Kiel: Joint activities for early retirees – space problems cause concern!

Kiel: Joint activities for early retirees – space problems cause concern!

Kiel.An exciting project called “Anna Networks” is being launched in Kiel. It aims to encourage people in early retirement to network and plan neighborhood activities together. This initiative is intended not only to make the transition to the resting phase of life easier, but also to counteract loneliness. The city administration, in collaboration with various organizations, has gradually launched these networks in several districts of Kiel.

The members of the so-called basic groups are supported for over a year. These groups should hold their meetings in the Anna centers provided for this purpose and from these, further initiatives should be developed independently, which then plan activities independently. One challenge is the space required for group activities.

Group rooms in the Kiel-Hassee district are often already occupied

Oliver Voigt, the chairman of the Hassee and Vieburg local council, observed at the network's founding meeting in Kiel-Hassee how creative the ideas put forward by the group members were. Everything was there, from language courses to cooking evenings to the formation of bands. He welcomes the initiative, but sees a big gap. “Not everyone has the opportunity to receive many people privately,” he explains. This is particularly problematic because certain activities such as cooking require adequate space.

The challenge of finding suitable meeting places should not be underestimated. “Far too often the desired rooms are already occupied,” says Voigt. Problems are also exacerbated when events take place in the evenings or on weekends, as these times often coincide with premises closures. Voigt fears that the idea of ​​privately organized meetings may not be successful due to these difficulties.

Voigt sees responsibility for providing the required spaces with the city of Kiel: "It is positive that the administration initiated the networks. But the city should also provide the necessary infrastructure." In a unanimous motion, the local council demanded that the city create a list of public spaces such as schools and social facilities and proactively offer it to members of the Anna networks.

Common room in the Anna Hassee in Kiel is usually fully booked

A central hub of the Anna network is Anna Hassee, who acts as host for the grassroots group. Peter Schirren, the manager, confirms that the premises there are almost fully booked. “Our weekly schedule is already well filled,” he says about the space situation.

However, the Office of Social Services has a different view of things. According to their feedback, there have been no major problems finding space for the network groups in the ten districts so far. “The groups can rely on our support,” say those responsible. The local councils also usually have the necessary contacts to find suitable premises. “This is part of the on-site networking work we want,” it emphasizes.

In contrast, Voigt expresses concerns: “If there were enough rooms, I would not have submitted the application.” He emphasizes that the challenges in finding suitable locations are noticeable. It remains to be seen what will happen with the space situation for the Anna networks and whether the city of Kiel can implement the necessary infrastructure measures to actually put the creative ideas of the grassroots groups into practice. For further information on this topic you can read the reporting on www.kn-online.de track.