DBJR as an expert on the Committee for Sport and Volunteering

During the hearing, Broda made it clear that young people did not need to be persuaded to get involved in the first place. He said there was a high level of willingness to take on responsibility. What mattered far more, he argued, was whether the political, financial and legal framework enabled young people to actually translate this willingness into active engagement.

At the same time, Broda emphasised that youth engagement is under increasing pressure. The DBJR’s written submission identifies a multitude of structural challenges that make it difficult to get started in voluntary work, place a strain on those already involved and, in the long term, jeopardise the generational transition within youth organisations. These include increasing bureaucratic requirements, the narrowing of unrestricted spaces, the loss of physical venues for youth work, mental health pressures on young people, a lack of transport options, particularly in rural areas; the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; unequal access to volunteering opportunities; increasing threats and attacks from the far-right; and a lack of financial planning security.

The issue of reliable funding played a central role in the hearing. Broda emphasised that youth organisations constitute an independent and legally enshrined sphere of action within child and youth welfare. Their national structures pool practical experience, develop professional standards, train staff and volunteers, advise and connect youth organisations, and provide materials, strategies and guidance. This infrastructure has a direct impact on local practice. It enables youth organisations at state, district, county and local levels to operate in a reliable, quality-assured and needs-based manner. Against this background, Broda identified the strengthening of the Federal Child and Youth Plan – announced in the coalition agreement for the 21st legislative period – as a key reference point for the continued promotion of youth engagement.

Another key focus of the hearing was the issue of reducing bureaucracy. Broda made it clear that many requirements, which may seem justifiable in their own right, collectively place a considerable burden on structures run by volunteers. Reducing bureaucracy must therefore be developed in close collaboration with those on the ground: hand in hand between youth organisations, the administration and politicians. The aim must be to ensure protection, quality and transparency without overburdening voluntary work with unnecessary procedures.

During the MPs’ follow-up questions, there was also a discussion on how youth organisations deal with social media and what impact digital spaces have on young people’s engagement. Broda pointed out that social networks are far more than mere communication channels for young people. They are spaces for information, networking, self-organisation and participation. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital platforms had served as an important point of reference for staying in touch with one another, raising the profile of activities and maintaining engagement despite massive restrictions. At the same time, Broda made it clear that digital spaces could not replace engagement within local youth organisations. They could complement and support interaction, community and democratic experience in physical spaces, but could not fully replicate them.

With regard to current debates surrounding social media, Broda emphasised that the DBJR rejects calls for blanket bans. A blanket ban on social media would fail to recognise the reality of young people’s lives and could also restrict the spaces in which young people network, organise and engage politically. At the same time, she said, better protection for young people in the digital space is needed, for example through effective platform regulation.

Furthermore, Broda emphasised that encouraging young people to get involved is achieved through new engagement formats, but not solely through them. Young people need time and space for self-organised engagement. Intensified educational pathways, all-day schooling, exam pressure, vocational training, university studies and paid work reduce the free space that makes voluntary engagement possible in the first place.

Broda also drew particular attention to threats and attacks from the far-right spectrum. Youth groups, youth organisations and youth networks have increasingly reported insults, online attacks, threats, damage to property and attempts at intimidation. These attacks were directed not only against individual organisations, but against the democratic self-organisation of young people as a whole. They created a sense of insecurity, tied up resources and could lead to young people withdrawing from voluntary work for fear of hostility. Promoting democracy therefore also means providing targeted support to youth organisations in dealing with such threats and visibly strengthening young civil society.

From the DBJR’s perspective, youth engagement requires visibility, recognition and reliable support. Anyone wishing to effectively encourage the next generation of volunteers must not force or persuade young people. The key is to create conditions that ensure engagement remains possible, accessible, protected and sustainable in the long term.

To watch the recording of the session on Parliament TV: https://www.bundestag.de/ausschuesse/sport_und_ehrenamt/anhoerungen/1182488-1182488