Project management: Prof. Dr Monika Alisch, M.A. Frank Dölker, Training und Beratung
Sponsored by: Zweckverband Diakonisches Werk Eschwege / Witzenhausen
Duration: 9/2010 - 4/2011

Project description:
For the district of Heubergwere identified as socio-spatial problems a high proportion of migrants of about 50 percent in small areas, a high concentration of households with very low incomes and a very high proportion of older people.

Since there are already a number of district-related activities and professional ideas also for improving the living conditions for older and ageing residents, accompanying research aimed at developing needs-oriented projects should not only focus on the barriers, but above all on the conditions and resources for an appropriate lifestyle for older people with and without a migration background.

Against this background, research into the needs and interests of older residents should start with the assumption that the development and strengthening of neighbourhood support systems and the self-organisation of their interests with regard to social participation is a central key to improving the quality of life of older people in their urban neighbourhood.

The applied research methods are to be used not only for their analytical qualities, but above all for their practical utilisation and resource creation:

a) the resources for the longer preservation of health under the conditions of the place of living in the neighbourhood that lie in self-help and self-organisation of the older residents with and without a migration background can be worked out and

b) in feedback with the local actors of the neighbourhood/community, elderly and integration work, the neighbourhood-related resources can be made visible and utilisable.

The intended research process is therefore participatory and designed in such a way that concrete action in the form of the development of new and the needs-oriented further development of already existing offers and projects can be derived directly.

In order to determine the needs and interests of the older residents, in particular the socially disadvantaged or those who are Therefore, qualitative, participatory methods are proposed to identify the needs and interests of older residents, especially those who are socially disadvantaged or inexperienced in participation. These methods require close cooperation with local actors in the Heuberg district, involve older residents directly in the realisation of the concept and enable a needs-oriented selection of suitable measures/offers.

Publications:
Alisch, Monika/Dölker, Frank 2011: Lokale Governance Arrangements und die Wohnbedürfnisse älterer MigrantInnen. In: Alisch / May (eds.): Integration Potentials in Small Cities - Reconstructing the Interest Orientations of Immigrants Volume 6. Barbara Budrich Verlag. Opladen / Farmington Hills. S. 159-176.