Werbeflyer reingehört des Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreises

Family-Friendly Community 2026: Ennepe-Ruhr District

Working Together to Improve the Balance Between Work and Care

Text last updated: 2026-11-03

Between the Ruhr Region, the Sauerland, and the Bergisches Land

The Ennepe-Ruhr district, located in the region of Westphalia, is part of the Arnsberg administrative district. It encompasses nine cities set amid a diverse landscape of rivers, lakes, forests, and sites of industrial heritage. More than 320,000 people live in an area of approximately 408 square kilometers.

Sharing the Responsibility for Care

In the Ennepe-Ruhr district, family-friendliness includes the ability to balance work and caregiving. Through the “work-care-live” campaign, the district supports employees who care for or provide support to family members, as well as companies and government agencies that wish to create reliable conditions to facilitate this. This regional initiative connects companies with local counseling and support services and raises awareness of the challenges faced by employees who are caregivers. The goal is to develop practical work-life balance solutions and embed them permanently within the participating organizations.

State Award for Family-Friendly Communities 2026

The jury particularly commended the Ennepe-Ruhr District for recognizing that balancing work and caregiving is not solely the private responsibility of employees. The campaign brings together government agencies, businesses, regional advisory structures, and academia, and translates this collaboration into workplace practices through concrete initiatives. For this, the Ennepe-Ruhr District was awarded the State Prize for Family-Friendly Municipalities 2026 in the category “Individual Family Policy Project.”

Family-Friendly Activities in the Ennepe-Ruhr District

Support for Employees and Businesses: “Work-Care-Live”

The “Work-Care-Live” campaign was launched in 2012 by the district-wide network W(iedereinstieg) EN in collaboration with two pilot companies. It has since evolved into a regional initiative in which companies network, exchange experiences, and jointly develop new programs.

Companies that join the campaign commit to actively promoting the work-life balance for employees who are caregivers. A key component is the appointment and training of in-house care coordinators. In addition, the campaign offers informational materials, events, practical implementation guides for companies, and hands-on projects.

Since 2019, the initiative has also been collaborating with Bochum University of Applied Sciences at the Health Campus. Together with students, ideas from companies and government agencies are translated into concrete projects.

The Other Award-Winning Municipalities for 2026

The cities of Bochum, Detmold, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, and Krefeld were also recognized either for their comprehensive family policy plans or for an innovative individual project.

More Information Activities for Families in the Ennepe-Ruhr District

“Work-Care-Live”: Support for Employees and Businesses

More Information Links for Further Reading

“A Home. For Families.”: Under this motto, the Ministry of Family Affairs in North Rhine-Westphalia announced the 2026 “Family-Friendly Municipality” state award. 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 Communities 2026

Family life in North Rhine-Westphalia is more colorful and diverse than ever before. This is also reflected in the state government’s latest family report:

Findings of the 2026 Family Report