Landshut University of Applied Sciences has long been concerned with topics such as social inequality and migration as well as changes in family and career. At the interdisciplinary Institute of Social Change and Cohesion Research (IKON), in particular, researchers evaluate practical projects of social institutions as well as health and educational facilities. This was also the case in the EU-funded Landshut housing project home and care, in which an innovative response to the challenges of single parents in balancing work and family was tested.
In addition to a process evaluation and a poverty and social structure analysis, the university's tasks included conducting a final evaluation and producing a policy paper. The project staff now presented these at a final workshop. Representatives of the city of Landshut, the Seligenthal Academy for Social Pedagogy, the Heiliggeistspitalstiftung, the Landshut Clinic, the LAKUMED Clinics as well as the ZAK Association and the ZAK Children's Foundation took part in the event.
Goal of greater financial independence and social participation for single parents achieved
As Prof. Dr. Katrin Liel, the scientific director of the home and care project, made clear in her welcoming speech, single parents who work in care professions or in childcare are also confronted with special challenges in Landshut: "On the one hand, they are strongly challenged in the family area because the tasks that arise there rest solely on their shoulders. On the other hand, their professional workload is high - not least because of the shortage of skilled workers."
This is precisely where the housing project in Marienburger Straße comes in. By offering affordable living space to single mothers who work in the care sector and in childcare. But that's not all: through housing partnerships in which single caregivers and daycare mothers live next door to each other with their children, ways should be found to better reconcile work and family life and to make childcare during off-peak hours possible in an uncomplicated manner. This should enable greater financial independence and greater social participation. As Andrea Döllner, research assistant in the project, showed in her presentation of the final evaluation results, this goal was achieved. As an example, one of the residents who took part in the surveys on the operational implementation of the housing project was quoted: "I am now simply no longer dependent on any authorities. And that is essential for my personal satisfaction."
Opportunity for part-time continuing education to become an educator is well received
The specially developed continuing education program at the Fachakademie für Sozialpädagogik Seligenthal, which gives project participants working in childcare the opportunity to train as educators on a part-time basis and earn a degree according to state-established curriculum elements, is also rated very highly by those involved.
Children's perspective must be taken into account
Critically discussed at the final workshop at the university was the fact that the perspective of the children in the home and care project has so far only been asked about the mothers. Further research is needed to get an accurate picture of the psychosocial impact of the housing project and especially the door-to-door concept on the children.
Interculturally competent specialist to ensure sustainability
In order to ensure the sustainability of the project beyond the period of EU funding, one thing, among others, is very important: the employment of an interculturally competent social work specialist. This was emphasized by Dr. Benedikt Kuhnen, research associate in the project, during his presentation of the policy paper. This person could take care of the acquisition of applicants, the allocation of housing, the matching of the housing partnerships and the socio-spatial embedding of the project in the city of Landshut in the event of project participants leaving the project.
