The project ↗
represents an alternative housing model: students are provided with living space in exchange for everyday help. These so-called housing partnerships have the potential to sustainably reduce the housing shortage among students in Karlsruhe. The idea of housing partnerships was brought to Germany from England in the mid-1980s. In 2008, the “Wohnen für Hilfe” project was launched by the Paritätische Sozialdienste (Parity Social Services) in collaboration with the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe Student Services). Since the project began, 82 housing partnerships have been successfully arranged. Since 2014, Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup has been the patron of the campaign. Who is “Wohnen für Hilfe” intended for?
“Wohnen für Hilfe” is aimed at Karlsruhe residents who need support in their everyday lives, primarily seniors, families (especially single parents), and people with disabilities who are open to younger people and can provide suitable living space.Possible services include help with household chores and minor repairs, shopping or mowing the lawn, childcare, caring for pets, or accompanying the person to doctor's appointments and similar tasks. For legal reasons, care services are excluded.The accommodation offered can be a room in a (rented) apartment, but also a small attic or granny flat in a (rented) house. Studying without access to the internet is no longer conceivable today, so internet access should be provided if possible.Advantages of a housing partnership
A housing partnership combines the useful with the meaningful. It is a classic “win-win situation”: people who provide living space receive important help in everyday life that makes their lives easier, while students can take advantage of affordable living space.Living partnerships also promote intergenerational exchange: many current and former living partners report that living together has enriched their lives. Participating landlords also speak positively about the breath of fresh air that a young person brings into the home. Numerous testimonials indicate that regular contact with younger people helps to prevent loneliness and encourages a more disciplined and active lifestyle. Initial concerns usually disappear immediately after the future housing partners have met and taken a liking to each other. It's like any relationship: you have to get along. If this is the case, a housing partnership can turn into an intergenerational friendship.Arranging housing partnerships
If you are interested in a living partnership, please contact Paritätische Sozialdienste. You can reach them by phone at 0721/9123070 or by email at ↗ wohnen@paritaet-ka.de. The service is free of charge.After initial contact, you will be sent an application form in which you can provide details about the accommodation you are offering and your requirements regarding the assistance you need. Staff from Paritätische Sozialdienste will visit you and help you fill out the application form. Once the form has been received, suitable students will be suggested to you and contact will be arranged. You can then get to know each other at your leisure. If there is no suitable match, the search will continue when new applications are received. If the living partnership ends, e.g. because the student has completed their studies, Paritätische Sozialdienste will find new living partners.Twice a year, the living partners meet for coffee and cake at [kœri]werk®, the cafeteria on Adenauerring on the university campus. It is an informal exchange, to which interested parties are also cordially invited.
Further information on “Wohnen für Hilfe” is available at:↗
and ↗
.The roommate agreement
To ensure that the roommate arrangement is successful, all important agreements between the roommates should be made in advance and set out in a contract. Once you have found a roommate, you should sign a so-called “roommate agreement.” This agreement sets out the individual terms for the use of the living space and the assistance to be provided. The Paritätische Sozialdienste (Parity Social Services) will assist you with this.As a rule, the assistance covers the basic rent. Additional costs such as electricity, water, gas, internet access, etc. must be paid separately. You can also draw up a temporary living space transfer agreement, e.g., for the duration of a semester. The notice period is regulated by law.Within the “Living for Help” project, damage incurred during the assistance is covered by the Studentenwerk's liability insurance. Damage incurred during leisure time is not covered. Students are therefore advised to take out their own liability insurance.What if...
... it no longer works?
Contact the Paritätische Sozialdienste (Parity Social Services)! Misunderstandings can usually be cleared up more easily in a conversation between two or three people. If you no longer want to live together, you can terminate the living partnership. The notice period is regulated by law and noted in the housing contract.... the help no longer works?
Sometimes, increased workload due to studies is the reason why help is lacking. Discuss busy periods in your studies in detail with each other to avoid misunderstandings. A record of the help provided can support the regular process. You will receive a prepared form together with the housing agreement. The Paritätische Sozialdienste will be happy to support you at any time during a conversation.
Du verlässt nun die Webseite des Studierendenwerks Karlsruhe (sw-ka.de)
Bitte beachte, dass du auf die externe Webseite https://www.paritaet-ka.de/fuer-seniorinnen/wohnen-fuer-hilfe-wohnpartnerschaften/ weitergeleitet wirst, auf der deine personenbezogenen Daten anders verarbeitet werden als bei uns.
