Who runs the programme and where?
Homeshare/Wohnen für Hilfe was set up in Darmstadt in 1992 as a project of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences /Department of Social Pedagogy (Fachbereich Sozialpädagogik) in co-operation with the study programme for senior students. In 1995, it won an award from German Central Government in the 'Solidarity of the Generations' competition. Between 1996 and December 2001, Homeshare/Wohnen für Hilfe in Darmstadt was run by the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz) in co-operation with the Department of Social Pedagogy (FHD/FBS).
In Munich, the concept was taken over by the Senior Citizens' Centre Neuhausen e.V. and is run in co-operation with the students' administration.
In Graz, the Austrian twin town of Darmstadt, the Students' Union took up the idea in 1994.
Homeshare programmes are now running in:
Who benefits from the programmes?
Wohnen für Hilfe was originally set up in Darmstadt to meet the accommodation needs of students and the needs of older people for help in the home. The idea was to break down the barriers between the generations. The target groups were:
people who could occasionally do with help and have a room to offer – mostly elderly people who still lived in the family home – but also families and single parents; students who could offer some hours of help in exchange for a room – usually young people in training for a profession.
The aims of the programme were to:
encourage different generations to meet and to live together in solidarity
enable older people to remain independent and lead a self-determined life
encourage people to try new experiences
take steps against isolation and loneliness.
What does the exchange involve?
Householders provide low-cost accommodation to their homesharer. Householder and homesharer agree that the student provides one hour of help for every square metre of room space each month, and pays additional expenses (such as electricity). Normally a precise contract shows the monthly rent plus the additional expenses and gives details of the number of hours per month that the student helps. The kind of help is also described. Precise agreements make it easier for the householder and homesharer to get on together.
How do the programmes operate?
Generally speaking, trained social workers are in charge of the programmes. They work part time and sometimes co-operate with volunteers to:
give advice to householders and homesharers
visit householders in their home
bring together suitable matches
offer mediation if difficulties arise. In addition, further development of the project and public relations work are very important tasks.
In Austria a team of qualified volunteers organizes the programme. They offer it within the Austrian Union of University Students.
How are they funded?
Funding differs very much among the programmes; in most cases there is no long term security.
Does it work?
Homeshare/Wohnen für Hilfe works if:
those who take part are interested in sharing the home with somebody from another generation
trained co-ordinators give advice
the expectations of all participants are clear right from the beginning
the matching is done and followed up with great care
relatives take part in the decisions
the conditions are written down precisely.
There are few matches at the moment; further development will depend on suitable structures and financial resources.
Has any research been done on the programmes?
Anne-Lotte Kreickemeier: Wohnen für Hilfe: Bilanz nach vier Jahren 1992 – 1996. Fachhochschule Darmstadt, 1996
Petra Wawrzyniak: Wohnen für Hilfe: eine alternative Wohnform im Alter. Diplomarbeit, Universitat zu Berlin, 1998
Brigitte Eibl: Das Ohne-, Gegen-, Miteinander der Generationen, aufgezeigt am Projekt 'Wohnraum für Hilfe' aus sozialpädagogischer Sicht. Diplomarbeit an der Katholischen Stiftungsfachhochschule München, Abteilung München, März 1997
Seniorentreff Neuhausen e.V.: Wohnraum für Hilfe, Jahresbericht 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999. München
Dokumentation: Wohnen für Hilfe 1997; available at GEFAS Steiermark, Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Alterwissenschaften und des Seniorenstudiums an der Universität Graz.
Anne-Lotte Kreickemeier, Ma.Asunción Martínez Román: Homeshare Europe / Alojamiento Compartido A Cambio de Ayuda en Europa, Homeshare in Europe, Wohnen für Hilfe in Europa. Alicante 2001
Anne-Lotte Kreickemeier und Nicolas Paefgen: Wohnen für Hilfe/Homeshare in Deutschland und anderen Ländern in: H.Berghaus, H.Bermond, H.Milz: Die demographische Entwicklung und ihre Auswirkungen auf altere Menschen mit Behinderung – eine unlösbare Herausforderung?, Köln 2005 (Reihe "thema" Nr.198, Hrsg: Kuratorium Deutsche Altershilfe)