Associations against cuts to voluntary service
Numerous Hamburg associations, organizations and volunteers have criticized the planned federal cuts to voluntary services and are calling for the plans to be withdrawn. The planned cuts would endanger the basic structure of the voluntary services and threaten around 1,000 jobs in Hamburg alone, announced the Hamburg Workers' Samaritan Federation (ASB) on Tuesday. Instead, the voluntary services should be strengthened and expanded. More than a dozen Hamburg clubs and associations published a corresponding "Hamburg Appeal" on Monday evening.
The background to this is that less money (-78 million euros) has been earmarked for voluntary services such as the Social and Ecological Year (FSJ/FÖJ) and the Federal Voluntary Service (BFD) in next year's budget due to pressure to save money. On November 16, the Bundestag Budget Committee will meet in Berlin to discuss the final budget for 2024.
The cuts would affect jobs in care, child and youth welfare, work with senior citizens, rescue services, ambulance services, school support, sport and people with disabilities, among others. According to the figures, one in four places in the voluntary services could be affected by the cuts in 2024.
"Especially in these times, it is irresponsible to make cuts here," it continued. Voluntary services are an indispensable part of society.
The social affairs sector and its finances are at the heart of the controversy surrounding the planned federal cuts to voluntary services. Advocates argue that these cuts could significantly impact the financial stability of these services, potentially leading to a shortage of funds for initiatives in care, child and youth welfare, senior citizen services, and more.
Source: www.dpa.com
