Homeshare has been operating in Australia since 2000.  There is growing interest to expand across the country with particular interest in the role of homeshare in the growing area of Independent Living Options (ILOs) for householders with disabilities.

HANZA (Homeshare Australia and New Zealand Alliance)

HANZA is the network for Austalia and New Zealand Homeshare programmes and members of the Homeshare International Network.  HANZA supports the existing network of programmes and the development of new ones, runs a website and publishes regular newsletters (recent newsletters are also on the resources page of this website) and an annual report. See details of homeshare programmes in Australia on the HANZA website

The Austrian programmes are run in the university cities Vienna, Graz and Innsbruck. Apart from the homeshare programme in Vienna, the programmes in Graz and Innsbruck are provided by non-profit organisations which deliver other services.

• Graz http://www.wohnenfuerhilfe-oehgraz.at Contact: wohnenfuerhilfe@oehunigraz.at
• Innsbruck Contact: Mag.^a Renate Gabriel diakonie.tirol@ikbnet.at Tel: +43 (0) 512 / 587 820
• Vienna  www.wohnbuddy.com   https://www.facebook.com/wohnbuddy Contact: office@wohnbuddy.com Tel: + 43 (0) 680 / 128 54 35

Homeshare in Belgium was founded in July 2009 by 1Toit2Ages (‘one roof, two ages’) which began in Brussels. It now also covers other big towns in Wallonia such as Namur, Mons, Liège, Tournai, Charleroi, and Louvain la Neuve. Flanders should also be covered soon. The programme benefits students who need a room to study and older people (aged 50 plus) who can offer a furnished room from September to June. More than 5000 matches have been made since 2009. The oldest home provider so far is 101 years old.

1Toit2Ages is increasingly welcoming students into nursing homes. In exchange for their services to the residents, the students receive low rent.

Créée en juillet 2009 à Bruxelles, l’ASBL 1Toit2Ages est désormais active à Namur, Louvain-La-Neuve, Mons, Liège, Tournai, et Charleroi. La Flandre devrait également être couverte prochainement. Plus de 5000 binômes ont été créés dans 15 ans.  L’ASBL 1Toit2Ages propose de mettre en relation des étudiants (18-30 ans) et des seniors (à partir de 50 ans) qui disposent d’une chambre libre et désireux de la partager avec un étudiant, pendant l’année académique (de septembre à juin).

1Toit2Ages développe de plus en plus l’accueil d’étudiants au sein de maisons de repos. En échange de services auprès des résidents, les étudiants bénéficient d’un loyer modéré.

Website : www.1toit2ages.be  

Homesharing has been established in Canada for over 20 years. They tend to be similar to the American programmes in that they include rent as well as service exchange. Check out the website homesharecanada.org for information about homeshare programmes in Canada.

BytSpolu is a Homeshare programme in Pilzen, Czech Republic, a university city of around 180 000 inhabitants and 10 000 students. We provide services to the elderly above 60 years and students between 18-27 years. Our service was developed under the mentorship of ensemble2generations who kindly shared their methodology.

During the continuing COVID-19 epidemic, when all universities are closed, we are building awareness about inter-generational homesharing via social media (see our YouTube channel and Facebook page) and local partners (municipality, university, local charities). The idea of inter-generational homesharing is very new in the Czech Republic and we will yet have to dispel the fears about it, but we believe that in a long term Czechs will find this to be one of the solutions for seniors solitude, low incomes etc.

For more information please email or visit www.bytspolu.cz

There are many Homeshare programmes in France located throughout the country.

Two major networks operate all over France; ensemble2générations, whose programme is also duplicated abroad, and Cohabilis, the merged Réseau CoSI and Réseau LIS.

• Vivre Ensemble en Calade began in 2018 and is part of the Cohabilis network. It operates on Villefranche sur Saône (North of LYON) in the Beaujolais.

