Together instead of alone
New self-help groups offer space for exchange and support
Sometimes it helps most to talk to people who know exactly how you feel. To promote this exchange, new self-help groups are starting immediately in the Erzgebirgskreis. They are aimed at anyone who is looking for support, wants to share experiences or simply needs a safe place to talk openly.
A protected space for every situation
In the new groups, the focus is on working together. Self-help does not mean that you have to solve all your problems alone - on the contrary: the community gives you strength, offers new perspectives and also reduces the feeling of isolation.
"It is a matter close to my heart to bring people together who can support each other. The first step is often the hardest, but it's almost always worth it.
From 01.05.2026, the ERZ self-help center in Aue will hold online consultation hours.
Our aim is to be there for people in emergency situations, to lend a sympathetic ear, to give them time and also to support relatives of people with mental illnesses or in care.
An overview of KISS ERZ self-help and our services:
Self-help is often referred to as the "fourth pillar of the healthcare system" (alongside outpatient, inpatient, and rehabilitative care), and can also be described as "mutual support," "sharing of experiences," or "user expertise."
- Strengthening "self-determination", "prevention" and "enrichment of quality of life"
- Strengthening the "importance of mutual support"
- Advice and information center, systemic advice (system view, resource and solution-oriented, neutral, appreciative, acceptance, empathy)
- KISS ERZ Diane Kurzweg Regional spokeswoman in Saxony
What is self-help?
Self-help refers to a group of people who share a common problem, illness, or difficult life situation. As “experts in their own affairs,” those affected exchange experiences on an equal footing in self-help groups (within organizations or associations). This fosters mutual support, imparts new knowledge, builds self-confidence, and helps people cope better with their respective challenges. Self-help complements professional assistance such as medical or therapeutic treatments, as well as providing support so that individuals do not have to face their challenges alone.
The self-help contact centers in Saxony (often referred to as KISS—Contact and Information Centers for Self-Help) serve as central hubs for anyone seeking or offering help to help themselves. Essentially, they act as a bridge between professional assistance (doctors, therapists) and volunteer work.
Here is an overview of what we actually do:
1. mediation and advice
If you have a problem - be it a chronic illness, addiction, grief or a difficult phase of life (such as separation or caring for a relative) - we can help you find the right group in your area.
- Guide: We know exactly which groups are active in your county.
- Initial consultation: We often offer a sort of “introductory meeting” to determine what the client really needs at the moment. (by phone, online, at home, or at KISS)
# New Online consultation hour at the self-help contact point
2. support for start-ups
Is there not yet a group for your topic? Then we can help you start one:
- Member Search: We post ads or use their networks to find like-minded people.
- Getting Started: We offer advice on organization (How do meetings work? What rules do we need?).
- Finding a venue: We can help you find free or affordable venues for your meetings.
3. support for existing groups
Even if a group, organization or association has been running for a long time, the contact point is still there:
- Crisis management: When conflicts arise within the group, employees can step in as mediators.
- Funding: You provide advice on grants (e.g., from health insurance companies) so that the group can print flyers or invite speakers.
- Professional Development: You organize workshops on topics such as “Communication Skills” or “Nonprofit Law.” This workshop will take place in November 2026.
- Further training opportunities for self-help activists as well as for professionals
4. networking and public relations
We carry out important networking work to ensure that the topic of self-help does not remain hidden:
- Visibility: We organize self-help days, such as the nationwide Self-Help Day on September 16, 2026, or information booths.
- Partnerships: We maintain contact with hospitals, doctors, government agencies, and other counseling centers so that they can refer people to our self-help group.
- Advertising, for example, on buses in the Erzgebirge district
Good to know:
In Saxony, there is such an office in every county and every city not part of a county. The counseling services are free, confidential, and anonymous upon request.
Here are some offers from KISS ERZ:
The Contact and Information Center for Self-Help (KISS ERZ) provides advice, support, and referrals to numerous self-organized groups throughout the Erzgebirge district on a wide variety of topics.
We offer a wide variety of groups, including those established in 2026—such as special support groups for young people. But in the field of caregiving (for family members), these groups are an integral part of our support network.
- Fears
- Depression
- Constraints
- Experiences of violence
- Violence against women
- Young depression, compulsions, anxiety
- Autism planned for 2026, children, parents, affected persons
- Dementia sufferers/relatives Dementia
- Abandoned (grand)parents
- Leaving men after separation (EHE)
- Abandoned children
- Addictions
- Women, Men Cancer
- Obesity
- Relatives groups
- Dementia
- FASD
- Endometriosis
- Stressed / overburdened mothers and fathers raising their children
- Online self-help
- etc.