As of: March 14, 2024, 3:24 p.m
By: Natascha Berger, Martina Lippl
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From citizen benefit recipient to TikTok star.
These are big plans.
But the job center has to go along with these dreams.
Mannheim – A career on TikTok instead of being a citizen’s benefit recipient.
Pascal and his mother Petra, known from the RTLZWEI program “Hartz und Herzen”, have this goal.
They want to end their dependence on citizen money and earn their own money as an influencer on TikTok.
Selina, Petra and Pascal have been on “Hartz and warmly” (RTLZWEI) for a long time.
Pascal is getting closer and closer to his dream of a TikTok career.
© RTLZWEI
From citizen's benefit recipient to TikTok star: Pascal's unusual path
The family lives in a social housing estate in Mannheim, the so-called Benz Barracks.
In the documentary soap “Hartz und Herzen”, viewers can experience up close how Pascal, his sister and his mother live on the subsistence level despite the support of citizens’ money.
Social benefits may vary.
A new standard rate has been in effect since January 2024, as the citizen's money overview shows.
According to criticism, there is little incentive to look for a job.
Another former citizen's benefit recipient from the show “Hartz und Herzlich” is also dissatisfied with his salary.
Goodbye unemployment: How Pascal and Petra want to get started on TikTok without citizen's money
Pascal, who until recently worked as a warehouse clerk, lost his job during his probationary period.
He called in sick but was still active on social media.
Now he wants to get started on TikTok and has already gotten support from a well-known TikToker.
However, he must first convince the job center of his plan.
In a new episode of “Hartz und Herzen” Pascal reports on his last visit to the employment office.
The job center employee initially didn't seem enthusiastic about Pascal's plan to abandon his career development program in order to become famous on social media.
But Pascal defends his plans.
“I have made arguments”: Citizen’s benefit recipient has to convince job center of TikTok career
“Then I gave them my arguments: that I am my own boss on this social media platform,” said the citizen’s benefit recipient.
It would be better if the job center supported him now and he could “do his own thing”.
The employee finally gave him a form with which the family can apply for a start-up grant.
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However, Pascal and mother Petra are aware that they need another source of income besides TikTok.
“We just want to lead a normal life as people who have their own income and no longer live off the government,” explains Petra, who has been unemployed for over 10 years.
Start your own business with TikTok
In order to realize their dream of a TikTok career, Pascal and Petra register a small business with “Hartz und Herzen”.
Each name on the business license costs 25 euros - a considerable sum for the two recipients of citizen's money.
But they are ready to “bite the bullet” to achieve their dream.
After you have received your business license, there is still a lot left on your list: you have to register with the tax office, create a new folder structure and draw up a business plan.
They are hoping for a grant of 300 euros per month to make it easier for them to start becoming self-employed.
“If TikTok doesn’t work, we still have to go to work.”
Pascal
Selina, Pascal's younger sister, is also enthusiastic about her brother's plan.
The 18-year-old, who has a mental disability and is currently doing an internship in a workshop for people with disabilities, would like to make TikTok her first career.
“I have my brother to thank for that, he talked me into it,” says Selina.
However, Pascal makes it clear to her: “If TikTok doesn’t work, we still have to go to work.”
DJ and TikTok career?
In addition to her TikTok career, Petra has another dream: She wants to start as a DJ at Ballermann in Mallorca.
“I would be there in a moment,” says the long-term unemployed.
Selina thinks this plan is “definitely better than working.”
It remains to be seen how the start of self-employment will go for the family from Mannheim at “Hartz and warmly”.
What is certain is that viewers will find out more about it in one of the upcoming episodes.
The TV couple Jasmin and Maik from Rostock finance themselves with citizens' money.
The two of them have accumulated a lot of debt.
Now Jasmin is expecting offspring for the second time.
The editor wrote this article and then used an AI language model for optimization at her own discretion. All information has been carefully checked. Find out more about our AI principles here.