In Germany, homesharing is known as Wohnen für Hilfe, ‘housing for help‘.  It was developed as early as 1992 as a project of a student group at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Department of Social Education, under the leadership of Professor Dr Kreickemeier. It was developed in collaboration with the study programme for seniors. In 1995, the programme received an award from the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs in the first ‘competition for solidarity between generations‘.

In Munich, the concept was taken up in 1996 by the Seniorentreff Neuhausen e.V. in cooperation with the local Studentenwerk and has been successful ever since. This was followed by Freiburg im Breisgau in 2002 as the third city nationwide, and the first location sponsored by a student service. The homeshare movement was boosted in 2005, particularly in North Rhine-Westphalia, through state subsidies and the programmes set up in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Münster became well established.

Another wave of homeshare programmes was created from 2011 when compulsory military service was abolished and the baccalaureate was shortened from 13 to 12 years. As a result, university cities recorded an enormous increase in the number of students and, consequently, an even tighter housing market.

The current situation

Homeshare programmes are now running in multiple cities throughout Germany.

It is characteristic of the German programmes that they originated independently of each other in the different cities and run autonomously within their area. However they share the same ethos – homesharing is a social idea of mutual giving and taking and intergenerational solidarity.

The programmes are organised and financed exclusively by non-profit organisations, such as public institutions (municipality, city, state), independent institutions (charities, non-profit associations, foundations), or by student services and universities. Each programme determines its target groups and how it operates and normally the service is free of charge for the participants.

Target groups

Housing providers are typically seniors who are matched with students as homesharers. Homesharing also appeals to other target groups, such as families, single parents, people with disabilities, working people and apprentices. But the concepts have also expanded. Beyond the ‘classical private housing providers’ there are also facilities for elderly people, such as retirement homes, where students and elderly residents are living together under one roof,  practising a generation-spanning togetherness in line with the Wohnen für Hilfe concept.

Nationwide networking

For many years there has been a nationwide network of programmes and a federal working group ‘Wohnen-für-Hilfe Deutschland’ has been set up. The network meets annually, each meeting hosted by a different programme, to discuss current issues and challenges. New providers have the opportunity to use the wealth of experience of existing programmes. This networking will also drive the institutionalisation and professionalisation of all programmes. This path is also promoted by strong public and media interest in this form of living.

Outlook

Homesharing seems likely to continue to thrive in Germany in the future, with further new programmes expected. Its success is driven by its sustainability, public acceptance of ‘housing for help’ in Germany, demographic trends, the persistently large number of home seekers, especially students, and last but not least the tense situation in the housing market.

Details of all the programmes can be found on the website www.wohnenfuerhilfe.org

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Entstehung und Verbreitung

In Deutschland wurde Wohnen für Hilfe (Homeshare) bereits 1992 als Projekt einer Studierendengruppe an der Fachhochschule Darmstadt – Fachbereich Sozialpädagogik – unter Federführung von Frau Professor Dr. Kreickemeier in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Studienprogramm für Senioren entwickelt.

1995 wurde es im Rahmen des ersten „Wettbewerbs zur Solidarität der Generationen“ vom Bundesfamilienministerium ausgezeichnet.

In München wurde die Konzeptidee 1996 vom Seniorentreff Neuhausen e.V. in Kooperation mit dem dortigen Studentenwerk übernommen und ist seitdem bis heute erfolgreich aktiv. Im Jahr 2002 folgte Freiburg im Breisgau als dritte Stadt  bundesweit  mit erstem Standort in Trägerschaft eines Studierendenwerks.

Die Verbreitung von Wohnen für Hilfe bekam 2005 insbesondere in Nordrhein-Westfalen durch Landesfördermittel einen Anschub; die Standorte Köln, Düsseldorf und Münster konnten sich bis heute gut etablieren.

Eine weitere Welle von Wohnen für Hilfe Programmen entstand ab dem Jahr 2011 durch die Aussetzung der Wehrpflicht und die Verkürzung des Abiturs von 13 auf 12 Jahre. Die Universitätsstädte verzeichneten dadurch einen enormen Anstieg der Studierendenzahlen und damit einhergehend einen noch angespannteren Wohnungsmarkt.

