Mission Statement

The Ecumenical Vocational School for Nursing and Geriatric Nursing Assistance – Dr. Selma Graf – run by Caritas-Diakonie Schulträger gGmbH is an ecumenical school with Christian roots. It was established in 2019 through the merger of the geriatric nursing school of Diakonie Bamberg-Forchheim and the St. Marien geriatric nursing school of Caritas.

We train people aged 16 and over who are interested in a career in nursing. We offer the one-year programme to become a Nursing Assistant and the three-year programme to become a Generalist Nurse (female/male). We work in partnership with hospitals, outpatient care providers, inpatient long-term care facilities and day-care centres to ensure our trainees’ practical training. Based on close networking between the school and partner institutions, we exchange training-relevant content and ensure regular knowledge transfer. This is done with shared responsibility for training and with a view to later integration into the labour market.

Together with the Federal Employment Agency, we offer a basic nursing course for people from abroad (Europe). The focus is on learning German in order to prepare participants for vocational training.

We support the people who learn with us on their path to becoming competent, confident and responsible nursing professionals. We place great value on high-quality medical and nursing education. Our trainees learn that every action has consequences. We raise their awareness of the need to respect the physical and psychological limits of the people in their care in their day-to-day work.

Trainees receive support with all questions related to training and personal development. In learning support and reflection sessions, we work with them to define learning goals and develop solution strategies. In doing so, trainees learn to be constructively critical and self-critical. We offer trainees with a migration background support in learning German—both during classes and in small study groups in the afternoons.

School social work is an important part of our school philosophy. Here, trainees receive support and guidance with any issues that could jeopardise successful completion of their training.

The atmosphere at our school is shaped by respectful and constructive cooperation, regardless of background, religion, skin colour or gender identity. Every viewpoint is heard, and we address conflicts openly. We make decisions transparently.

Civic education is important to us. With it, we aim to raise trainees’ awareness of complex global and regional challenges. We do not tolerate anti-democratic and/or discriminatory statements in everyday school life.

As a learning organisation, we are committed to quality improvement. We continuously develop our professional and teaching skills to meet constantly changing requirements.

Our school is present in the public sphere at training fairs, career orientation events and on social media.