CDR measure from Barmer: Digital courses for qualification in neighbourhood assistance

Almost six million people in Germany are in need of care, around 80 per cent of whom are cared for at home - mostly by relatives. They are often faced with double or even triple responsibilities from family, work, and caregiving. This is where neighbourhood help comes in: In some federal states, volunteers can provide everyday support services. They accompany people to appointments, do the shopping or provide company. For those in need of care, this means more social contacts and better care - and for relatives, the opportunity to take some much-needed break.

BARMER has developed an online course to encourage more people to take on this valuable task. This makes it easy for interested parties to qualify for neighbourhood assistance at their own pace, regardless of location and free of charge. All courses are tailored to the specific requirements of the respective federal states and are recognised by the federal states. Upon successful completion, participants receive a certificate that can be used for official recognition - an important step, as only the deployment of recognised neighbourhood assistance can be financed by people in need of care via the "relief amount" (Entlastungsbetrag).

With the online portal, BARMER shows how digitalisation can be used in a targeted manner to add value for society. The service lowers barriers to volunteering, reaches people in rural areas and strengthens neighbourhood structures. At the same time, it gives people in need of care and their families more flexibility and autonomy. BARMER is thus making a concrete contribution in terms of corporate digital responsibility (CDR): Digital innovation is understood here as a tool to promote social participation and inclusion.

The challenges in the care sector are huge - solutions require joint action. BARMER's online courses are an example of how companies can combine their digital expertise and social responsibility. By creating easy-access to training, BARMER is actively helping to strengthen voluntary work and build social networks. This creates a neighbourhood of solidarity in which help is provided where it is most urgently needed.

The online course programme and all related information can be found at: https://barmer-onlinekurs-nachbarschaftshilfe.de 

and https://www.barmer.de/verantwortung/digitale-verantwortung/cdr-bericht3/nachbarschaftshilfe-1337462