Aktueller Stand

Wohnen für Hilfe Standorte gibt es mittlerweile in 34 Städten deutschlandweit.

Bezeichnend für die deutschen Programme ist, dass sie unabhängig voneinander in den verschiedenen Städten entstanden sind. Wohnen für Hilfe wird von den jeweiligen Anbietern autonom und eigenverantwortlich durchgeführt.

Gemeinsam ist allen Programmen die soziale Idee des gegenseitigen Gebens und Nehmens und der generationenübergreifenden Solidarität.

Ausgerichtet und finanziert wird Wohnen für Hilfe in den jeweiligen Städten ausschließlich durch Non-Profit-Organisationen.  Das sind öffentliche Träger (Kommune, Stadt, Land), freie Träger (Wohlfahrtsverbände, gemeinnützige Vereine, Stiftungen) oder Studierendenwerke und Universitäten. Die jeweiligen Anbieter von Wohnen für Hilfe bestimmen die Zielgruppen und die Modalitäten, in der Regel ist das Angebot für die Teilnehmer kostenfrei.

Zielgruppen

Wohnpartner sind insbesondere Senioren als Wohnraumgeber und Studierende als Wohnraumnehmer. Darüber hinaus spricht Wohnen für Hilfe auch weitere Zielgruppen an, wie zum Beispiel Familien, alleinerziehende Mütter und Väter, Menschen mit Behinderung, Berufstätige und Auszubildende.

Aber auch die Konzepte haben sich erweitert. So gibt es mittlerweile an verschiedenen Standorten über die privaten Wohnraumanbieter hinaus auch Einrichtungen der Altenhilfe, wie Seniorenwohnheime, in denen Studierende unter einem Dach mit den Bewohnern leben und das generationenübergreifende Miteinander im Sinne von Wohnen für Hilfe praktizieren.

Bundesweite Vernetzung

Bereits seit vielen Jahren besteht ein Austausch und eine bundesweite Vernetzung der Wohnen für Hilfe Standorte, in dessen Rahmen sich mittlerweile die Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnen für Hilfe Deutschland konstituiert hat. Jährlich finden Bundestreffen statt, die jeweils von einem anderen Standort organisiert und ausgerichtet werden. Bei diesen Treffen werden gegenwärtige und zukünftige Themen und Herausforderungen besprochen und gemeinsam bearbeitet. Neu hinzu kommende Anbieter haben so die Möglichkeit, den Erfahrungsschatz der bestehenden Programme zu nutzen.

Mit der Vernetzung wird auch die Institutionalisierung und Professionalisierung aller Programme vorangetrieben. Dieser Weg wird darüber hinaus durch ein starkes öffentliches und mediales Interesse an dieser Wohnform gefördert.

Ausblick

Der bundesweite Erfolg von Wohnen für Hilfe beruht auf der Nachhaltigkeit und der hohen Akzeptanz des Konzepts in der Gesellschaft. Die demographische Entwicklung und die anhaltend große Zahl Wohnungssuchender, insbesondere Studierende, auf einem angespannten, knappen und teuren Wohnungsmarkt werden öffentlich diskutiert.

Die Wohnform Wohnen für Hilfe bietet hier eine attraktive Option. Zukünftig ist daher in Deutschland mit einer positiven Entwicklung und der weiteren Verbreitung von Wohnen für Hilfe zu rechnen.

Informationen über Wohnen für Hilfe in Deutschland und über die anbietenden Städte finden Sie unter dem Link: www.wohnenfuerhilfe.org 

New Homeshare services are starting in Hungary. Whether you are looking for a Homeshare arrangement or would like to help provide a service, please see our HI Network information for Hungary. 

