Social counseling

20230802 Sozialberatung

Social counseling

The Social Counseling Service provides information and advice on questions, uncertainties and problems regarding social and economic situations during studies, taking into account the individual situation of the students.

The services offered by the Social Counseling Service cover the entire spectrum of social issues and target group-specific concerns. The goal is to offer students support and orientation in individual as well as complex and difficult issues and to point out possible options for action. The counseling services can be used both preventively and in acute emergencies.

Counseling takes place primarily in the form of individual discussions. If necessary, other people can be present and involved. In the event of conflicts, for example, the social counseling service also assists students in a moderating capacity.

Conversations remain confidential!
Social counseling sessions are always confidential, free of charge and subject to the obligation of secrecy. As a rule, they can take place anonymously.

Information regarding the processing of personal data

1. Name & contact details

Studierendenwerk Aachen AöR
Pontwall 3
52062 Aachen
E-Mail: info@stw.rwth-aachen.de

2. Contact details of the data protection company

Integrity GmbH
Jülicher Straße 215
52070 Aachen
E-Mail: datenschutz@stw.rwth-aachen.de

3. Purposes
and legal bases of the processing 

The information collected in the context of social counselling is used for the efficient, continuous and quality-assuring provision of the desired counselling as well as for necessary statistical purposes. Please note that all data collected is subject to professional confidentiality for state-certified social workers.

The legal basis for processing your personal data is Article 6(1)(b) and (c) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This foundation enables us to collect, store and process your data in the context of social counselling and to fulfil all associated legal obligations. The same applies in the case of reporting to institutions should there be a risk of danger to yourself or others. The use of service providers, technical aids, devices, etc. is based on the same legal foundation.

The additional legal basis is Article 6(1)(e) GDPR in conjunction with Section 2 of the NRW Student Services Act to fulfil our statutory social mandate for students.

In the event of possible legal prosecution, your data may be processed under the conditions of Article 6 GDPR, in particular to safeguard our legitimate interests in accordance with Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR, e.g. to assert or defend against claims.

4. Categories of personal data

We process personal data (e.g. surname, first name, date of birth, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, name of your university, etc.) that we receive from you as part of the desired social counselling.

5. Recipients of the personal data collected

The data you provide will be used for internal purposes, in particular for the actual social counselling as well as regarding halls of residence, BAföG or similar, should these be part of the counselling. In case of immediate danger, your data will be used to forward reports to the relevant institutions (e.g. social therapy services, the LVR, clinics, the police, etc.).

Our data processing takes place in Germany and in the EU; the data is not transferred to a third country or an international organisation.

6. Duration of data storage

Your data in regards to social counselling will be stored for up to 10 years.

7. Your legal rights

  • In accordance to Art. 15 GDPR, you have the right to receive information about the personal data stored about you.
  • You have the right to demand the immediate correction of incorrect data or the completion of your data stored by us in accordance to Art. 16 GDPR.
  • Under the conditions of Art. 17 GDPR, you have the right to request the deletion of your personal data.
  • Under the conditions of Art. 18 GDPR, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.
  • If you have provided us with personal data, you have the right to receive this data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and, where technically feasible, to have it transmitted to another responsible party, Art. 20 GDPR


Right of objection

You have the right to withdraw your consent in accordance to Art. 7 (3) GDPR. However, the previous processing remains lawful. We will no longer process your personal data going forward unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing. To make use of your rights, please contact us using the contact details provided in section 1.

8. Responsible supervisory authorities

In accordance to Art. 13 GDPR, you have the right to complain about the processing of your personal data to a data protection supervisory authority at any time. The responsible supervisory authority is as follows:

Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen
Kavalleriestr. 2-4
40213 Düsseldorf
Telefon: 0211/38424-0
Fax: 0211/38424-999
E-Mail: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de

Please note that only the German version is legally valid due to the English version being subject to misunderstandings or ambiguities caused by a possible imprecise translation.

Declaration of consent

 

 

Examples for topics of social counseling

  • Information about specific help offers of the universities in Aachen and university-independent institutions
  • Insecurities and fears
  • Financial hardships
  • Studying with a disability
  • Studying with a chronic illness
  • Studying with a child
  • Studying as a foreigner
  • Problems and conflicts (e.g. in the family, in the dormitory, at the university, with authorities)


Target group

The General Social Counseling at Pontwall, which is offered in cooperation with the (AStA) of RWTH Aachen University, advises students of the following universities:

  • RWTH Aachen
  • FH Aachen
  • Catholic University of Applied Sciences NRW, Aachen Department
  • Hochschule für Tanz und Musik, Aachen Department
  • Fernuniversität Hagen (Aachen campus)

The services of the mobile social counseling of the dormitories are primarily aimed at students who live in a Studierendenwerk dormitory.


Contact persons and open office hours

Social counseling of the dormitories.
for all students living in the StW dormitories

Office hours:
Tue 1:30−3:30 pm at TvK, Rütscher Str. 121, 52072 Aachen
Thu 1:30−3:30 pm at KaWo3, Kastanienweg 14, 52074 Aachen (Access to the office is barrier-free!)
First Friday of each month, noon3 pm, Solar Campus II, Heinrich-Mußmann-Straße 52, 52428 Jülich,
as well as by appointment

Contact person:
Veronika Nienaß
Phone: +49 175 3500754
@: veronika.nienass@stw.rwth-aachen.de

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General Social Counseling
for all students of the four Aachen universities and the Fernuniversität Hagen, Aachen campus

Office hours:
Tue 10 a.m.1 p.m.
Thu 10 a.m.1 p.m.
as well as by appointment
Pontwall 3, 52062 Aachen Room D0.01 (next to the Infopoint in the foyer),
Access to the office is barrier-free!

Contact person:
Angela Weber
Phone: +49 170 1404476
@: angela.weber@stw.rwth-aachen.de