The Federal Government's Fourth Civic Engagement Report is here. What does it say and what does it mean?

The Bundestag's fourth volunteering report shows: Not everyone has the same opportunities to volunteer. What obstacles are there - and what can be improved?

Around 29 million people are involved in volunteering.
Different forms of engagement:

• informally in self-organised groups & initiatives
• formally as "voluntary work" in clubs & associations
• increasingly also digitally

But: income, education and background strongly influence who becomes active ^.1 The report analyses obstacles and makes recommendations for more participation.

The report cites 13 "thresholds" that make access difficult ^.2 For example:

• Little time or ^money3
• Complicated ^bureaucracy4
• Lack of ^{appreciation5}
• Exclusionary ^structures6
• No access to spaces or ^networks7

Organisations of, for example, migrants, queer people or people with disabilities offer protection and empowerment.
They need targeted support and stronger networking with existing structures ^.8

According to the report, new formats are needed, e.g:

• "power sharing" models → A group shares its time, money, space or knowledge with marginalised groups. They can decide for themselves how to use these resources ^.9
• New funding logics → Seeing volunteering not only as a useful form of voluntary work, but also as a means of political co-determination and democratic ^{participation10}

Many committed people experience hostility.
The report calls for

• Protection concepts for ^volunteers11
• Strengthening political ^education12
• Measures against anti-democratic strategies

• Withdraw laws if they unintentionally hinder civil society engagement.
• Reform non-profit law: more legal certainty for politically engaged organisations, protection against abuse by anti-democratic groups. ¹³

Better record and prosecute criminal offences against committed individuals.

Financial barriers exclude many.
The report recommends

• Fair pay for ^{volunteering14}
• Social security for ^volunteers15

Fourth Engagement Report of the German Federal Government

1. all p. 5
2. S. 41
3. S. 42-42
4. and 5. p. 44
6. S. 42
7. S. 43
8. S. 11
9. S. 122
10. S. 67
11. S. 12
12. S. 211
13. all, p. 210-211
14. S. 138
15. S. 215