschooling](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/205/6-schooling-and-deschooling)** - **[7. Learning Through Life](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/204/7-learning-through-life)** - **[8. The Seven Centers of Excellence](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/203/8-the-seven-centers-of-excellence)** - **[9. Think Tank and Master Workshops](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/202/9-think-tank-and-master-workshops)** - **[10. The Setting](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/201/10-the-setting)** - **[11. Teachers](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/200/11-teachers)** - **[12. Guests](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/199/12-guests)** - **[13. Partners](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/198/13-partners)** - **[14. Transfer of innovation](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/197/14-transfer-of-innovation)** - **[15 ](https://phuketer.com/s/00000600/wiki/196/concept#15.-attachments)[Source PDF (external site)](https://school-for-life.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SfL-Konzept-2003-2016_fin-1.pdf)** School for Life, 185/3 Moo 4, T. Pameing, Doi Saket District, 50220 Chiang Mai, Thailand Tel. +66 53 248194