The Services at Schule Schloss Salem

... the Café for Good Causes. 

The Kaffee Hahn Team runs a fair trade coffee bar in the lobby of Salem International College. Throughout the school week, members serve drinks and snacks to students and staff during the mid-morning break and after lunch. Each student works at least two shifts and is also required to serve at public events such as evening concerts and theatre productions, many of which occur over the weekend. On these occasions, the service members may serve more than 400 customers in a short space of time.

Kaffee Hahn is run as a charitable project and all profits are donated to a variety of good causes. These include the College Theatre, Botanical Service, Sustainability Service, Round Square Service projects such as the Prince Alexander fund, and Peterhof in St. Petersburg, Russia. It also supports institutions such as "JugendRettet," an emergency rescue project for refugees in the Mediterranean, and aid organizations which operate in crisis situations such as natural catastrophes and famine.

... in a Favourable Light.

One of the Photo Service's main jobs is taking the student photos for Student IDs. Another important function of the service is supporting the Upper School's annual yearbook. Throughout the school year photos are taken of students, teachers, staff and mentors in their different individual and group functions and activities. As a major provider of material for the "Chronik", members need to take a professional approach in performing their service activity.

... raising Awareness.

Global Action Network holds working meetings that focus on international issues, be they cultural, social, economic and political. Its aim is to inform the school community about important events outside the boarding school. In school assemblies presentations are given, handouts are distributed in the dining halls, and action days with public debates and awareness campaigns are organised.

As the name implies, the service strives to take action, not just talk. For this reason, members collect and donate funds to humanitarian projects such as  World AIDS Day. The service also co-organises the annual youth meeting on environmental issues, the Salem International College Youth Conference.

The Global Action Network takes responsibility for organizing and coordinating the annual recycling project. Clothing, furniture and other unwanted items the graduating class doesn't need are sorted and donated to local charities or sold to other interested parties. 

... striking the Right Note.

Musically talented students in the upper school take on the responsibility of scheduling concerts at various venues for different audiences and thereby also gather experience in musical event management. The music service program consists of:

• Weekly chamber orchestra rehearsals 
• Concerts at school and in the surrounding region, e.g., charity concerts, musical interludes for public events, or concerts in social service institutions 
• Organization and coordination of school-intern musical competitions
• Organization and coordination of the ABRSM music examinations

... protecting our Natural Resources.

The Environmental Service encompasses a wide range of themes, ranging from energy consumption to global warming.

It is important to promote sustainable behaviour. This includes the development of concrete ideas that will improve the sustainability balance of Salem International College. The service aims to provide simple, but effective ideas that can make life in the boarding school more environmentally friendly.

For a number of years the Environmental Service has organized a youth meeting called Salem International College Youth Conference (SICYC) together with Global Action Network. Conducting this complex project involves enormous dedication and close cooperation. Students and teachers from different schools around Europe visit Salem International College for one weekend to learn about, discuss and find solutions to current environmental issues. The program includes talks by guest speakers, debates conducted in small groups, and field trips to nearby sites of interest. 
Once a year, the service organizes a Sustainability Day. On this day students hold debates about sustainability policies and participate in different workshops devoted to topics such as urban gardening, sustainable cooking, sustainable consumption, energy-saving options. 

Other year-round projects include maintaining bee-feeding stations in cooperation with the German conservation association, “Netzwerk blühende Landschaften,” building insect houses to enhance biodiversity and collecting deposit bottles in order to finance further sustainability projects. Additionally, the group promotes sustainable strategies within the school's daily operations.
 

... on the Road.

When public transportation is not available, the team of school bus drivers provides shuttle services between the school campuses so that fellow students can arrive on time for their afternoon and evening activities.  Equally important are the weekly shuttle trips for the social outreach service groups to the off-campus locations. On a rotation system, each school bus driver also offers weekend shuttle trips. During the school year, the student drivers complete a driver safety training course to guarantee their passengers' safety.