In Germany, there are numerous educational institutions for youth and young adults who must cope with very difficult life situations: street schools, train station schools, learning workshops, or distance schools; camp schools, prison schools, hospice and therapy schools; production schools, student companies, as well as schools for children of itinerant workers; schools for Roma or Sinti, and schools for young people who are threatened by violence due to their sexual orientation; schools for school refusers. For a year, the author traveled and visited such youth support schools. He spoke with the young people about their experiences in these institutions, discussed the concepts and their pedagogical justifications with the teachers, observed classes, and conducted research in archives. The book thus provides a comprehensive overview of these unusual institutions.