Aspirin Social Award

Support that works

The Aspirin Social Award honors innovative, non-profit social projects in the health sector in Germany. Support and consultation services that provide effective help for people are eligible to apply. Specific projects that demonstrate successful management are supported.

Eligible to apply are support and consultation services that provide effective help for people. Specific projects that demonstrate verifiably successful management will be supported.

The award comes with a total prize fund of EUR 35,000. The winner receives EUR 15,000, the runner-up EUR 10,000 and the third place winner EUR 5,000. In addition, an audience prize worth EUR 5,000 is awarded to the winner of the online vote. Anyone with Internet access can vote for their favorite candidate. The winner of this online vote automatically becomes one of the 10 shortlisted candidates. The three winners of the Aspirin Social Award are announced each spring.

The next application period will start in September 2013.

The Aspirin Social Award 2013

The Aspirin Social Award 2013 goes to the “Generationsbrücke Deutschland“ (generation bridge Germany) project of the Marienheim Aachen-Brand Catholic Foundation. The charitable initiative brings together care home residents with children at regular meetings, thus successfully bridging the generations. The Berlin-based association “Straßenkinder” (street kids), which looks after homeless and neglected children and adolescents, took the second place prize. Third place was awarded to the online project “pflegen-und-leben.de” run by Catania gGmbH, which gives people caring for family members at home the opportunity to get advice anonymously and free of charge if they are suffering from emotional strain.

Two projects were joint top in the public online vote: the “Regenbogenland” (rainbowland) hospice for children and teenagers in Düsseldorf and the “Kinder in die Mitte” (children in the middle) initiative of the Protestant-Methodist Church in Berlin. The hospice financed by the Förderverein Kinderhospiz Düsseldorf e.V. looks after children with incurable and terminal illnesses. The “Kinder in die Mitte” project helps in diverse ways to stabilize the living circumstances and psychological wellbeing of children from socially disadvantaged families.

The Aspirin Social Award 2012

"Lebenstagebuch" (German for "diary") – a writing therapy for traumatized children of the Second World War – has been honored with the Aspirin Social Award 2012 from the Bayer Cares Foundation. The online project by the "Berlin Center for Torture Victims" (bzfo) helps people come to terms with their war experiences through writing. Second place is awarded to the network of doctors' and dentists' offices of "MUT Gesellschaft für Gesundheit" active in Berlin that provides homeless people with medical care. Third place has gone to the Heidelberg-based program "REBOUND – My Decision" for drug prevention among young people, jointly developed by teachers and students.

The People's Choice award was won by the “Ronald McDonald Haus” in Berlin-Wedding. This initiative offers a temporary home to the families of seriously ill children who are being treated at a nearby hospital.

Nominees for the Aspirin Social Award 2012

A total of 107 initiatives from across Germany submitted entries to the Bayer Cares Foundation for the Aspirin Social Award 2012 – 10 have made it into the final. Nine of the finalists were selected by the independent foundation council of the Bayer Cares Foundation with support from Dieter Brübach, Chairman of the Deutsches Spendenparlament (German Donation Parliament).

Key criteria used to assess the entries included their degree of innovation, objectives, achievement of objectives and project management. The tenth finalist was the winner of the People's Choice award. Almost 14,000 members of the public voted online for the award, which was won by the “Ronald McDonald Haus” in Berlin-Wedding.

