As of: April 8, 2024, 5:00 p.m
By: Tobias Gmach
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A large banner on Leutstettener Straße in Starnberg points out the advisory services still available from the Arbeiterwohlfahrt. © HS
The Arbeiterwohlfahrt München is closing its migration advice center in Starnberg at the end of June for financial reasons. There is great consternation about this among other social organizations and refugee help groups - after all, there is no comparable offer in the entire district.
District - The Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) Munich-City has been running an office with a focus on migration advice for adult immigrants and a youth migration service in the Starnberg district since 2019. According to AWO, two employees deal with more than 400 cases a year. They help recognized asylum seekers, EU foreigners or Ukrainians to gain a foothold in the Five Lakes Region - and through the thicket of German bureaucracy. The specialists support the migrants so that they can register for the right language course, fill out complicated applications for housing benefit and child allowance or respond to a confidential letter from the job center. However, only until June 30th. Then the AWO closes the advice center at Leut-stettener Straße 28 in Starnberg - because, according to the social service provider, it can no longer be financed. Managing director Julia Sterzer says there will be a deficit of 30,000 euros for 2023. “It’s gotten bigger and bigger in the last few years,” she says.
“Scandal”, “disaster”, “serious blow”: these are the expressions that representatives of other social organizations and refugee help groups use when they talk about the impending AWO closure. After all, there is no comparable, professional offer in the entire district. The two consultants receive their clients not only in Starnberg, but also at Gautinger and Herrschinger Insel.
The AWO justified the step in a statement with the “lack of financial support from the Starnberg district. In other districts, we can maintain the offer despite increasing costs thanks to co-financing,” it says. But you have to differentiate: The district has never contributed to the financing of the advice center since it opened. 70 percent will come from federal funds in 2023, explains AWO boss Sterzer when asked. The personal contribution, the 30 percent, has now simply become too high due to the sharp rise in material and personnel costs. That's why the AWO asked the district office for support - and received a rejection. The Miesbach district, for example, covers twelve percent of the costs, and the state capital Munich also contributes, says Sterzer. "We do not understand that. An offer like this contributes to social peace.”
District office refers to “extremely difficult financial situation”
Confronted with this, district office spokeswoman Barbara Beck points to the “currently extremely difficult financial situation” of municipalities. “The budgets can hardly be set up. The scope for action is limited to the bare minimum. “Unfortunately, there is now no scope for voluntary services – which would be the case in this case,” says Beck. If the funds are not sufficient, the federal government must make additional payments. The money that the district receives from the state is already being used for integration work by the district office and the Diakonie. The Diakonie Munich and Upper Bavaria – the provider of asylum social advice in the shared accommodation – confirms this (see box).
The two migration consultants in Starnberg were offered positions in other AWO Munich-City facilities. In its statement, the social service provider praises the “very good cooperation with the Starnberg job center, with Gautinger Insel, the integration course providers VHS and others, but also with local network partners”. What should be emphasized is the close cooperation with the asylum, integration and migration department of the district office. In addition, there is a connection to helper groups – “also across districts”.
The news of the AWO closure caused disillusionment at the Caritas Association, which is based in the same building in Starnberg. “We will definitely feel this,” says managing director Ulrich Walleitner. “We were always happy to be able to refer people to someone who was deeply involved in the matter.” Walleitner is certain that Caritas is now increasingly confronted with requests for help that it cannot provide professionally.
Helper group representative: “Who will take care of it now?”
The AWO's consultations at Gautinger Insel were very well attended, says Charlotte Jans, spokeswoman for the community. The island itself cannot compensate for the loss. “We cannot fill this gap,” confirms Barbara Maier-Steiger, head of Herrschinger Insel, and expresses her “great regret.” Andrea Heisel from the Gilchinger Asylum Helpers Group is angry: “The first asylum seeker who came ten years ago lives independently. But she still needs support with official duties. Who will look after these people now?” She is thinking about knocking on the Caritas migration advice center in Fürstenfeldbruck. But she also wonders whether they are taking in a lot of people from another district. Heisel emphasizes that it is simply not enough for the state to rely so much on voluntary work. She also notes that she is 62 years old – making her one of the youngest in the group of helpers.
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