Bremen relies on visibility: New care rooms for all citizens!

Bremen relies on visibility: New care rooms for all citizens!

The “Care and the City” project is currently being presented in Bremen, which deals with the topics of care and care work in urban areas. From October 16th to 18th, Clara Alisch's team will be hosting a series of events in the Domshof Forum that include installations, workshops and relaxation areas. The aim is to examine and promote the accessibility and visibility of care spaces in the city. The project is also supported by the Closeup Bremen media scholarship and entry is free, registration is not required, which makes the project particularly low-threshold so that people without an academic background are also addressed.

The Collective Care Lab has initiated the exhibition “Un-Spaces of Care” on Instagram to draw attention to the often invisible aspects of care and care work. For example, in the premises, attention is drawn to the unfortunate arrangement of changing tables next to syringe trays, which is a deterrent for many parents. Clara Alisch highlights that many baby changing rooms in Bremen are located in places that are difficult to access, such as basements, which often makes it difficult for caring relatives or young parents to use them.

Increase the visibility of nursing work

A central concern of the project is to create a more realistic perception of nursing and care work. The visibility of these tasks is crucial to achieve greater equality. Cities are required to specifically create open offerings that take into account the needs of parents, caring relatives and seniors. The arrangement of changing tables, which are often only found in women's toilets, also limits access for fathers and urgently needs reform.

The project is supported by a diverse team that includes Clara Alisch, Janis Fisch, Leo Rokita and Anastasia Zeller. Together they work to bring together experts from various fields such as art, architecture and urban development to develop innovative solutions for urban care infrastructure. In addition to video installations, there will also be a children's concert and special relaxation areas for changing diapers and breastfeeding, which invite you to take a deep breath and recharge your batteries.

A look at the care industry

According to a report by the Federal Employment Agency from 2022, there is continued high demand for skilled workers in the nursing sector. This not only requires a reform of training paths, but also a critical look at the compatibility of work and family. The topic of care work is increasingly seen as an important social concern in Germany, with the role of fathers in childcare and household chores increasingly coming into focus. The 2023 Fathers' Report, for example, shows that the demands and offers for families are changing and that modern fathers are being more involved in parenting.

This interplay of visibility, accessibility and equality makes the “Care and the City” project a timely and necessary push for a better design of care and care work in cities. Those interested can find more information about this in the article at Weser-Kurier or on the website of the Bundesstiftung Equality.