Aidshilfe Köln e.V. / SchwIPS e.V., Cologne: AIDS counseling and testing in Cologne, http://www.schnell-test.de/ and the “Paul und Etienne” website, http://www.paulundetienne.de/
Behandlungszentrum für Folteropfer e.V. (Berlin Center for Torture Victims), Berlin: Lebenstagebuch (German for “diary”), writing therapy for people suffering post-traumatic stress from the Second World War, http://www.lebenstagebuch.de/
Exilio – Hilfe für Migranten, Flüchtlinge und Folterüberlebende e.V. (support for migrants, refugees and victims of torture), Lindau: Psychotherapeutic treatment for severely traumatized exiles, http://www.exilio.de/
Kinderhilfe Organtransplantation e.V. (support for children needing organ transplants), Frankfurt: KiO adventure-based learning activities for families, http://www.kiohilfe.de/
Klinikum Oldenburg gGmbH, Oldenburg: Verbund PädOnko Weser-Ems, mobile care for children with cancer in rural areas, http://www.klinikum-oldenburg.de/
KreBeKi – Stiftung für krebskranke und behinderte Kinder in Bayern e.V. (foundation for children suffering from cancer and disabilities), Regensburg: School textbook on cancer, http://www.krebeki.de/
Mentor Stiftung Deutschland e.V./Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg (mentoring program for the prevention of drug abuse and addiction), Heidelberg: REBOUND Meine Entscheidung (my decision), health education for young people at risk, http://www.my-rebound.de/
MUT Gesellschaft für Gesundheit mbH, Berlin: Medical and dental treatment for the homeless, http://www.mut-gesundheit.de/
Stoma-Welt e.V., Sprendlingen: Stoma-Welt.de – self-help portal for patients with stoma, http://www.stoma-welt.de/
Ronald McDonald Haus, Berlin-Wedding (winner of the online voting): Temporary home for the families of seriously ill children, http://www.mcdonalds-kinderhilfe.org/

The Aspirin Social Award 2011

“Paulinchen – Initiative für brandverletzte Kinder e.V.” (an initiative for children with burns injuries) won the Aspirin Social Award 2011. This pan-German association offers a unique program, serving a previously unmet need by supporting young victims of fires and their families. Second place was awarded to “MediMobil”, a cooperation project between the Solingen-based network of physicians “solimed” and “Tafel Solingen” that provides medical care to the needy. Third place went to the Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Stadtmitte for its “forget me not” project that finds mentors for the children of parents with addictions. The “Muslimische SeelsorgeTelefon” (Muslim telephone helpline, MuTeS) won the public vote for the Aspirin Social Award 2011 with 1,204 of the 18,800 votes cast.

Nominees for the Aspirin Social Award 2011

A total of 152 initiatives from across Germany submitted entries to the Bayer Cares Foundation for the Aspirin Social Award 2011 – 10 made it into the final. Nine of the finalists were selected by the independent foundation council of the Bayer Cares Foundation with support from Dieter Brübach, Chairman of the Deutsche Spendenparlament (German Donation Parliament). The tenth finalist was selected by the public in an online vote. You can find a list of the finalists below.

Deutsche Parkinson Vereinigung e.V. Club U40 Pfalz (German Parkinson's Association, club for under-40s), Schneckenhausen: “Too young for Parkinson's” – DVD for information and education

Being diagnosed with Parkinson's often leads to profound life changes. Sufferers – particularly those who are diagnosed at a very young age and are just about to strike out on their own – often question their life plans. Of the some 300,000 people suffering from Parkinson's in Germany, around 10 percent are younger than 40. That is why the “Club U40 – Junge Parkinsonkranke Pfalz”, is dedicated to supporting these young people and to representing their interests. The DVD project “Zu jung für Parkinson” (too young for Parkinson's) was developed in close cooperation with sufferers, family members, physicians and educationalists. It is an education tool aimed specifically at young sufferers of Parkinson's with the aim of helping them to help themselves. The DVD consists of films and additional information for patients, family members and nursing staff. All the content was developed independently by patients and participating partners.

Bundesverband "Das frühgeborene Kind" e.V. (association for families of premature babies), Frankfurt am Main: Frühgeborenen-Informations-Zentrum (information center for families of premature babies)

Each year in Germany, around 60,000 babies are born prematurely. Thanks to modern medicine and technology, many of these children now manage to overcome this difficult start to life. However, the first weeks and months in hospital are often very worrisome for the families, who are faced with uncertainties and unanswered questions. The Bundesverband offers a network of self-help groups and advice centers across Germany as a central point of contact and information for families of premature babies. The association offers important support and education through the provision of information brochures, a hotline for urgent questions, workshops, courses and PR work. The goal of the project is to further improve the medical care for premature babies, to implement follow-up and support services through to school age and to provide socio-psychological support for parents in the acute phase.

