In February 2013, the Freiburg Office of Student Services launched the “Senior Service Exchange” (“Senioren-Service-Börse”). The project helps seniors find students to assist them with everyday tasks and serves as a means of strengthening intergenerational relations. The students and seniors arrange payment for the assistance by personal agreement.

Seniors looking for help with everyday tasks can now contact the Freiburg Office of Student Services to find a student on short notice. There are many possibilities: Some just enjoy having someone to accompany them on a walk or to the theater, while others want to learn more about using new media and modern means of communication. Technologically adept students can teach seniors how use their computer or mobile telephone. Seniors occasionally also seek help with translations, as seen by the example of a lady who wants to maintain contact with a person she met on holiday in Spain. Other seniors request assistance with household tasks, garden work, and big shopping trips.

Dependability and mutual trust are essential preconditions for all forms of assistance. For this reason, the Senior Service Exchange tries to find students who can help the same senior more than just once or twice. After all, it takes time for to establish a trusting intergenerational relationship that will ideally also promote intellectual exchange. In addition, the Office of Student Services selects students who already have experience with seniors from a year of voluntary work in the social sector or an internship at a nursing home, or students with family members working in the nursing sector. Students without such references can qualify for participation by taking a special foundations course offered at the Protestant University of Applied Sciences.

The amount of payment depends on the kind of service performed. Demanding tasks like a discussion about literature deserve higher payment than an hour of card playing.

The Senior Service Exchange is an especially attractive offer for students who want to combine social involvement with a part-time job. For seniors, the project is a chance to receive assistance with all kinds of everyday tasks, while at the same time establishing personal contact with a young generation of students. The Senior Service Exchange is an innovative concept for bringing together young and old.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.swfr.de/geld/studijob/senioren-service-boerse/

Your contact at the Senior Service Exchange is:

Elke Martin
Schreiberstraße 12–16
79098 Freiburg

Mon.–Fri., 8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Phone: 0761 2101-325
martin@swfr.de