There are two programmes in Ireland:

• Elder Home Share  www.elderhomeshare.ie
  
• THE HomeShare https://thehomeshare.ie  

There are several Homeshare programmes running throughout Italy, Here are some of them:

• Milan: https://www.meglio.milano.it/prendi-in-casa
• Rome: http://liberacittadinanza.org/LC/index.php/cosa-facciamo/volontariato/61-studenti-alla-pari
• Trento: http://vivocon.automutuoaiuto.it   

There are a small number of experimental homeshare programmes in Japan, mainly in Tokyo and Kyoto.

There are considerable barriers to homesharing in Japan – cultural and practical.  People expect families to look after older relatives; there is no tradition of having non-family guests to stay in the home; and Japanese homes tend to be small anyway.

Despite these barriers, interest in homesharing has been growing as a solution to lack of affordable student accommodation and the social isolation of some older people.

To date homeshare programmes have been set up by not-for-profit agencies with some support from local government.

Read a presentation given at the Melbourne Congress by Kubota Hiroyuki and Sonohara Kazuyo from Heart-Waming-House Japan 2015.

Kyoto Solidaire was set up in 2017  – http://www.solidaire.kyoto  

The Korean homeshare programme started in 2012 as one of several social renovation projects planned by Seoul City. It aims to promote the social welfare of the increasing number of older people combined with the housing problems of young people. The programme operates as a ‘civilian lease housing’ project.

The programme matches older home owners with university students from the remote countryside, who have difficulties in finding adequate places to live. Home owners lease their spare rooms to the students at half the market rate and the students provide the old people with some practical services. Older people benefit economically and emotionally while university students get secure, low-cost, good quality housing near their campus.

This programme operates under the title of ‘Intergenerational Empathy Under One Roof’ by the Housing Policy Division of Seoul City and is very active among 10 out of 25 Gu-Districts where universities are located. By the end of 2016, 228 matches were reported, supporting people mainly around 70 years old. Since student applicants outnumber the homeshare providers, Seoul City is endeavouring to support some house repair costs and advertisements to widen the programme.

Besides Seoul City, other metropolitan cities are showing an interest in piloting the project. Distinctively, at present, these projects are operated by local government not by civilian organisations.

• Nowon-Gu District, ‘Intergenerational Empathy Under One Roof’ http://www.nowon.kr/join/share/index.jsp
• Dukobi Sesang (NPO) – Application form http://www.peterpanz.com/house_share
• Nowon-Gu District, “Intergenerational Empathy Under One Roof” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqJ_8Bp5DGI  

There are two programmes operating in the Netherlands:

• Match Maastricht which has been running since 2020 as as a part of Maastricht University and is supported by the municipality of Maastricht.
• MijnWoongenoot which is starting in Breda, Noord-Brabant.

HomeSharing is the first Homeshare initiative in the Netherlands, run since 2020 by Match Maastricht.

Match helps students to contribute to the community of Maastricht. The foundation functions as a part of Maastricht University and is supported by the municipality of Maastricht.

In HomeSharing, we bring together inhabitants with diverse support requirements and students in search of housing.  An inhabitant might be looking for more social contact, a helping hand or the possibility of learning a new language. Young people are in need of affordable housing and a place to call home in a new city. HomeSharing combines both. The HomeSharing framework in Maastricht involves a methodical selection procedure and a monitoring scheme, as it is specifically aimed at building and sustaining relationships between the local resident and the student.

Besides HomeSharing, Match is the initiator of many more social (living) projects, details of which can be found on our website.

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Text in Dutch

HomeSharing is het eerste homeshare initiatief in Nederland, opgestart in 2020 door Match Maastricht.

Match helpt studenten om een sociale bijdrage te leveren in Maastricht. De stichting functioneert als onderdeel van Maastricht University en wordt ondersteund door de gemeente Maastricht.

In HomeSharing brengen we bewoners met diverse ondersteuningsvragen en jongeren op zoek naar woonruimte samen. Een bewoner is misschien op zoek naar meer sociaal contact, een helpende hand of iemand om van te leren (bijvoorbeeld een nieuwe taal). Jongeren hebben behoefte aan betaalbare huisvesting en een thuis in een nieuwe stad. HomeSharing combineert beide. Het HomeSharing project in Maastricht maakt gebruik van een strenge selectie en monitoring, omdat het specifiek gericht is op het opbouwen en behouden van relaties tussen de lokale bewoner en de student.