Islamic Relief – Humanitäre Organisation in Deutschland e.V. (humanitarian organization in Germany), Berlin: Muslimisches SeelsorgeTelefon (Muslim telephone helpline), winner of the public online vote

The Muslimisches SeelsorgeTelefon provides support from 12 noon to midnight for everyone (Muslims and non-Muslims) looking for help with spiritual problems. In crisis situations, callers automatically revert to their native language as this allows them to express themselves more clearly. Therefore, as well as speaking German, the 55 volunteers working on the helpline (most with a migratory background) offer a service in Turkish once a week and in many other languages by appointment. The anonymous MuTeS helpline is designed to help build up trust in areas where people of Islamic faith are often reluctant to talk about spiritual problems with non-Muslim institutions, friends or families. So far, MuTeS has given a voice to 2,900 callers, who have often suffered in silence for years, and has gone some way to solving their problems.

Bielefelder Bürgerstiftung, Bielefeld: Allergie und Schule – was juckt mich das? (allergies and school – no problem!)

A child with allergies often suffers not only health concerns but also feelings of alienation. To prevent this, Bielefelder Bürgerstiftung has joined forces with the Bielefeld children's hospital and the educational authorities to initiate the “Allergie und Schule – was juckt mich das?” (allergies and school – no problem!) project. Children at elementary school age in particular tend to be very sensitive when they suffer from chronic illnesses. They need the support of parents, teachers and fellow students. The project therefore aims to educate family members, friends and the sufferers themselves on how to handle allergies. To this end, a speaker from the children's hospital holds a 90-minute lesson in the presence of a teacher to teach the children everything they need to know about allergies using varied and entertaining techniques. Some 5,666 children have participated in this project since it started.

Deutsches Zentrum für Musiktherapieforschung DZM e.V. (German Center for Music Therapy Research) Heidelberg: Dem Piepsen auf der Spur (tracking tinnitus)

In Germany, more than a million people suffer from chronic tinnitus. The unpleasant noise is processed by the same area of the brain as music. It should therefore be possible to effectively counteract the unpleasant sensation of ringing in the ears through the targeted use of music therapy. The DZM has developed a compact, clearly structured five-day course of treatment and tested its effects in interdisciplinary, medical and neuroscientific studies. During the treatment, it is important to actively engage with the tinnitus to be able to gain control of the symptoms. This way, instead of learning to “tolerate” or ignore the irritating noises, patients are taught to correct them. This form of music therapy is based on the belief that chronic tinnitus responds to a curative approach. Goals of the treatment include a noticeable reduction in the exposure to tinnitus, stress management and the improvement of attention and hearing deficits.

Diakonisches Werk Berlin Stadtmitte e.V., Berlin: Vergiss mich nicht – Patenschaften für Kinder von Suchtkranken (forget me not – mentors for the children of parents with addictions)

More than 2.6 million children and young people live in families with parents suffering from addictions. They are often subject to many stressful situations. The “Vergiss mich nicht” (forget me not) project run by the Diakonisches Werk Berlin Stadtmitte finds mentors for these children and young people to provide a stable point of orientation in the long term. The mentors meet up once a week with their charges and offer support as a reliable contact partner. During this time, it is not the domestic problems that are the focus of attention but the children themselves. The Diakonisches Werk (welfare agency of the protestant church) trains and supports the mentors and regularly supervises them. Meetings are also held with the parents about the progress and success of the mentoring scheme. “Vergiss mich nicht” is a preventive project that seeks to ensure children do not mimic the habits of their parents so they can enjoy an addiction-free life.

Paulinchen – Initiative für brandverletzte Kinder e.V. (an initiative for children with burns injuries), Norderstedt

The Paulinchen association provides families with children suffering from burns injuries with individual support and advice in the time after the accident. The national Paulinchen helpline is free of charge and offers parents expert advice on the injuries of their children. The wide-ranging network ensures that no question on burns injuries remains unanswered. The objective of this initiative is to ensure the best possible care for every child. An annual seminar provides families with support during the rehabilitation period. The children work with experienced counselors to process their fears and pain and share experiences. With prevention programs such as “Sicher grillen ohne Spiritus” (barbecue safely without lighting fluid) and “Brennende Neugier” (burning curiosity), the association warns of the dangers of fire, electricity, acids and hot liquids and surfaces.

