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Nahaufnahme eines Fußballfeldes mit grünem Kunstrasen und einer weißen Linienmarkierung in der Ecke. Der Hintergrund ist unscharf und zeigt Bäume und Gebäude.

Credit: stock.adobe.com/Sodel Vladyslav

Information for places of assignment

Guidance and Support for Clubs and Organizations That Wish to Mentor Volunteers in Sports
Vorlesen
Das Bild zeigt eine Übersicht von Einsatzstellen im Sportbereich, unterteilt in verschiedene Kategorien wie soziale Einrichtungen, Sportvereine, Sportverbände und Schulen. Jede Kategorie ist farblich hervorgehoben und mit Symbolen versehen, die die jeweiligen Bereiche darstellen.

Many sports clubs and other organisations (such as schools, sports associations, or youth centers) need helping hands to support and lighten the load for their full-time and volunteer staff. Qualified volunteers can help implement project ideas and take on support tasks for which there is often not enough time in day-to-day operations. At the same time, these organisations help introduce volunteers to the world of sports and social work and highlight the importance of volunteer work in sports, which strengthens civic engagement and solidarity in our society in the long term.

Why should a sports club offer a volunteer program?

Since the necessary funds to hire regular staff are often lacking, new project ideas unfortunately get shelved frequently. Programs for children and teenagers cannot be expanded or improved. Volunteers can help — and they contribute with dedication and enthusiasm. Clubs, associations, and the organiszed german sports benefit, for example, through:

  • Support and relief in day-to-day operations,
  • Advancing projects that are often postponed in daily work,
  • Support for active vacation programs, field trips, sports festivals, project days, and tournaments,
  • Expansion of sports offerings,
  • Recruiting potential young talent and long-term volunteers,
  • Better individualised support for children and youth,
  • Establishing new contacts and opportunities for collaboration,
  • Support with website design or social media presence.
Who can become a placement of assignment?

A key factor in the recognition of placement organisations for voluntary service in sport is that they offer a suitable scope of duties. Organisations must be non-profit or dedicated to the public good. Sports clubs and sports associations that offer roles in children’s and youth work can apply for placement recognition nationwide. Depending on the federal state, schools, nurseries or other organisations that employ volunteers in the sports sector may also become placement organisations themselves.

Places of assignment in sport may therefore include clubs and sports organisations that regularly organise games, sports and leisure activities for children and young people, such as sports clubs, sports federations, youth holiday camps, active nursery schools, sports schools and sports education centres, and children’s and youth leisure centres. Tasks and activities include, for example, assisting with club or association work, at sports festivals or sports trial events, during holiday camps, at adventure sports events or skateboarding meet-ups, at parent-and-child gymnastics sessions, or in other interesting areas of work within sport.

Further information is available in the Handbook on Voluntary Services in Sport.

Duration, Bureaucracy, Costs

The volunteer service typically begins on 1. of September each year. It lasts a minimum of six and a maximum of 18 months. During the volunteer year, participants are entitled to vacation days and educational leave. The responsible organisation (“Träger”) — usually the State Youth Sports Association — handles all bureaucratic formalities. The place of assignment shares in the costs.

If you would like to create a volunteer position in your club or association, please contact the relevant representatives in your state or your umbrella organization.

Quality Standards

The quality standards of the volunteer programs in sports and the responsible organisation form the basis for cooperation between the placement site and responisible organisation (“Träger”). They are coordinated with the dsj as the central office and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs.

Quality Recommendations for places of assignment

The quality recommendations for places of assignment apply to the entire network of FWD organisations in sports. They provide guidance and create a sense of security—especially in conflict situations.

It is important to note that these are expressly recommendations. The decision regarding their binding nature and their specific implementation is, by design, the responsibility of the individual organisations.

Quality commendations for places of assignment