Company donation by Consist for the Kinderschutzbund Kiel

Consist Software Solutions supports the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V. with a company donation of €4,000. The donation is to be used for the "Auszeit" (Time Off) assistance project, which helps mentally ill parents with young children from 0 to 3 years of age. Consist attaches great importance to corporate social responsibility.

Kiel – Consist donated €4,000 to the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V. (child protection agency) in May 2022. "As a company, social responsibility and social commitment are very important to us. That's why we've been donating to good causes through various organizations with a regional focus for many years now," explained Jörg Hansen, Managing Director of Consist. The team at the Kiel-based IT company decides which organization receives the donation through an employee survey. For 2022, the choice was made to support the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V., which relies on donations to finance many of its offers and projects – in some cases even up to 100%. "We would like to thank Consist very much for the generous donation that will benefit the "Auszeit" project," said Katharina Handt, head and coordinator of volunteer services and family assistants at the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V.

In previous years, Consist's company donations have gone to good causes such as the "UKSH hilft Ukraine" (UKSH helps Ukraine) campaign (2022), the Tafel Kiel food bank (2021), the Hospiz Kiel Förde hospice (2020) and the Mach Mittag campaign (2019).

About the family assistants and the "Auszeit" (Time Off) project

"A project that is very close to our hearts is the family assistants, who are being trained this year especially in the area of early assistance," said Katharina Handt from the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V. The family assistants play an important role in the "Auszeit" project:

The "time off" offers a break and help for mentally ill or simply overwhelmed parents with young children from 0 to 3 years of age, who have no family support or other support in their social environment. Childcare is particularly challenging for parents during the important first three years of a young child’s life. If mentally ill or overwhelmed parents lose sight of the wellbeing and needs of their children, then extreme situations and acute child welfare risks may arise, sometimes with life-threatening consequences. The "Auszeit" project offers support and relief to parents of young children. It actively responds to parents' fears, worries and feelings of being overwhelmed. Within the framework of this project, families with young children from 0 to 3 years of age are supported and advised by family assistants. These work in trusting and close cooperation with the families and help the parents with their daily lives. The aim is to enable the affected parents to take "time off" during which the family assistants supervise and care for the children.

About the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Ortsverband Kiel e.V.

Since it was founded on 26 October 1959, the association has developed steadily and has focused on the needs of children, adolescents and families with corresponding offers. At the time, dedicated citizens saw the plight of many children and found ways to help them. Until today, the primary focus of the Kinderschutzbund Kiel remains protecting children against all forms of sexual, physical, domestic and psychological violence, as well as neglect. The association actively supports children, adolescents and families and accordingly provides a wide range of offers:

Advice and open offers for children and adolescents, support for families in general and parents in particular, as well as advice for specialists in accordance with Sections 8a/b SGB VIII (German Social Code) and Section 4 KKG (German Child Protection, Cooperation and Information Act). Family assistants, telephone helplines, the Café Kinderwagen and Café Schatzinsel breakfast meetings, the Kinderauffangzelte childcare tents as well as the KlickgegenKummer digital participation project all form part of the volunteer services provided by the organization. Since 2013, the Kiel chapter of the child protection agency has been located in the Haus für Kinder (House for Children) at Sophienblatt 85 in Kiel, including its Kinderschutz-Zentrum Kiel child protection center, Kinderhaus BLAUER ELEFANT Kiel support center for children and young people, as well as its volunteer services including family assistants, telephone helplines, etc.