Family and compatibility

For employees of organizations participating in the state program “Balancing Work and Caregiving in North Rhine-Westphalia,” the Service Center is offering a free online lecture series in the second half of 2026. In presentations lasting 45 to 90 minutes, employees will gain practical knowledge to better manage or prevent caregiving situations at home—all from the comfort of their workplace.

Topics and Dates:

• Legal Planning – Powers of Attorney and Living Wills (90 min.) – September 23, 2026
• Work & Caregiving – Stress from the Double Burden (90 min.) – October 14, 2026
• Foreign Household and Caregivers (45 min.) – November 18, 2026

Organizations that share this program with their employees demonstrate that they are care-friendly employers.

📩 Full details and registration: berufundpflege-nrw.de/online-inforeihe-2026-beruf-pflege

Who actually takes care of the caregivers? In this online workshop with Dr. Sascia Bailer,participants explorethis question using playful, artistic mapping methods: Each participant creates a personal map of their own care network—thereby revealing where time, attention, and energy flow in everyday life, where overload or gaps arise, and which relationships can be strengthened. Through group discussion, strategies are developed to support people with caregiving responsibilities in their daily lives.

Dr. Sascia Bailer is a researcher, author, and curator who advocates for the visibility of care workers and for “caring infrastructures” through her research and curatorial work.

📅 Friday, October 2, 2026, 2:00–5:00 p.m. | Online
📩 Registration by September 24, 2026, with Flora Petrik (flora.petrik@univie.ac.at)

During the fall break from October 19 to 30, 2026, the University of Siegen will once again offer after-school care for the children of its employees and students. Registration is now open —those who wish to secure a spot should submit the completed registration form by October 12, 2026, at the latest.

The program is for schoolchildren ages 6 to 14 and runs Monday through Friday, with the option to enroll on a weekly or daily basis. Participants can choose between half-day care (until 1:30 p.m.) and full-day care from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The program features a variety of age-appropriate and creative activities: In collaboration with the university’s departments and facilities, as well as external instructors, numerous exciting workshops are organized each year. These are complemented by sports, games, plenty of fun, and a hot lunch every day.

Costs (per day of care):

• General staff: €10.50 (half-day) / €13.00 (full-day)
• Students and scholarship recipients: €7.50 (half-day) / €10.00 (full day)
• Professors and external participants: €12.50 (half-day) / €15.00 (full-day)

Employees with an annual income below €30,000 may apply for a fee reduction. Students may also apply to the AStA Social Services Office to have their fees covered. For each additional child, only half the fee for the first child is charged.

Registration for external families: Families who are neither studying nor employed at the university may also register their children—provided that childcare spots are still available at the time of registration.

Registration and Contact: The registration form and all additional information can be found on the Vacation Care page. If you have any questions, please contact Franziska Krayter at the Vacation Care Office (AR-K 210): Email: ferienbetreuung.gleichstellung@uni-siegen.de · Phone: 0271 740-3246

What is life like for single parents in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district? What challenges do they face in their daily lives, and what kinds of support services would they like to see? The Siegen-Wittgenstein district’s Equal Opportunities Officer is exploring these questions through an anonymous online survey.

The goal is to raise awareness of the living conditions of single parents and to further develop existing services to better meet their needs. At the same time, the survey draws attention to the network “Single Parent—But Not Alone,” which offers opportunities for exchange, information, and support.

Participation is anonymous, takes only a few minutes, and is open until October 31, 2026:

👉 https://siegenwittgenstein.limesurvey.net/942868

Anyone who would like to support the survey is welcome to share the link and the attached poster via their own mailing lists, newsletters, and social media channels, or to print and display them. Every response helps ensure that services for single parents are even better tailored to their needs.

For more information, please contact Olga Becker (Equal Opportunities Officer for the Siegen-Wittgenstein District, o.becker@siegen-wittgenstein.de) and Martina Kratzel (Equal Opportunities Officer for the City of Siegen, m.kratzel@siegen.de).

The Single Parents’ Network of the Siegen-Wittgenstein District and the University City of Siegen is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, all single parents and their children are cordially invited to come together and enjoy a day full of variety, featuring information, socializing, and the chance to connect with others.
 

The anniversary event will take place onSaturday, September 12, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at BlueBox Siegen, the children’s and youth recreation center run by Stadtjugendring Siegen e. V. (Sandstraße 54, 57074 Siegen).

The focus of the day will be on recognizing and raising the visibility of single parents. The event offers an opportunity to engage in conversation, make new connections, and learn about counseling and support services in the region. At the same time, the goal is to further strengthen the network and give interested single parents the chance to learn about the services available.
 

Refreshments will also be provided: In addition to beverages, visitors can look forward to a variety of culinary offerings. The event thus invites attendees to spend time together in a pleasant atmosphere.

The event is organized by the equal opportunity offices of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district and the University City of Siegen, the Family Office of the University City of Siegen, the Early Intervention Services of the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, and other regional network partners.

On Thursday, July 2, 2026

from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

the lecture will be offered digitally as a Webex video conference with the following content:

Even in 2026, the role of fathers in their children’s development is still frequently underestimated. Yet fathers play just as significant a role as mothers. They serve as primary caregivers and sparring partners, sources of guidance, role models and pillars of support, problem solvers, playmates, and providers. Fatherhood is influenced by one’s own childhood and experience of fatherhood, by cultural and religious ideals, the child’s development, the relationship with the mother, and current external influences.

Tobias Schiefer (https://www.lag-vaeterarbeit.nrw/) will share insights from the experiences of the State Working Group on Fatherhood in North Rhine-Westphalia and discuss the opportunities and challenges in working with the target group of “fathers.” He invites participants to reflect on their own attitudes as well as their (educational) practices.

Daniela Wabnitz and Christine Graba from the Municipal Integration Center of the Siegen-Wittgenstein District will then provide information about the state-funded prevention initiative “Project Fatherhood.” In the spirit of “Strong Fathers – Strong Children,” fathers’ groups are supported as part of integration efforts in the district.

Please send a binding registration by July 1, 2026, to:

integration@siegen-wittgenstein.de

Participation is free of charge.

Participants will receive the invitation to the Webex conference after the registration deadline.

Young carers - children, teenagers and young adults who regularly take on caring or supportive tasks in their families - often remain hidden. They look after relatives with chronic illnesses, physical or mental impairments or addictions and often receive little support.

With this workshop, the South Westphalia Regional Office would like to raise awareness of the life situation of young carers, highlight the challenges and burdens they face and present existing support services.

Date: Monday, July 13, 2026

Time: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Format: Digital

The speakers will be Lea Dreissen (social worker B.A.) and Wolfgang Foltin (qualified social pedagogue) from the "In zwei Welten" initiative. The event is aimed at professionals, multipliers and anyone who works with young people or is interested in the topic.

Participation is free of charge. Registration is possible until 05.07.2026.

To register, please use the following link
or follow the QR code on the flyer below.

On April 22, the DRK KiTa Berghüpfer invites you to a cake sale at the university campus. From 10:00 to 15:00 you can expect a delicious selection of home-baked cakes and sweet delicacies in the Uni Siegen Bistro AR. Come along, enjoy and support the KiTa! 🍰