06.11.2024
To reach families who have previously lacked access to social counseling and support systems, Senator for Social Affairs Dr. Claudia Schilling launched the Bremen Neighborhood Parents project. "The Neighborhood Parents are seven individuals who open important doors to professional counseling," said the Senator at the official launch event for the project at the Bremen State Church Community Association in Walle.
Opening doors to take further steps
“The aim of the project is to stabilize families and their children so that parents can take their first steps towards the job market and further training,” said Senator for Labor and Social Affairs Dr. Claudia Schilling. “Experience shows that mothers in particular first need to know that their family is stable before they have the inner freedom to embark on their own path towards further education or the job market.”
Signposts in the jungle of measures
Against this backdrop, neighborhood parents have two key areas of expertise: Firstly, in addition to the educational advisors, they advise families on relevant topics – for example, kindergarten, school, parenting, and language development. Secondly, they support families' economic independence: "They guide families through the maze of labor market integration measures," explained Senator Dr. Schilling, "whether it's language courses, work permits, recognition of professional qualifications acquired abroad, or training programs. This complements existing advisory services and builds bridges to the relevant institutions."
Creating access through practical and outreach-based counselling
Ideally, the neighborhood parents are close to the social circles of the families they are meant to reach – primarily through outreach ("peer-to-peer approach"): "Through practical and outreach-based counseling, the project creates access to families who receive little or no support from youth services, social benefits, health promotion, or labor market support. Something like this has been lacking in Bremen until now."
The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the European Union through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus) as part of the "Akti(F) Plus – Active for Families and their Children" program. The state and the municipality are contributing a 10 percent share.
Parents in the neighborhood are given the opportunity for further training
“Neighborhood parents are qualified through their language skills, life experience, and empathy,” explained Senator Dr. Schilling. “Due to a lack of vocational training or other obstacles, they themselves have not yet found access to the primary labor market.” They are employed by the Office for Social Services with social security contributions and are affiliated with the Family Center in Walle.
Close professional support
There they receive close professional support, both from educational specialists in the project itself and from the project partner Paritätisches Bildungswerk eV. This opens up good opportunities for the neighborhood parents to further their qualifications in social professions.
Support for families in Bremen West
"The neighborhood parents are responsible for the entire western part of Bremen, including Gröpelingen and Überseestadt," emphasized Senator Dr. Schilling. "They provide individual support to families over an extended period, thus helping to stabilize their living situation."
Furthermore, the neighborhood parents relieve the burden on the family center and other professionals in the district by providing support with official procedures and pointing out social and educational services in the community – such as sports clubs, parent support and counselling services, early intervention programs, the services of the city library, pediatric practices, or playgrounds.
Comprehensive guidance function for the district
They also provide information about the education system and offer support with applications for social benefits or with official matters such as daycare registration. "Neighborhood parents thus assume a comprehensive guiding role for families," said Senator Dr. Schilling.
Further information on the funding program “Akti(F) Plus – Active for Families and their Children”
Source: Press Office of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, The Senator for Labour, Social Affairs, Youth and Integration, Press Release , 06.11.2024