BOTschafft Inklusion (Bot promotes Inclusion)

BOTschafft Inklusion Logo (Image: BOTschafft Inklusion)

BOTschafft Inklusion promoted access to the labor market for caregivers and relatives. A barrier-free AI-based chatbot was developed as a prototype web application. It aimed to support the promotion and maintenance of caregivers' professional activities and their participation in society.

The aim was to improve access to the labor market for a target group that is at risk of exclusion but is important for compensating for the shortage of skilled workers and is growing rapidly due to demographic factors (approx. 12 million in 2030). 99% of all children in need of care are cared for at home by their parents. Often, parents who provide care end up leaving their jobs despite their wishes to the contrary because they lack knowledge about how to combine caregiving challenges with working life. Existing opportunities for work-life balance have so far hardly been implemented for the integration of this diverse target group.

Currently, few caregivers are able to find answers to many of their questions. Employers are also rarely aware of the needs of employees who are caregivers, as well as the funding and support options available to help them balance work and caregiving. Information is scattered and, for many people, written in technical language that is difficult to understand on various websites, at counseling centers, and in self-help groups.

A proof of value was created in order to assess costs and benefits more clearly and weigh them up effectively. The initial focus was on the target group of parents providing care. The aim was to make use of existing technologies and information sources as far as possible, but to create a previously non-existent application context and added value through a novel combination, structuring, and further development. The AI-based chatbot was developed using the co-design concept, which incorporated the needs of caregivers into the project and requirements definition from the outset. The concept presented here was already based on the needs expressed by those affected.

In order to provide everyone with easy-to-understand access to the information they need, a language model-based system was developed. It offers information on services, rehabilitation and further training measures, among other things.