- Expert: Value for volunteerism needed
Volunteering in Saxony-Anhalt has rebounded to pre-Corona levels, according to the assessment of the state's volunteer agency. After the initial lockdown and restriction of social contacts, engagement has surprisingly and positively picked up again, said Jan Greiner, co-managing director. Not only sports clubs have experienced a boom, but also sustainability and environmental protection projects are emerging. "Corona has not left any lasting damage." However, there are deficits in the committed engagement in the rescue service, the voluntary fire brigade in rural areas, and education.
Reception in the Garden of the State Chancellery
The state government has invited 100 volunteers and their partners to a reception at the State Chancellery today to express their gratitude. Among the guests are mushroom experts, nature conservationists, clinic clowns, supporters of the children's fire brigade, people from integration work, a man who runs a children's construction site in a kindergarten, Stolperstein activists, and voluntary firefighters. They are to engage in conversation with each other and with the members of the government.
37 percent of people in Saxony-Anhalt are engaged in community service, said Greiner. The 14 to 19-year-olds make up a particularly large proportion, with almost 60 percent involved in sports and youth associations. "Today's youth are engaged!" According to Greiner, young people make up the largest group. Among people over 60, there are only about half as many volunteers. Individualized life plans, health issues, and the lack of a long tradition of civic engagement in Saxony-Anhalt due to its DDR history play a role.
Engagement changes over the course of one's life
Jan Greiner speaks of an "engagement biography": Those who volunteer as children and teenagers usually continue to do so as adults. However, there are also developments over the years: after school, engagement often takes a backseat and then increases again with professional activity, family, and social integration.
Surveys show that 30 percent of people can imagine getting involved if the framework conditions are right. Support for volunteers and volunteers is needed, as well as points of contact and less bureaucracy. Volunteers also do not want to feel like they are only compensating for deficits, such as parents at unsanitary schools.
An important aspect is the recognition and appreciation of engagement - money usually does not play a role. It can be about spaces that can be used or sometimes about equipment from the building yard. However, free entry to the swimming pool is also conceivable, said Greiner. There is a lot of engagement in many areas in Saxony-Anhalt that is often overlooked.
Despite the impact of the Coronavirus, the state's volunteer agency has reported that volunteering in Saxony-Anhalt has returned to pre-pandemic levels. At a reception at the State Chancellery, mushroom experts, nature conservationists, clinic clowns, and other volunteers were recognized for their contributions, emphasizing the importance of volunteer work even in the face of the Coronavirus.
