In Germany around 30 million people are involved in voluntary work. In Schleswig-Holstein it is around 43 per cent of the population. Volunteering, whether in sport, civil protection or the social sector, has a huge impact on social interaction. But how do you find the right volunteering opportunity?

The “nettekieler Ehrenamtsbüro“, led by Alexandra Hebestreit in Kiel, has the answers. As a central point of contact for civic engagement Alexandra Hebestreit emphasises: “Our office advises and supports people who want to volunteer in Kiel and in the surrounding area. With a wide range of counselling, placement and project support services, the office makes it easier for those interested to start volunteering. ”Whether you want to support children with disabilities, as in the “Balu und Du project”, or help with landscape gardening at the “Arche Warder landscape animal park” – there is something for everyone here”, stated Alexandra.

“Especially if you are new to Kiel or if you are interested in other cultures and people from other countries, it is really helpful and exciting to get involved as a volunteer in Kiel”, says Alexandra.

Then, for example, she recommends the project “kulturgrenzenlos”: The intercultural encounter project promotes harmonious coexistence between young people with and without refugee experience through dialogue at eye level. Volunteers can get involved in a variety of projects and the community meets regularly for intercultural events that create space for encounters. One example of a project is the organisation of tandem partnerships for joint leisure activities and cultural exchange under the motto “Inclusion through friendship”. These are just examples from a wide range of volunteer projects.

If you would like to receive a suggestion for volunteering, you should take a look at the ”Mitwirk–O-Mat”. 

This tool shows you how to find the right volunteering opportunity. By answering 20 questions you can receive targeted recommendations on which areas of volunteering are in line with your personal interests. After this step it is recommended that you make an appointment for a personal interview at the “nettekieler Ehrenamtsbüro”, where they will look through a database of around 500 opportunities to see which volunteer position suits you best. You can arrange an informal appointment by email or telephone.The numerous programs offered by the “nettekieler Ehrenamtsbüro”, enable everyone to get involved, play an active role in shaping the city and develop personally in the process. If you are interested or would like to find out more, you should definitely take a look at the website “nettekieler.de“.

Also, there are short-term volunteering opportunities if students have more free time during the semester break and would like to get involved. The office team will be happy to help with individual questions. It is located in the New Town Hall at Andreas-Gayk-Straße 31 and is open from Monday to Thursday from 9am till 3pm and on Friday until 1pm. The team advises interested parties and arranges civic involvement in all areas of society – free of charge.