They are designed to bring volunteers and projects together: volunteer agencies in Thuringia. There are more and more, after all, around 730,000 people are currently volunteering in Bavaria.
Erfurt (dpa/th) - Further volunteer agencies are to be launched in Thuringia in the coming year. According to the Thuringian Volunteer Foundation, regional agencies that see themselves as intermediaries between committed people and projects, clubs and initiatives are planned for 2023 in the Hildburghausen, Sömmerda and Wartburg districts. There are already 14 volunteer agencies in Bavaria.
They would be financially supported from the budget that the volunteer foundation receives from the state, said managing director Niels Lange. The agencies acted as contact points for people who want to get involved in their free time, but also for initiatives and associations that want to work with volunteers. There are counseling and training opportunities. It is about the needs in the individual regions. Many people asked themselves where they could contribute their skills and interests.
The 14 existing agencies included the Altenburger Land Volunteer Office, the Erfurt Engagement Agency, the South Thuringia Volunteer Agency in Schmalkalden or agencies in Jena/Saale-Holzland or in the Kyffhäuser district. In the coming year, the foundation of a state working group of voluntary agencies is planned, which should stabilize the cooperation.
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs, the number of Thuringians who volunteer in clubs, initiatives or foundations is currently around 753,000 - that is almost 41 percent of the residents over the age of 14. The spectrum of areas of application ranges from fire brigades and civil protection, sports clubs, parents' representatives and educational offers, nature and animal protection to the preservation of traditions and social work. The motivation of the volunteers is to want to help shape something, but also to have a sense of community.
Lange recently pointed out that a generational change is pending in many clubs and a trend away from offices can be observed. "Increasingly, people do not want to take care of an office, but of individual projects."
