Ahekapelle mit Familie.

Nettersheim

Family-Friendly Community 2025: Focus on Sustainability—Including in the Social Sector

Text last updated: 2026-06-16

Nature, Culture, and Family

In the Northern Eifel, you’ll find the historic town center of Nettersheim, dominated by its church tower and featuring carefully restored half-timbered and fieldstone farmsteads. About 8,000 residents live here in the eleven villages that make up this Eifel municipality.

Family Center and Low-Threshold Participation Programs for All Generations

Karte Sieger Nettersheim

The Nettersheim Family Center serves as the hub of the flagship project “Family- and Child-Friendly Nettersheim”: on the one hand, as a venue for everyday programs for families, and on the other, as the body responsible for aligning these programs strategically with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and evaluating them. 

Low-threshold participatory formats allow citizens to connect with local politicians and administrative staff and to exchange feedback and ideas. These include, for example, village walks. Children’s and youth parliaments also express their views on the world. The commitment of citizens has given rise to initiatives such as the senior citizens’ movie theater, computer and cell phone classes for seniors, and the youth media center.

State Award for Family-Friendly Municipalities 2025

With its wide range of offerings for all age groups, Nettersheim promotes citizen participation and networking. The Family Center serves as the central point of contact and driving force for the further development of a sustainable infrastructure. This holistic approach to family-friendliness won over the jury. It awarded Nettersheim the in the category “Comprehensive Family Policy Project.”

Here, we’d like to introduce you to some of the programs available in Nettersheim. Further information, links to the project descriptions, and details about the State of North Rhine-Westphalia’s award can be found in the sidebar.

Family-Friendly Activities in Nettersheim

  1. Nettersheim Family Center: Child Care, Education, and Counseling

    The Family Center serves as a central hub in Nettersheim. With a wide range of programs and initiatives, it caters to all age groups and offers numerous opportunities, such as childcare and recreational activities for young families, adventure and cultural activities for teens, and programs for seniors. These programs promote social integration and are developed collaboratively.

  2. Multigenerational Living / New Forms of Housing

    Nettersheim promotes new forms of housing, particularly multigenerational living. This is part of its family-friendly initiatives because it fosters a sense of community, provides support across age groups, and promotes integration.

  3. Activity Stations on the Dandelion Adventure Trail

    The “Löwenzahn Adventure Trail,” a circular hiking trail approximately 6 km long, has been enhanced with seven additional activity stations for all ages. The goal is to offer children and families more opportunities to be active in nature.

  4. Eifel Nature Center

    As an extracurricular learning center and regional center for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the Eifel Nature Center supports schools and families with programs focused on “Education for Sustainable Development.” It offers seminars, field trips, and courses in which all participants can experience, understand, and help shape nature.

The Other Award-Winning Municipalities for 2025

The cities of Siegen, Vreden, and Lennestadt were also recognized either for their comprehensive family policy plan or for an innovative individual project.

  • Victories

    Family-Friendly Community 2025: Welcome to the Family Office

  • Vreden

    Family-Friendly Community 2025: Shaping Modern Youth Work

  • Lennestadt

    Family Municipality 2025: Continuous commitment to family friendliness

Further Information Activities for Families in Nettersheim

Nettersheim Family Center
Activity Stations on the Dandelion Adventure Trail
Eifel Nature Center

Further Information Video of the winning municipality, Nettersheim

YouTube

The video from Nettersheim vividly illustrates the local community's commitment to family-friendly initiatives.

YouTube

Further Information Links for Further Reading

“Families.Communities.Cohesion”: Under this motto, the Ministry of Family Affairs in North Rhine-Westphalia announced the 2025 state award for “Family-Friendly Communities.” Municipalities were invited to apply for the award by submitting their comprehensive family policy plan or an innovative individual project.

State Award for Family-Friendly Municipalities 2025