Tafel Solingen e.V. – Medizinische Hilfe (medical care for the homeless), Solingen: MediMobil

The Solimed network of physicians has been up and running in Solingen for several years already. This network also gets involved in social projects. One of these projects is the provision of regular weekly care for the homeless and destitute via the MediMobil vehicle run by Wuppertaler Tafel. Patients are provided with medical services, advice and support regardless of their financial situation. The service includes the opportunity to contact various specialists (gynecologists, pediatricians, etc.). Over and above this basic medical treatment, the patient contacts are also used to provide information on topics such as health promotion and family development. In other words, MediMobil not only deals with acute emergency situations but also provides longer-term help and support for people in need.

VIA Verbund für Integrative Angebote Berlin gGmbH, Berlin: Konfetti im Kopf – Demenz berührt mit vielen Gesichtern (campaign focusing on dementia)

KONFETTI IM KOPF is a national campaign designed to encourage people to think about, support and get involved with the topic of dementia. It originated in Berlin in October 2009 and has since been extended to many other towns and cities. At the heart of the campaign is a life-affirming open-air exhibition with six theme-based stations. Here, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of people with dementia. The exhibition is accompanied by a diverse supporting program comprising workshops, concerts, readings, presentations and unconventional city promotions. The dementia initiative utilizes the motivating forces of art and culture and calls on the help of celebrity ambassadors to draw attention to this important issue. An accompanying PR campaign attracts the attention of members of the public, dementia sufferers, family members and specialists. The aim of the campaign is to bring together everyone involved in dementia care under the banner of KONFETTI IM KOPF.

Vita e.V. Assistenzhunde (assistance dogs), Hümmerich: Vita e.V. Assistenzhunde

The VITA association provides adults and children suffering from physical disabilities with an assistance dog to give them independence and improve their quality of life. Social education worker Tatjane Kreidler founded the association in 2000 and developed her own method of creating a genuine partnership between handler and dog through attachment and relationship. A VITA assistance dog is a practical help, e.g. he opens doors, helps remove clothing or fetches help in case of emergency. At the same time, he is also “medicine on four paws” and often plays an important role in the psychological, physical, social and cognitive development of VITA children in particular. The dog's special dual function of “helper and healer” in everyday life makes it possible to provide help tailored to individual needs while also cutting down on additional costs for care and therapy. The project aims to break down social prejudices and reservations and to promote the integration of people with disabilities.

The Aspirin Social Award 2010

The Aspirin Social Award 2010 went to “Trauerland”, a center providing grief counseling for children and young people. The Bremen-based organization received the EUR 15,000 first prize for its support and counseling services aimed at young people who have to deal with the death of a family member. “Trauerland” is a pioneer in Germany in the area of grief counseling for children and young people. The second prize, worth EUR 10,000, was awarded to AMSOC (Ambulante Sozialpädagogik Charlottenburg), an initiative unique in Germany that finds voluntary childminders to care for children whose parents suffer from mental health problems. The EUR 5,000 third prize went to the organ donation information project “Junge Helden”. The Berlin-based association motivates young people to carry an organ donor card stating whether or not their organs can be donated. The additional public choice award, also worth EUR 5,000, was presented to the “Deutscher Kinderhospizverein”, which was the winner in the online voting procedure in which more than 20,000 people participated.

Ambulante Sozialpädagogik Charlottenburg e.V. (Berlin): Childminder scheme for children whose parents suffer from mental health problems

Since 2005, the Ambulante Sozialpädagogik Charlottenburg (AMSOC) initiative has been finding voluntary childminders to look after children whose parents suffer from mental health problems. These childminders look after the children at least once a week and one weekend per month and are available whenever the children need someone to talk to, especially in crisis situations affecting the parents. The project aims to provide these young people with an emotionally stable base and to ensure they do not suffer from similar psychological problems. It also takes some of the strain off the ill parents. The some 27 volunteers and three to four full-time project members also hope to use this initiative to draw the attention of the general public and specialists in Berlin to the problems of families affected by these issues. In 2009, the possibility to provide assistance to 13 further volunteer childminders was created and these will now be assigned. In the long term, the organization plans to provide assistance for between 10 and 20 new volunteer childminders each year. Two sponsorship training courses are to be held this year with this goal in mind.

