Rheine. The social report Rheine 2022 is online. As of now, interested citizens can view the nearly 150-page document with many descriptive graphics, texts and interviews on the website www.Rheine.de/sozialbericht. The social report Rheine for the year 2022 has the emphasis living and is the first of its kind. It describes population trends since 2012 for all 24 neighborhoods Rheines. Sociodemographic data such as age, gender, poverty and unemployment are presented for each neighborhood.
Social Affairs Director Raimund Gausmann describes how the report came about: “The social report Rheine 2022 is a direct result of integrated, strategic social planning. It provides important insights into the social situation in Rheine and helps us to identify poverty situations and acute needs for action, and to plan and review measures.” This year’s focus on housing makes it clear how urgently affordable housing is needed in Rheine. In the expert interviews, for example, people are reported to have found jobs in Rheine but subsequently no affordable housing. The same is true for young adolescents and refugees who could live independently but are unable to do so because of the tight housing market. “Due to the difficult situation on the housing market, we also work in parallel preventively,” reports Wiebke Gehrke, Head of the Department of Schools, Social Affairs, Migration and Integration.” “The Fachstelle Wohnraumsicherung, which was established in March 2022, helps both tenants and landlords when rent arrears have accumulated or an eviction action is imminent. Key figures from the work of the specialist housing security unit will be included in social reporting in the future.”
Stefan Jüttner-von der Gathen, head of the staff unit in the social department, is pleased that the first report, with its long history (see review), has received great support on all sides: “If we manage to combat the grievances uncovered by the social report, we will ensure better opportunities for participation and more equal living conditions in Rheine. That must always be the goal.”
This was also the view of the members of the Social Affairs Committee. Here the first reading of the social report Rheine 2022 had taken place at the beginning of October. The members praised the comprehensive information and diverse perspectives that the team of the administration around social planner Lena Ellenberger had compiled. “The discussions with experts about life in Rheine for specific social groups are a special part of this report. When you read it, you get a feel for different living situations and needs of families, seniors, homeless people, people with disabilities and people without German language skills, which we have to meet with our planning for services of general interest,” says Ellenberger. This social report will be followed by the social report Rheine 2023 with a different thematic focus. The goal of social reporting as an evolving and changing system should be to achieve a regular reporting format on the social situation in Rheine in the long term.
From data to action
Social planning is now about strategically linking different planning areas and actively promoting an integrated approach with all stakeholders, such as the social committee, advisory councils, voluntary welfare organizations and specialized planners in the city of Rheine. In line with the motto “from data to action,” an interdisciplinary working group is currently being set up to derive the most urgent needs for action for Rheine and to present them swiftly to policymakers for discussion and decision. This working group will also be networked with stakeholders from the respective neighborhoods in order to strengthen existing resources and integrate new measures into existing offerings in a meaningful way.
Review
- In December 2018, a small-scale social reporting for Rheine is initiated in the city council by a motion of the parliamentary group DIE LINKE.
- In September 2019, the social committee unanimously mandates the development of a concept for integrated social planning and annual social reporting.
- In June 2020, a presentation on social inequality follows in the Social Committee.
- In September 2020, the small-scale breakdown of the 24 city districts in Rheine is presented to the Social Committee.
- In February 2021, social scientist M.A. Lena Ellenberger starts as a new social planner at the city Rheine.
- In September 2021 social committee, advisory boards, the free welfare care and specialized planners of the city Rheine participate actively in an information meeting. Content was the social reporting of the state of NRW, the strategic integrated social planning and the social report Rheine 2022 with a focus on housing. Here, the goal was formulated to create affordable housing that meets the needs of various population groups.
- The social committee’s working group on the social report met several times.
- In November 2022, the Social Report Rheine 2022 will be unanimously adopted by the Social Committee.
Photo: Presenting the freshly arrived printed version of the social report Rheine 2022, which is now to be used for further work, from right: Head of Social Affairs Raimund Gausmann, Head of the Department of Schools, Social Affairs, Migration and Integration Wiebke Gehrke, Social Planner Lena Ellenberger and Head of the Staff Office in the Social Affairs Department Stefan Jüttner-von der Gathen.