On 18.05.2018, the Friedrich Hospitality Foundation (FHF) was founded with headquarters in Stuttgart. It is named after the mission and founder Michael Friedrich and is committed to the vocational training of socially disadvantaged people in the hospitality and tourism industry.
The Idea Behind the Founding of the FHF
The internationally active FHF is personally dedicated to support the education of young people in the hospitality and tourism industry. During private as well as business stays in different countries, especially in parts of Africa, Michael Friedrich, founder and managing director of the FHF, got to know different cultures whose unifying element was always hospitality. At the same time, he has experienced the wide social gap that leaves many young adults disoriented after graduating from school. “Vocational education depends heavily on a person’s financial situation. To this day, there are big differences. With our non-profit organisation, we want to contribute to more equal opportunities for young people all over the world,” explains Michael Friedrich.
Education Opens Doors
Due to versatile job profiles, tourism serves as an economic engine in many developing countries and opens up opportunities at all career levels. As a hotelier of many years, Michael Friedrich knows: “Trained professionals in hotels and restaurants are in demand all over the world.” The FHF is committed to qualifying young adults for these professions, thus giving them future prospects.
At the time of its foundation, the focus of the projects was on Europe, southern Africa and Cabo Verde. The principle of the non-profit organisation is to help wherever help is needed. In the future, commitments in other countries are also possible.
Scholarships for Trainees: Education for All!
The FHF’s funding projects are divided into four topics: “People”, “Educational Institutions”, “Research” and “Infrastructure”. “People” refers to the awarding of scholarships that cover tuition fees as well as other training costs, and the provision of contacts for internships at home and abroad. In this context, the FHF works closely with educational institutions, politics, and businesses. Funding projects in this area are already in discussion for Mozambique, Cabo Verde, and Germany. A mentoring and sponsorship programme is also being planned.
Quality Assurance of Teaching: Always up to Date!
In the field of “Educational Institutions“, the FHF supports the regular further training of teachers, works out curricula together with the schools and checks the quality of the teaching provided on site. This also includes the procurement of books or other materials for teaching. Here, the FHF actively integrates its corporate partners in particular. For companies, the non-profit organisation offers various opportunities to get involved in addition to traditional donations.
Recognising Developments: Interdisciplinary Thinking!
By examining scientific questions related to tourism in the field of “Research“, it is possible to recognise developments in the industry at an early stage. To this end, the FHF maintains an intensive, interdisciplinary dialogue with universities and colleges. The goal: is to put the results of theory-based research into a social context and to process them in a practice-oriented manner. In this way, the findings can be transferred to other funding areas.
Building Hotel Schools: Acting sustainably!
In developing countries, vocational training fails not only because of a lack of financial resources for the students but also because schools are overcrowded or too far away and thus inaccessible. By building hotel schools, the FHF aims to lay the foundations for a long-term supply of teaching. As the number of schools increases, so do the chances of finding a place in education. The support of such construction projects goes beyond mere financial aid. Experts in the respective fields and construction phases are on hand to provide advice and support throughout the project. Funding for people, facilities, and research by the FHF can follow the construction.
Seal of Security: Regularly Audited!
People, educational institutions and other project partners supported by the FHF receive certificates of achievement that stand as a symbol of assured professional training. These certificates are subject to regular audits. In addition to project reports in which the use of funds must be verifiably documented, on-site inspections are also part of the security measures to ensure that all funding reaches where it is needed.
FHF also subjects itself to regular audits by both an internal controlling department and an independent auditor. In the annual business report, all income and expenditure are shown in detail and transparently.
