As the daughter of Mariam F ., a Neighbourhood Mother shares , becoming a Neighbourhood Mother started an important personal change :
We are not allowed to watch much TV anymore . Our food is much more healthy than before . On one hand , it is a bit annoying , but on the other hand , I really like it that my mum is interested in so many things . Mum helps us to understand nutrition , addiction , sexual development and a lot of other things . Dad supports Mum . It was different before , but ever since Mum began working , Dad supports and helps her at home .
Finding families in need : the German approach
Usually , Neighbourhood Mothers find the families that need their help by word of mouth . Neighbourhood Mothers begin by providing support to a relative , to a friend ’ s family , or to their neighbour ’ s family . And , through the local grapevine , Neighbourhood Mothers find new families in need . Many times families approach a Neighbourhood Mother after they have been directed to do so by other families who have heard about the Neighbourhood Mother or who have personally benefited from her Neighbourhood Mothers also contact kindergartens , schools and institutions . In Berlin , all Neighbourhood Mothers wear an easily identifiable red scarf and carry a big “ Neighbourhood Mothers ” bag . With the red scarf that easily identifies her in public , people know that a Neighbourhood Mother is someone who can be contacted at any time , and one can just walk up to her and ask for advice at the street where she stands . In Denmark , Neighbourhood Mothers are identified by their pink bag and scarf , while in Finland , Neighbourhood Mothers sport a pink Neighbourhood Mother pin badge .
An important aspect of the project is the personal development of a Neighbourhood Mother . While a Neighbourhood Mother supports and helps families , it is essential for the Neighbourhood Mother herself to have a network she can rely on , so that she can find support and help if necessary . Songul Süsem , a Project Coordinator in Kreuzberg , says , “ My task as a coordinator is to equip the women for their work and to prepare them for visits to families and work in family cafès .” The German Neighbourhood Mother also gets individual support for her own work life and entry into the job market . This is important especially as the work of a Neighbourhood Mother is not supported after a year owing to project financial constraints .
The Finnish Neighbourhood Mothers ’ Project : origins and uniqueness
In addition to the Neighbourhood Mothers ’ projects in the Netherlands and Germany , the project is being implemented in other countries such as Switzerland and Denmark . The Neighbourhood Mothers ’ Project in Denmark was used as the model for the Finnish project , when Nicehearts Ry started the Neighbourhood Mothers ’ project in Vantaa . A lot has happened since then . The development of the Finnish Neighbourhood Mothers ’ project first began in 2015 with a pilot project to test the Danish model in the cities of Vantaa , Espoo and Lappeenranta . During the initial pilot phase , 62 women were trained to become Neighbourhood Mothers . By the end of 2017 , this number grew to 117 .