The corona pandemic is leaving its mark on social interaction.

In order to strengthen that part of the population who were particularly affected by restrictions, the city magistrate has entrusted the youth and social welfare office with implementing a corona action plan.

At first glance, the name is misleading, as it is not aimed at the virus and its spread, but primarily at the consequences of the pandemic.

Remaining funds from the social welfare office from 2021 are initially available for the project, a total of four million euros.

Monica Ganster

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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The city has taken on a lot with the action plan: It is intended to mitigate the social and educational consequences of the corona virus and counteract disadvantages.

The focus is on groups that have suffered particularly from the pandemic.

Mentioned are, among others, children, young people and families, the elderly, the homeless, people with disabilities and artists.

According to the introductory finding of the action plan, their participation in social life has been severely restricted in the past two years.

These disadvantages are now to be gradually reduced.

Offers for affected groups

Offers for these groups are to be created in various areas: in extracurricular and school education, participation, exercise and health, culture and shared experiences, democratic coexistence and understanding between generations and cultures, design, use and appropriation of public spaces.

Social Affairs Director Elke Voitl (Die Grünen) praised the successful cross-departmental cooperation at the most recent meeting of the Social Affairs Committee: employees from 23 departments in the city had worked in working groups since August of last year to make the ideas more concrete.

More than 300 projects have come together in this way, which are now to be implemented step by step – subject to the approval of the city council on June 9th.

Expand digital service

Among other things, digital service offerings are to be expanded and new offerings developed for various target groups.

Children and young people should be encouraged to move, they should be advised and educated about health.

They should be offered excursions, festivals and creative events.

In addition, more political education and participation opportunities are to be created for them.

There are also numerous "green" projects - such as community garden projects, the use of environmental pilots and the greening of areas on high-rise buildings or schoolyards.

"The action plan offers the opportunity not only to compensate for deficits, but also to emerge from the pandemic with a greater variety of offers, opportunities for participation and encounters and to be prepared for future crises," says Voitl.