Naast HomeSharing, initieerde Match nog veel meer sociale (leef)projecten. Meer hierover leest u op onze website.

Contact details:

• English website: https://matchmaastricht.nl/projects/homesharing
• Dutch website: https://matchmaastricht.nl/nl/projects/homesharing  

HANZA (Homeshare Australia and New Zealand Alliance)

HANZA is the network for Austalia and New Zealand Homeshare programmes and members of Homeshare International.  HANZA supports the existing network of programmes and the development of new ones, runs a website and publishes regular newsletters (recent newsletters are also on the resources page of this website.)

HANZA is currently involved in an exciting pilot project with the New Zealand government to develop new Homeshare programmes.

See details for programmes in New Zealand on the HANZA website www.hanza.org.au  

Oranga Coabitação Intergeracional is an inter-generational co-living programme in Portugal, focused on creating a supportive and mutually enriching environment where two people share the wisdom of their generation in today’s society.

Geographical Area served includes Lisboa, Almada, Oeiras, Cascais, Amadora, Odivelas, Loures, Sintra

Homesharing started in Spain in 1991, in Granada, and spread to other university cities. Programmes were set up in response to the chronic shortage of student accommodation and to this day, homeshare mainly links students and older householders for the duration of the academic year.

In Madrid, Convive is the country’s leading homeshare programme coordinated by Solidarios para el Desarrollo since 1995 with the collaboration of local government and seven public universities. Convive promotes an experience of mutual benefit and help, shared experiences and learning, and strengthening new relationships on both sides. Around 1,800 ‘matches’ between elderly people and university students have been made since then.

Solidarios is a non-profit organisation dedicated to social volunteering, social programmes and awareness of issues related to social justice and solidarity. In May 2017 Solidarios organised the Fifth World Homeshare Congress in Madrid.

Red de Programas de Convivencia Intergeneracional explains (in Spanish) how the programmes work and lists the known programmes in Spain.

Málaga is also supported by Hagamos Hogar

Homesharing appears to have developed independently in Switzerland, mainly to support a growing student population.  We are aware of the following programmes:

• Geneva ih par m2
• St Gallen bene Wohnen
• Rolle – Ensemble Avec Toit covers the French-speaking areas of the country, see ensemble avec toit
• Zurich – Pro Senectute Kanton Zürich Wohnen für Hilfe   

Homesharing in the UK

Householders are typically older people in their 80s, though the ages range from 60 to well over 90. Some of these older people have other helpers or carers, paid or informal, and for some, Homesharing is part of a package of support.

Homesharers are often younger people, students, key public sector workers, or newly retired people who need affordable accommodation and are happy to provide around 10 hours of support per week. 

Homeshare programmes in the UK are run by charities, not-for-profit organisations, or local authorities. Professional paid staff are responsible for screening, matching and supporting the Homeshare participants.

There are two networks in the UK:

• Homeshare UK which is part of Shared Lives Plus, the national network for Shared Living whose vision is a kinder, stronger society built on sharing our lives and our homes.
  The Homeshare UK brand was launched in 2015 to support the growth and development of the Homeshare sector and to create a thriving community of high-quality practitioners across the country.
• Homeshare Association UK was launched in 2022 and includes services in Ireland.

updated 3 May 2022  

There are numerous homeshare programs across the United States. Each program is independent from the others and may operate a bit differently. Some programs are members of the HI Network; find them at https://homeshare.org/hin-directory/country/usa. For others, visit the

National Shared Housing Resource Center

www.nationalsharedhousing.org

The National Shared Housing Resource Center (NSHRC) has an online directory listing the various programs by state ). The NSHRC, run by experienced volunteers, is a clearinghouse of information for people looking to find a program in their community. NSHRC is dedicated to expanding the availability of programs around the USA. They are also members of Homeshare International