Key findings of the 6th German Survey on Volunteering from the perspective of young volunteers
Pexels/ Mica Asato
The high level of volunteering among young people is particularly noteworthy: 39.9 per cent of 14 to 29-year-olds and 40.4 per cent of 30 to 49-year-olds are involved in voluntary work. This means that the proportion of volunteers in these age groups is higher than that of older age groups. Young people therefore make a central and indispensable contribution to social cohesion.
At the same time, the survey reveals the conditions under which voluntary work reaches its limits. Time constraints are the most common reason for 62 per cent of volunteers to limit or end their commitment. This finding is particularly pronounced among pupils, trainees and students: 80 per cent of them cite the demands of school, training or studies as the main reason. In order to strengthen volunteering in the long term and safeguard the wide range of activities offered by youth organisations in the future, young people need reliable time off - regardless of whether they are in school, academic or vocational training.
The volunteer survey also emphasises that young people take on responsibility in areas of particular social relevance with above-average frequency, for example in the accident and rescue service, in the volunteer fire brigade and in civil protection and disaster control. Against this backdrop, the recurring debate about a compulsory year of social service is proving to be misguided. In connection with the Military Service Modernisation Act, the Bundesjugendring has also repeatedly pointed out that young people are already making a significant contribution to the overall defence and resilience of society. The results of the volunteer survey impressively confirm this.
At the same time, the survey points to a considerable untapped potential for volunteering - especially among young people. Two thirds of 14 to 29-year-olds who are not involved in volunteering can imagine getting involved in the future. This high level of willingness makes it clear that instead of mandatory services, what is needed above all are better framework conditions, lower access barriers and greater social and political recognition for young volunteers.
The Volunteering Survey also confirms what the Fourth Civic Engagement Report has already emphasised: Access to volunteering continues to be unevenly distributed. People with a lower level of education are less likely to volunteer than those with a higher level of education. While the rate of volunteering among people without a migration background has fallen slightly, it remains stable among people with a migration background. These differences point to structural barriers that make access to volunteering more difficult for certain groups and need to be specifically removed. The German Federal Youth Council has commented extensively on the Fourth Civic Engagement Report.
Digitalisation is also increasingly shaping volunteering. 86% of volunteers use digital applications at least occasionally - for example for communication, organisation or coordination. However, purely digital volunteering remains the exception at three per cent. Personal encounters, shared experiences and local interaction remain central - not least as an effective response to loneliness. In the view of the Bundesjugendring, digital tools can support and occasionally facilitate volunteering, but they cannot replace it.
Overall, the results of the Volunteering Survey 2024 show that volunteering is diverse, sustainable and firmly anchored, especially among young people. In order for this commitment to be maintained and further developed in the future, it requires a political framework, sufficient time, financial security, accessibility and reliable structures.