Social participation is a fundamental right that belongs to all people in our society. Only through preventive approaches, a solidary urban society and the expansion of low-threshold support can we prevent exclusion and enable all Wiesbadeners to live a dignified life. Poverty, in particular child and old-age poverty, as well as homelessness threaten social cohesion and marginalise people. In times of scarce municipal coffers, resources must be used in a targeted and demand-oriented manner. We Greens want to create sustainable, crisis-proof structures that are geared to the optimum and focus on people's needs. In doing so, we take into account that society and its needs can change.
Social participation and support for people in emergencies
What social participation and support for people in need means to us
What we want to do specifically in this area
We want to create non-bureaucratic social counselling centres in all districts to help people meet their social needs and receive support in difficult situations. These municipal bodies or bodies organised through associations provide access to state benefits such as citizens' benefits and housing allowances.
We want to create places with infrastructure such as benches, drinking water, toilets and play areas as well as more libraries, youth and district meetings. The aim is the participation of people from every socio-economic status and the bringing together of all social groups.
We want to introduce a non-discriminatory digital citizen card that includes not only social benefits, but also volunteer card and library card. This simplifies access to urban services and reduces stigma.
We are committed to the development of a cross-departmental prevention strategy with networking of all areas that touch children and families. The education and participation package is to be expanded and additional cover for needs-based tutoring is to be made possible.
We want to launch a pilot project for the Citizens' Council. This can be convened on city-wide relevant topics. Participation is possible for all Wiesbaden residents. In addition, we develop a participation index for the targeted promotion of social participation. In doing so, we make sure that marginalised groups are involved.
We want to secure panel structures and social department stores as transitional aids as long as they are necessary. Our goal remains that there must no longer be tables.
We want to promote basic medical care for homeless people through the Health Cost Fund and drive out the expansion of psychosocial counselling structures for people in crisis situations.
We place residents' own initiatives on a secure financial basis and are committed to better coordination of voluntary engagement in refugee and integration work.
We want the city government to support people in such a way that they do not fall into homelessness. We want to overcome homelessness with the Housing First approach. If this is not possible or not desired by those affected, sufficient sleeping places and medical as well as psychological and psychiatric care should be provided.
Forced prostitution is a human rights crime. Therefore, shelters should be set up to take in people from forced prostitution and give them a protective place.
What we have already achieved
The Quartiershäuser Wiesbaden project, launched in 2023, created new spaces for encounter, participation and self-determined living in old age. Following the model of the ‘Bielefeld model’, district houses combine barrier-free living with social infrastructure – meeting rooms, advice and neighbourhood assistance. They promote cohesion in the district and prevent loneliness. This strengthens intergenerational coexistence, social participation and the possibility of living self-determined in a familiar environment even in old age.
We Greens have campaigned for the systematization of care for homeless people in Wiesbaden: The working group #where connects welfare and job centres, city police, health and addiction assistance, caritas, diaconia and volunteers under one coordination unit to help homeless people in public spaces. The city operates 22 emergency shelters with over 400 places, is testing Housing-First with container villages on Freudenberg and has expanded the outreach social work from two to eleven places as well as the street social work in evening and night hours. Through outreach to street social work, those affected are directly addressed, counselled and prospects for ending homelessness are developed. The focus is on measures such as crisis intervention and life situation improvement.
We have hired a trauma therapist who performs outreach social work in the field of prostitution and offers exit assistance. Since this legislature, the Women's Unit has also successfully taken action against illegal prostitution in holiday apartments and hotels. The Wiesbaden model is best practice for other municipalities.
The district social work in Wiesbaden was expanded and the social counselling in the districts was strengthened. People in difficult situations receive support close to home – from preventive assistance to crisis intervention. Mobile teams and permanent contact persons in the neighbourhoods promote social participation, prevent isolation and facilitate access to services. This helps at an early stage before problems escalate and sustainably strengthens the social infrastructure in Wiesbaden.
