Wohnen 60plus Project (Germany, 2013-present)
The Wohnen 60plus Project was launched by the association Förderverein für Wohnhilfe in Münster in Germany in 2013 to convert a former church building into a home for eight elderly homeless people.
Definition of "empty home" in this project:
An unused former church building.
Summary from their site through Google Translate:
The “Wohnen 60plus” project in the former Dreifaltigkeitskirche has existed since February 2013. It has a model character because it opens up barrier-free rental living space for older homeless people with care and housekeeping needs.
People in this target group are particularly disadvantaged on the housing market and find it very difficult or even impossible to access the relevant aid facilities. The space and living concept supports the tenants' desire for individuality, privacy and self-expression, but at the same time accommodates the need for belonging, conviviality, stimulation and addressing.
In addition to the individual apartments, each with a kitchen, shower and toilet, each tenant has to rent a communal area according to this residential group model.This communal area also includes an eat-in kitchen, in which an economist prepares meals and offers them to the tenants. In addition, other activities and offers take place in this room. The tenants of the district are also involved and invited when designing some activities. This creates neighbourhood contacts and integration into the residential area.
The Ministry of Labour Integration Social Affairs (MAIS), of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, supports the project with a personnel agency for social work and funds the evaluation. The Förderverein für Wohnhilfe eV realizes the evaluation together with the Institute for Practice Development and Evaluation (IPE) at the Münster University of Applied Sciences. In the first step, the evaluation includes the registration of all homeless people over the age of 60 and their circumstances. Furthermore, the selection of the tenants of the "Wohnen 60plus" as well as the move-in and life in the "Wohnen 60plus" were evaluated.
Keywords: Münster, Germany, church, unused, vacant, dwelling, homelessness, elderly
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