Equal Care Day Nordwest 2024: Cares about Caregiving over a Lifetime

On March 14, the network “Equal Care Day Nordwest” invites you to the event “(Ver)Sorge(n) im Lebenslauf in der Region Nord-West.” It will take place from 12 to 4 p.m. at the Jade University of Applied Sciences in Wilhelmshaven, is free of charge, and the first part is online.

Who are the people who work day and night in Germany's health and care system to ensure that we are well looked after, can recover, or die with dignity? How can we help to make the private, everyday contributions and the routines of caregivers be more publicly visible? These are just some of the questions that the hybrid event will address. The program includes a book reading, a keynote speech with discussion, and four workshops. Participants include, among others, researchers from the University of Bremen and the Bremen University of Applied Sciences. The organizers welcome all who are interested and/or affected, experts, and decision-makers from politics and business. The hybrid event takes a comprehensive look at care work in the various regions of the northwest – from Friesland to Wilhelmshaven to Bremen, both in the cities and municipalities. Interested parties can register at jade-hs.de/familie.

The organizers of the Equal Care Day Nordwest 2024, Andrea Schäfer (University of Bremen), Nicole Biela (City of Wilhelmshaven), and Ann-Kathrin Cramer (District of Friesland), emphasize in the spirit of the ECD: “Care work affects us all, sooner or later in the course of life, but we are confronted with different regional structures and an employment and social policy that only partially take care work into consideration. We have all been aware of the consequences for years, now we finally have to find solutions."

About Equal Care Day

The Equal Care Day (ECD) is intended to draw public attention to the importance of a fair and equal distribution of care work. People, institutions, and associations chose this day to highlight the lack of appreciation and unfair distribution associated with care work. The initiative, supported by klische*esc e.V., is committed to promoting freedom of choice beyond limiting role clichés. The Equal Care Day Nordwest 2024 is sponsored by the Metropolitan Region Northwest Germany.

About the Network “Equal Care Day Nordwest 2024”

The network “Equal Care Day Nordwest 2024” is a cooperation between the Jade University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bremen, the district of Friesland, and the city of Wilhelmshaven. The network also includes the Bremen Chamber of Employees, the Bildungsregion Friesland (Friesland education region), the Equal Opportunities Officers of the municipalities of Friesland, Zetel, Wangerland, and Sande, the Agenda Varel association, the city of Jever, and other committed individuals. The organizers are Andrea Schäfer (University of Bremen), Nicole Biela (City of Wilhelmshaven), Ann-Kathrin Cramer (District of Friesland) and Mareike Sprock (Jade University of Applied Sciences). Andrea Schäfer is organizing the ECD in Bremen for the fourth time.

Program of the ECD Nordwest 2024

(12:00 p.m.) Welcome

Ann-Kathrin Cramer (District of Friesland)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Holger Saß (Jade University of Applied Sciences)
Birgit Ahn (Metropolitan Region Northwest Germany)

(12:15 p.m.) Can it affect anyone? Care and nursing from a gender perspective

Reading by Monja Schünemann (medical historian and specialist nurse) from her book “Der Pflege-Tsunami. Wie Deutschland seine Alten und Kranken im Stich lässt.”

(1:05 p.m.) Das Optionszeitenmodell. Time for care, time for equality.

Keynote speech and discussion by Dr. Karin Jurczyk (Deputy Chairwoman of the German Society for Time Policy) and Prof. Ulrich Mückenberger (University of Bremen)

Parallel workshops beginning at 2:15 p.m. (on-site only)

Concrete and sustainable improvement of working conditions in geriatric care - ideas for relieving and obtaining skilled workers in the care sector
- Workshop with keynote speech and discussion by Greta-Marleen Storath (Bremen Chamber of Employees)
“That doesn’t even exist!” Your improvised care story.
- Workshop with methods of improvisation theater by Lena Breuer (actress, moderator, and trainer from Cologne)
Who cares? Who cares that we’re taking care.
- Workshop with film screening and discussion by Ann-Kathrin Cramer (District of Friesland)
Providing care. Getting help: Teenagers and young adults as caregivers
- Workshop with researcher and caregivers in dialogue by Andrea Schäfer (University of Bremen) and Prof. Dr. Claudia Stoll (University of Applied Sciences Bremen)