While the initial idea and concept originated in Rotterdam, Netherlands – the Neighbourhood Mothers’ project“ Rugzak” focuses mostly on language support( a concept followed in German cities such as Essen or Wiesbaden), the concept for Berlin has much bigger and diverse aspirations. It aspires to directly provide concrete support and suggestions for families dealing with questions of education, parenting, and family matters.
A Neighbourhood Mother: the German way
In Germany, Neighbourhood Mothers are agents of change within their own homes and within their own communities. They are the ones who know and understand the needs and wishes of the families they work with and use their common native language to communicate. Owing to the cultural and social closeness of the Neighbourhood Mother with families in need and her nonbureaucratic help, the trust of these families is gained, and with it, access to families and parents who could not otherwise have been reached by the educational system or the administration. One does not have to be an actual mother to become a Neighbourhood Mother! Neighbourhood Mothers are mostly unemployed women from diverse immigrant backgrounds who receive a basic qualification in healthcare, children’ s development and education. Furthermore, Neighbourhood Mothers are helped to enter the job market. They are supported with job preparedness trainings and taught how create job applications. In Germany, the practical work and qualification period for Neighbourhood Mothers is usually six months and ends with a formal final event. Afterwards, the new Neighbourhood Mothers start their practical work: they visit other families in their neighbourhood and share their knowledge.
A Neighbourhood Mother regularly visits each family at least 10 times. Apart from family visits, Neighbourhood Mothers are active and publicly available for consultation in various locations such as family cafés, day-care centers and schools. Families and parents in need of help can approach Neighbourhood Mothers, anonymously if required, and can get help and advice for free. If necessary, help is also provided in the native language of the particular family. Printed guidelines and bilingual materials are also used to help support the interactions of the Neighbourhood Mothers with families in need. It is important to note that Neighbourhood Mothers do not give professional help, but they provide people in need with concrete information about where such help is available.
Project aims
The aim of the Neighbourhood Mothers’ project is twofold: On one hand, families in need are in focus and Neighbourhood Mothers help to strengthen the educational competencies of immigrant parents and enhance their children’ s educational opportunities, but on the other hand, the focus is also on the actual Neighbourhood Mother herself, as the project helps to improve the integration of such women in the job market. Most of the women who receive training are unemployed before they become a Neighbourhood Mother, but, after the period of training and qualification as a Neighbourhood Mother, they have a new self-esteem and confidence: they earn their own money, they have aims and tasks and feel needed again. They become a role-model for others.