Bunter Kreis Duisburg e.V.: Social-medical aftercare

The Bunter Kreis Duisburg provides support for parents whose children have been ill in hospital. The association helps care for the recovering patient and organizes the daily routine, household tasks and family life. To ease the transition into aftercare and ensure the best possible care at home, project members start their work while the child is still in hospital. The Duisburg-based initiative also provides psycho-social aftercare by talking to everyone involved. Essentially, project members try to help people to help themselves. Bunter Kreis Duisburg was founded in 2004. Each year, the non-profit initiative provides support for some 60 children, young people and their families. In doing so, the project team works closely with a number of different institutions and partners in the region.

Deutscher Kinderhospizverein e.V. (Olpe): Caring for children with terminal illnesses and their families

The Deutscher Kinderhospizverein was founded in 1990 by six families caring for children suffering from terminal illnesses. Today, the association operates throughout Germany. More than 500 volunteers and 36 full-time employees are currently working to provide support and care for children suffering from terminal illnesses and their families. The initiative is also geared towards helping people to help themselves. The association developed a special concept for the work of its own 16 out-patient hospice services for children. The services are tailored closely to the requirements of its target groups, which include the children themselves, their parents, brothers and sisters, and the social environment. Examples include a teacher project to incorporate the topic of “children and death” in the curriculum and a project developed specifically for the siblings of sick children. The association established the first in-patient children’s hospice in Germany in 1998. The Deutsche Kinderhospizakademie (German children’s hospice academy), which operates under the auspices of the Deutscher Kinderhospizverein, also offers around 40 seminars and two conferences for families each year. The long-term goal of the association is to ensure that the work of children’s hospices becomes a central topic in the community and to set up structures in rural and urban regions throughout Germany.

Haltestelle Diakonie – Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz e.V.: Support for people with dementia and their families

The Haltestelle Diakonie offers hourly care either in groups or as part of a regular visiting service for people suffering from dementia or mental health problems living at home. Some 15 full-time employees and 450 volunteers are involved in this project in the regional Diakonie stations in Berlin and Brandenburg. Their aim is to maintain the quality of life for people with dementia and to ensure they do not enter care homes prematurely. They also seek to support and take some of the strain off the carers. Services offered by the Haltestelle Diakonie range from exercises and games to reading out loud and storytelling. The project was founded in 2005. Today, a Diakonie station has been set up in every district in Berlin. As a result, over half of the Diakonie stations in Berlin are covered by voluntary work for people with dementia. The project was launched in Brandenburg towards the end of 2007. At present, 11 projects have been established at 13 locations.

Junge Helden e.V.: Information and education about organ donations

The Berlin-based Junge Helden initiative was founded in 2003 with the aim of promoting the use of organ donor cards, particularly among 16 to 35 year olds. The association organizes information events, encourages open dialog and uses modern communication media to draw the public’s attention to this topic. Its primary goal is to encourage young people to focus on this issue early on and to document their choice by carrying an organ donor card so that their organ(s) can be donated to someone requiring a transplant in good time. The initiative is seeking to generate a media presence and reach its target group through a website, a Facebook page and a series of parties organized under the slogan “Ein Club voller Helden” (a club full of heroes). Junge Helden also arranges visits to schools, benefit events and discussion meetings – featuring politicians and physicians, etc. – at companies, clubs and cinemas. The association has around 15 volunteers who have issued more than 10,000 donor cards since it was founded.

