Bremen initiates a new venture aiming to address the nursing skills shortage
News Article: 4-Week Orientation Course for Long-Term Care in Bremen-Nord
A new initiative, the 4-week orientation course for long-term care, is set to provide a low-threshold entry into the care sector for unemployed individuals in Bremen-Nord. This program, which begins on October 21, 2022, is particularly aimed at women without formal qualifications and those from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The course, coordinated and implemented by the Paritätisches Bildungswerk Bremen, is designed to introduce participants to the fundamentals of long-term care work and the care environment. It offers practical orientation, basic training, and a glimpse into tasks such as meal preparation, resident accompaniment, low care needs body care, and assisting care professionals.
The project is part of the existing "Paths to Employment" project, funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Senator for Work, Social Affairs, Youth and Integration. Around six million euros are available for the project until mid-2025. The goal is to provide unemployed people in Bremen-Nord with social security-covered employment in long-term care and qualification up to the level of a care professional.
Dr. Claudia Schilling, a prominent figure in the initiative, states that the project provides a valuable opportunity for those with little access to the care sector, while alleviating staff shortages in facilities and addressing the need for workers in care.
The course is the first of five planned runs, with the second round scheduled for January/February 2025 in Bremen-Osterholz. It includes training, practical days with employers, specialized language promotion, coaching, a job exchange, and job interviews, with the ultimate goal of securing social security-covered employment.
No formal qualifications are required for the course, and a German language level of at least A2 is assumed. The program targets people with a migration background or a non-German educational background, as well as those from disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The initiative is a collaborative effort involving various organizations, including the Diakonie, the Heimstiftung, the Paritätischen Pflegedienste, the AWO, the Caritas, Friedehorst, the Specht Group, the Eggestorf Foundation, New Care, the Federal Association of Private Providers of Social Services, the State Working Group of the Free Welfare Association Bremen, the Senate Chancellery, and the Senate authorities for work and health.
For more detailed information about the course, schedules, or exact curricula, it is recommended to contact local Bremen-Nord employment or social service agencies directly. This innovative approach aligns with known low-threshold care access initiatives in Germany, combining orientation, basic training, and social support to boost inclusion of unemployed and underqualified individuals in care jobs.
- This innovative approach in Bremen-Nord, known as the 4-week orientation course for long-term care, aims to support personal growth and learning by providing a low-threshold entry into the care sector.
- The course, part of the existing "Paths to Employment" project, focuses on health-and-wellness, workplace-wellness, and fitness-and-exercise through practical orientation, basic training, and tasks like meal preparation.
- In alignment with education-and-self-development initiatives, the program offers coaching, a job exchange, and job interviews to facilitate nutrition and career advancement for participants without formal qualifications.
- Collaborating with various organizations such as the Diakonie and the AWO, the course supports underqualified individuals with a migration background, a non-German educational background, or from disadvantaged neighborhoods in achieving nutrition, education, and self-development goals.
