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Older volunteers fill community service gaps

When Germany scrapped compulsory military service, along with the alternative civilian service in 2011, many feared shortages in the social care sector. But the opposite has been the case, it emerged on Wednesday.

Published: 10 July 2013 13:31 CEST

Older volunteers fill community service gaps

Photo: DPA

The Federal Volunteering Agency (BFD) which replaced the old system of Zivildienst (civil service) was set up with the purpose of recruiting volunteers to carry out the duties formerly performed predominantly by school-leavers between the ages of 18 and 23.

At present, some 35,000 people have signed up to the scheme and according to figures from the Hertie School of Governance and the Centre for Social Investment at the University of Heidelberg, 40 percent of those are over 27 years old.

And in eastern Germany, the trend is even more pronounced with 76.5 percent of volunteers over 27, the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said on Wednesday.

Quite contrary to expectations of a collapse in the social care sector, the BFD is experiencing a flood of applications.

“The number of applications regularly exceeds positions,” Jens Kreuter, head of the jobs tasks force of the Federal Volunteering Agency, told the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

In regions with high unemployment, there’s been an increase of volunteers in the 40-50 year-old age group. And according to Kreuter, volunteers with life experience are a particular asset.

In order to increase the job prospects of volunteers out of work, the agency is planning to introduce monthly seminars, Kreuter told the paper.

But the changeover from the civilian service has not been without its challenges. Older volunteers are more bound by family commitments and – unlike fresh high school graduates – they can’t travel at short notice to attend week-long seminars as was common formerly. They are also less keen to attend the so-called universal education classes offered under the old system. There are plans to adjust the curriculum of the programme accordingly.

So great is the demand from older volunteers that some places are purposely keeping positions vacant until the summer so that school-leavers who wish to complete the civilian service year voluntarily, are not overlooked.

The Local/kkf

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Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions.

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds.

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local.

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with.

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