Diaconie of Schleswig-Holstein

Who we are

Diaconie is the social welfare organisation of Germany’s Protestant churches. We operate independently and across political parties. We respect the dignity and uniqueness of every human being, and work to promote every individual’s right to independence and self-determination. Diaconie provides aid to people in need of care.In addition, Diaconie advocates on behalf of the underprivileged in politics and society, leading discussions on the causes of poverty and social injustice. The Diaconie Schleswig-Holstein, based in Rendsburg, is an umbrella organization of diaconal organisations and associations. About 28.000 staff members work in more than 900 facilities, and thousands of volunteers are involved in diaconal activities. As umbrella organization the Diaconie of Schleswig-Holstein represents the interests of its member organisations and offers advice to its members in legal, conceptional, educational and economic matters. It negotiates framework agreements and recruits grants from the EU, federal and regional levels and social lotteries.

The „Martinshaus“ in Rendsburg (Germany),
the Diaconie’s Headquarters© Diaconie of Schleswig-Holstein

Why we are involved in SEMPRE Accelerators

The Diaconie is a Christian welfare organization and as such social exclusion, poverty and inclusion are core elements of our professional and spiritual life.

For the Diaconie in Schleswig-Holstein SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators are milestones in different ways. As a first-time Lead Partner we develop organizational capacity, enlarge our transnational cooperation and acquire new professional knowledge. Furthermore, together with our transnational partners we contribute to social innovation for social services, an essential element for the viability of service providers in rural areas.

Empowerment is a tool which initiates processes of self-determination for individuals, organizations and communities, and the Diaconie is most interested in exploring processes which combine these levels. What do people and organisations need in order to become involved and to impact positively on their lives in communities? SEMPRE and SEMPRE Accelerators raise and tackle such questions.

The Diaconie’s focus is on single-parents and together with our partners – transnational and local – we intend to develop coherent empowerment approaches which will facilitate innovative service design and delivery based on single parents’ immediate needs. Single parents are going to become co-producers of services - a new role for them and for service providers. SEMPRE will address the need in capacity and competences, both of single parents and staff of service providers, in order to make empowerment successful.

Our micro project in SEMPRE Accelerators

AllDi (Alleinerziehende in Dithmarschen) is an initiative for and by single parents that co-created a regional website for single parents to network and communicate with each other. Before, there was no public place or platform in which single parents could find important information specifically targeted at them; relevant events and activities were only in a "mouth to mouth" way without structured communication channels. Now, our goal is to further develop and improve our service and to become independent from European funding.

To learn more about the micro project and its path towards a social start-up, please follow the social start-up biography. If you speak German, we kindly invite you to check the micro project's local blog.

Diaconie of Schleswig-Holstein
Diakonisches Werk Schleswig-Holstein, Landesverband der Inneren Mission e.V.
Rendsburg, Germany

Contact:
Doris Scheer
scheer(at)diakonie-sh.de
Sabine Thommessen
s.thommessen(at)diakonie-sh.de

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