Domestic Services for Families Generate Dividends
German Federal Family Affairs Minister Ursula von der Leyen awards prizes for the twelve best projects in the program “Unternehmen Familie – Innovationen durch familienunterstützende Dienstleistungen”
Berlin, 8 April 2008 – Domestic services give families more time and create jobs. This aspect was highlighted in a competition for ideas as part of the program “Unternehmen Familie” (The Family as an Enterprise). The twelve best projects were awarded prizes by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and Robert Bosch Stiftung in Berlin. The winners pioneered exemplary business ideas in the field of family support services which can serve as best practice benchmarks.
“Families need reliable, flexible support in daily life. This is why we want to extend and sponsor domestic services, while also making sponsorship itself simpler and more transparent,” Minister Ursula von der Leyen said during the award ceremony. “There is still a mismatch between demand and supply, but the market has great potential. According to a recent study, 30,000 jobs could be generated in this sector – if the conditions are right. The competition sponsored by Robert Bosch Stiftung addresses this very aspect: The twelve winners provide tailor-made professional services,” the minister added.
Ingrid Hamm, Director of the Robert Bosch Stiftung Management Board, said the competition also aimed to make a high profile statement against the negative image of such services. “In Germany, domestic services are far too often hired on the black market. We want to and indeed have to change that. The program “Unternehmen Familie” presents new approaches to the provision of flexible, affordable services in legal employment.”
It aims to activate private households as employers and market participants so as to create new jobs in the services sector. The program, which was launched in July 2007, supports innovative model initiatives at local community level. The twelve prize-winning ideas were selected from a total of 410 entries from across Germany. They will now receive funding of up to € 150,000 for three years, including support funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).
The twelve winners are:
Berlin, 8 April 2008 – Domestic services give families more time and create jobs. This aspect was highlighted in a competition for ideas as part of the program “Unternehmen Familie” (The Family as an Enterprise). The twelve best projects were awarded prizes by the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and Robert Bosch Stiftung in Berlin. The winners pioneered exemplary business ideas in the field of family support services which can serve as best practice benchmarks.
“Families need reliable, flexible support in daily life. This is why we want to extend and sponsor domestic services, while also making sponsorship itself simpler and more transparent,” Minister Ursula von der Leyen said during the award ceremony. “There is still a mismatch between demand and supply, but the market has great potential. According to a recent study, 30,000 jobs could be generated in this sector – if the conditions are right. The competition sponsored by Robert Bosch Stiftung addresses this very aspect: The twelve winners provide tailor-made professional services,” the minister added.
Ingrid Hamm, Director of the Robert Bosch Stiftung Management Board, said the competition also aimed to make a high profile statement against the negative image of such services. “In Germany, domestic services are far too often hired on the black market. We want to and indeed have to change that. The program “Unternehmen Familie” presents new approaches to the provision of flexible, affordable services in legal employment.”
It aims to activate private households as employers and market participants so as to create new jobs in the services sector. The program, which was launched in July 2007, supports innovative model initiatives at local community level. The twelve prize-winning ideas were selected from a total of 410 entries from across Germany. They will now receive funding of up to € 150,000 for three years, including support funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).
The twelve winners are:
- FamilyXperts GmbH i.G., Berlin
- Institut für Site und Facility Management GmbH, Ahlen
- Evangelische Jugendhilfe e.V., Münster
- QuaBeD Ennepe-Ruhr/Hagen gGmbH, Witten
- Verein zur Förderung der Beruflichen Bildung e.V., Speyer
- perfino e.G., Jena/Erfurt
- Gemeinde Lohmen, Lohmen
- MW Malteser Werke gGmbH, Potsdam
- Agentur Mary Poppins, Hanover
- Frauenkommunikationszentrum e.V., Herzogenrath
- INA.KINDER.GARTEN GmbH, Berlin
- Familiengenossenschaft, Mannheim
“If the price and quality are right, especially elderly people and working parents will be interested in legally provided family support services. Often, middle aged people carry a heavy burden caring for both the young and old members of their household. They want their home, children and older family members to be well looked after, without losing sight of their own goals in life. We must therefore make finding the appropriate services easier for them. If we encourage the expansion of professional family support services now, that will give people more time to enjoy with their families and create many new jobs in this country,” Minister von der Leyen explained.
More information
Competition contact:
Indre Zetzsche (IFOK GmbH)
Phone +49 (0)30 536077-17
Fax +49 (0)30 536077-20
Phone +49 (0)30 536077-17
Fax +49 (0)30 536077-20
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