Freie Altenarbeit Göttingen e.V.: Care and advice for the elderly

The “Mobile Wohnberatung Südniedersachsen” (mobile care and advice in southern Lower Saxony) project was founded in 2008 as part of the Freie Altenarbeit Göttingen association. The project aims to show elderly people how they can continue to enjoy a healthy lifestyle of their choosing in familiar surroundings. One focus is on equipping their living space to cater for their changing needs as they get older. The association also seeks to promote neighborly support and make the general public more aware of this issue. A mobile consulting service set up to tour public spaces provides advice on organizing homes for the elderly. The consultants also visit people at home to talk about the changes required and to listen to their wishes and concerns. They also provide support for those applying for financial aid from nursing insurance and/or health insurance companies to help fund the necessary changes. The project is headed up by three full-time employees supported by a planning group and a pool of around 40 voluntary consultants. In the first 12 months, “Mobile Wohnberatung Südniedersachsen” ran its mobile advice service at 80 events and has reached around 12,000 people. The employees receive between three and five requests for advice each day. So far, around 20 homes have been adapted to meet age-related requirements. What’s more, 21 voluntary consultants have been trained and several neighborhood initiatives (e.g. in Göttingen and Leineber) have been founded.

Irrsinnig Menschlich e.V.: Schools program for mental health illnesses

“Verrückt? Na und!” (Mad? So what!) is an education program designed to promote psychological well-being at schools inside and outside Germany and to combat prejudice against people with mental health problems. It is geared towards young people aged between 14 and 20 and their teachers. It is based on their experiences of life and lasts for one day. Verein Irsinnig Menschlich e.V. arranges meetings between young people and others who have experienced mental health issues. The aim of this initiative is to change how psychological crises are perceived and to strengthen young people. Teachers also benefit from the services provided by this initiative because it helps them to function in their key position as role model. “Verrückt? Na und!” seeks to boost young people’s confidence, help them take a closer look at their own lives, and to identify and examine prejudices and fears and to tackle them using the resources available for maintaining a healthy balance and recovering from illness. The initiative’s network encompasses around 35 groups inside Germany and two outside who are working with the “Verrückt? Na und!” concept in schools in their region. In this way, the initiative reaches around 15,000 people per year. There are plans to expand the project both nationally and internationally.

Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V. – Migranten Medizin: Medical care for people without health insurance

The Malteser Migranten Medizin (medical care for migrants) service is committed to providing people in need with care. Run by the Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V., this project offers people without a valid resident permit and those without health insurance (such as students, unemployed freelancers, pensioners) with a point of contact and free and anonymous basic medical care. A general practitioner first examines the patients, provides them with the requisite emergency care, e.g. in case of sudden illness, injury or pregnancy, and refers them to specialists or hospitals as necessary. A social worker offers advice on social and legal issues. The project also has access to a limited quantity of drugs, baby food and baby clothes. In 2008, Malteser Migranten Medizin provided help in 462 cases (including multiple cases of treatment). Due to the rise in demand, the project started a second weekly clinic in November 2009.

nestwärme e.V. Deutschland: Help, advice and support for families with seriously ill and handicapped children

The nestwärme e.V. Deutschland initiative, founded in 1999 in Trier, is committed to promoting the acceptance and integration of handicapped, seriously ill and chronically ill children and their families in society. The nestwärme national association and “nestwärme gGmbH” in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate provide active help for children and their families. The offering is geared primarily to children aged between 0 and 4 years because disabilities/illnesses often go unnoticed in this age group and/or the families are not provided with sufficient help. nestwärme offers a wide-ranging portfolio divided into consulting, help and communication services. These include, for example, a national hotline, home consulting services, integrative day nurseries, intensive out-patient care for children, public events, and the sale of merchandising for the benefit of the association. The association is mainly active in Germany, but its services also stretch to Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg. It has a workforce of 80 staff and coordinates a network of more than 1,200 volunteers. nestwärme reaches and helps around 4,500 people a year.

Trauerland e.V.: Grief counseling for children and young people

Trauerland was founded in 1999 and was the first institution in Germany to provide grief counseling for children. The Bremen-based center is still one of only few associations geared towards this target group today. Trauerland provides support for children, young people and their families to help them deal with grief in their own way. Its services include group therapy, individual counseling and crisis intervention – face-to-face, by phone or online. “Trauerland” has now built up a network of around 135 volunteers and six full-time employees in Bremen and – since 2006 – in Oldenburg to close this gap in grief counseling. At present, 11 Trauerland groups in the two cities provide support for around 160 children and young people each month, with between 10 and 12 children, young people and adults receiving individual counseling each week. Individual therapeutic measures are provided each week for around three children.

Information about the Aspirin Social Award are available here (in German).

Last updated: May 14, 2013