Ensuring the welfare state as a reliable partner for citizens, especially in times of crisis, is a challenge that the red-green government coalition is tackling with the double budget 2023/24. With budget enforcement, government factions also place strong emphasis on the protection of women from violence, debt counseling and the social labor market (see annex). Important impetus is also given to the integration and promotion of volunteering. The Hamburg Parliament votes on the budget proposals and the overall budget in the budget deliberations from 13 to 15 December.
Furthermore Marieke Engels, socio-political spokesperson of the Green Group in Hamburg: “After the corona pandemic, the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine is causing a lot of social upheavals which are hitting the population of Hamburg hard. As a large city, we are the arrival point of thousands of refugees and at the same time our social welfare systems are under great pressure due to historically high inflation. With our budget proposal, we are therefore placing additional emphasis that is intended to further strengthen social cohesion in the city and help overcome the current crises. This includes, for example, strengthening victim protection, promoting labor market projects to improve social infrastructure in poorer parts of the city, and promoting voluntary engagement and self-organisation projects.
Furthermore Ksenia Bekerissocio-political spokesperson and deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in Hamburg: “The challenges with the consequences of the corona pandemic, the consequences of the energy crisis and solidarity with refugees are enormous. The budget for social affairs in the overall budget shows a significant increase for 2023 and 2024 so that we can meet the growing costs of securing a livelihood and legal entitlements to aid I am delighted that we can strengthen the protection against violence for women again with around 1.2 million euros and expand debt counseling centers with an additional €200,000 Expanding the social labor market and further efforts to increase labor market participation, particularly among women with a migration background, are other important concerns we pursue from years”.
Selected areas of interest:
Strengthening of victim protection and operation of the sixth women’s shelter in Hamburg
We provide 622,000 euros per year for the additional financing of specialist victim protection counseling centres, for the operation of the sixth women’s shelter and a guideline for the financing of SToP partner violence projects in the districts.
Increase of additional §16i positions for the Hamburg social labor market
We are reinforcing the social labor market again with an additional 170,000 euros a year. This should create additional subsidized jobs for the long-term unemployed according to §16i SGB II in projects for community work and for improving social and ecological infrastructure, especially in disadvantaged parts of the city.
Expansion of debt advisory measures
Financial support for training/qualification in debt counseling helps counseling centers recruit new counselors and equips them to staff the growing demand. Within the framework of the Corona job market program, a total of ten employees of the Hamburg debt counseling centers were able to complete the necessary qualifications in 2021 and 2022 using funds from the HWSP, so that ten additional counseling specialists they will be available after the successful completion of the so-called certification courses. This process will continue with a further 100,000 euros in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
Promote the participation of migrants in the labor market
We support the work of migrant self-organisations with an additional 100,000 euros per year for integration work and the promotion of the participation of women with a migrant background in the labor market. With REACT-EU program funds available until mid-2023, the ESF Jobcoach project has been temporarily increased under the labor market Corona programme. The project targets low-skilled subsidized parents and largely reaches single mothers with a migrant background. Due to the corona pandemic, this group of people has been particularly hard hit by job losses. Employment promotion ensures income, autonomy and the possibility of overcoming the risk of poverty.