Ehe du mit „Ja, weiter“ dieser Verarbeitung zustimmst, solltest du hier nachlesen, was bei der externen Webseite zum Datenschutz zu beachten ist.
“Wohnen für Hilfe” is aimed at Karlsruhe residents who need support in their everyday lives, primarily seniors, families (especially single parents), and people with disabilities who are open to younger people and can provide suitable living space.Possible services include help with household chores and minor repairs, shopping or mowing the lawn, childcare, caring for pets, or accompanying the person to doctor's appointments and similar tasks. For legal reasons, care services are excluded.The accommodation offered can be a room in a (rented) apartment, but also a small attic or granny flat in a (rented) house. Studying without access to the internet is no longer conceivable today, so internet access should be provided if possible.Advantages of a housing partnership
A housing partnership combines the useful with the meaningful. It is a classic “win-win situation”: people who provide living space receive important help in everyday life that makes their lives easier, while students can take advantage of affordable living space.Living partnerships also promote intergenerational exchange: many current and former living partners report that living together has enriched their lives. Participating landlords also speak positively about the breath of fresh air that a young person brings into the home. Numerous testimonials indicate that regular contact with younger people helps to prevent loneliness and encourages a more disciplined and active lifestyle. Initial concerns usually disappear immediately after the future housing partners have met and taken a liking to each other. It's like any relationship: you have to get along. If this is the case, a housing partnership can turn into an intergenerational friendship.Arranging housing partnerships
If you are interested in a living partnership, please contact Paritätische Sozialdienste. You can reach them by phone at 0721/9123070 or by email at ↗ wohnen@paritaet-ka.de. The service is free of charge.After initial contact, you will be sent an application form in which you can provide details about the accommodation you are offering and your requirements regarding the assistance you need. Staff from Paritätische Sozialdienste will visit you and help you fill out the application form. Once the form has been received, suitable students will be suggested to you and contact will be arranged. You can then get to know each other at your leisure. If there is no suitable match, the search will continue when new applications are received. If the living partnership ends, e.g. because the student has completed their studies, Paritätische Sozialdienste will find new living partners.Twice a year, the living partners meet for coffee and cake at [kœri]werk®, the cafeteria on Adenauerring on the university campus. It is an informal exchange, to which interested parties are also cordially invited.
Further information on “Wohnen für Hilfe” is available at:↗
Du verlässt nun die Webseite des Studierendenwerks Karlsruhe (sw-ka.de)
Bitte beachte, dass du auf die externe Webseite https://www.paritaet-ka.de/fuer-seniorinnen/wohnen-fuer-hilfe-wohnpartnerschaften/ weitergeleitet wirst, auf der deine personenbezogenen Daten anders verarbeitet werden als bei uns.
Ehe du mit „Ja, weiter“ dieser Verarbeitung zustimmst, solltest du hier nachlesen, was bei der externen Webseite zum Datenschutz zu beachten ist.
Du verlässt nun die Webseite des Studierendenwerks Karlsruhe (sw-ka.de)
Bitte beachte, dass du auf die externe Webseite https://www.facebook.com/wfh.karlsruhe weitergeleitet wirst, auf der deine personenbezogenen Daten anders verarbeitet werden als bei uns.
Ehe du mit „Ja, weiter“ dieser Verarbeitung zustimmst, solltest du hier nachlesen, was bei der externen Webseite zum Datenschutz zu beachten ist.
To ensure that the roommate arrangement is successful, all important agreements between the roommates should be made in advance and set out in a contract. Once you have found a roommate, you should sign a so-called “roommate agreement.” This agreement sets out the individual terms for the use of the living space and the assistance to be provided. The Paritätische Sozialdienste (Parity Social Services) will assist you with this.As a rule, the assistance covers the basic rent. Additional costs such as electricity, water, gas, internet access, etc. must be paid separately. You can also draw up a temporary living space transfer agreement, e.g., for the duration of a semester. The notice period is regulated by law.Within the “Living for Help” project, damage incurred during the assistance is covered by the Studentenwerk's liability insurance. Damage incurred during leisure time is not covered. Students are therefore advised to take out their own liability insurance.What if...
... it no longer works?
Contact the Paritätische Sozialdienste (Parity Social Services)! Misunderstandings can usually be cleared up more easily in a conversation between two or three people. If you no longer want to live together, you can terminate the living partnership. The notice period is regulated by law and noted in the housing contract.... the help no longer works?
Sometimes, increased workload due to studies is the reason why help is lacking. Discuss busy periods in your studies in detail with each other to avoid misunderstandings. A record of the help provided can support the regular process. You will receive a prepared form together with the housing agreement. The Paritätische Sozialdienste will be happy to support you at any time during a conversation.
WHO DO THE STUDENTS LIVE WITH?
It is usually older people who offer a spare room. The students do things like go shopping for them, help around the house and garden, walk the dog, or accompany them to the theater. Many appreciate the company and conversations with the younger generation. Care services provided by the students are not included.
Families also like to take advantage of such a living partnership: the student helps with homework, does activities with the children, or even does the laundry.
In cooperation with two institutions for people with disabilities—Hagsfelder Werkstätten und Wohngemeinschaften Karlsruhe and Lebenshilfe Pforzheim—“Wohnen für Hilfe” places students in inclusive shared apartments. Here, the students provide support in everyday life and with leisure activities.
Families also like to take advantage of such a living partnership: the student helps with homework, does activities with the children, or even does the laundry.
In cooperation with two institutions for people with disabilities—Hagsfelder Werkstätten und Wohngemeinschaften Karlsruhe and Lebenshilfe Pforzheim—“Wohnen für Hilfe” places students in inclusive shared apartments. Here, the students provide support in everyday life and with leisure activities.
WHAT ARE THE DETAILS?
Both students and accommodation providers fill out detailed questionnaires to indicate their preferences and interests. Accommodation providers specify the help and support they need, while students note what kind of assistance they are willing to provide. We also require students to submit a certificate of enrollment and information about their previous experience and motivation. The questionnaire for students can be found below under “Downloads” on this page.
We get to know both the students and the accommodation providers – this enables us to match more suitable housing partners.
The rule of thumb for the amount of help is: 1 square meter of living space = 1 hour of help per month.
Example: A student moves into a 16 square meter room with a senior citizen. They share a bathroom, kitchen, and balcony. The student commits to 16 hours of help per month. In this case, there is no rent payment, but the student pays the utilities (electricity, heating, water, garbage collection, etc.).
Deviations from this rule of thumb are possible, but must be discussed in advance.
Once the student and the landlord have gotten to know each other and agreed on the move-in, both parties sign a contract. We are happy to assist with the drafting of the contract. We are also available to answer any questions you may have in the future.
We get to know both the students and the accommodation providers – this enables us to match more suitable housing partners.
The rule of thumb for the amount of help is: 1 square meter of living space = 1 hour of help per month.
Example: A student moves into a 16 square meter room with a senior citizen. They share a bathroom, kitchen, and balcony. The student commits to 16 hours of help per month. In this case, there is no rent payment, but the student pays the utilities (electricity, heating, water, garbage collection, etc.).
Deviations from this rule of thumb are possible, but must be discussed in advance.
Once the student and the landlord have gotten to know each other and agreed on the move-in, both parties sign a contract. We are happy to assist with the drafting of the contract. We are also available to answer any questions you may have in the future.
HOW LONG CAN STUDENTS LIVE IN “HOUSING FOR HELP” ACCOMMODATION?
The prerequisite is that students are enrolled at a university in Karlsruhe or Pforzheim. When their studies end, so does the support provided by “Wohnen für Hilfe.” Students who continue to live with their landlords after this period must conclude a new, separate contract with them. They are also no longer covered by accident and liability insurance through the student union during the assistance period.
INTERESTED?
Information about the project and current housing offers can be found on the website
and on the
.
Or call: +49 721 91230-0 or send an email to: wohnen@paritaet-ka.de.
Du verlässt nun die Webseite des Studierendenwerks Karlsruhe (sw-ka.de)
Bitte beachte, dass du auf die externe Webseite https://www.paritaet-ka.de/fuer-seniorinnen/wohnen-fuer-hilfe-wohnpartnerschaften/ weitergeleitet wirst, auf der deine personenbezogenen Daten anders verarbeitet werden als bei uns.
Ehe du mit „Ja, weiter“ dieser Verarbeitung zustimmst, solltest du hier nachlesen, was bei der externen Webseite zum Datenschutz zu beachten ist.
Du verlässt nun die Webseite des Studierendenwerks Karlsruhe (sw-ka.de)
Bitte beachte, dass du auf die externe Webseite http://www.fb.com/wfh.karlsruhe weitergeleitet wirst, auf der deine personenbezogenen Daten anders verarbeitet werden als bei uns.
Ehe du mit „Ja, weiter“ dieser Verarbeitung zustimmst, solltest du hier nachlesen, was bei der externen Webseite zum Datenschutz zu beachten ist.
Or call: +49 721 91230-0 or send an email to: wohnen@paritaet-ka.de.