WITH YOU FOR US ALL Magazine

The Plön district blue light project introduces children and young people to the world of volunteering – in a playful, practical and enthusiastic way. Whether fire brigades, rescue services or disaster control – the project conveys important values and promotes social responsibility. As a winner of the ‘Helping Hand’ award from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI), it sends out a strong signal of commitment. Neele Schwiderski and Nele Schütt report on how the project came about, the challenges it faces and the goals for the future. Dear Mrs Schütt, dear Mrs Schwiderski, what is your role in the blue light project? We are the double Ne(e)le team. We often hear from the children when we first meet: ‘Huh, you’re both called Nele?’ – and the atmosphere is already relaxed. Our team consists of two full-time nursery teachers: Neele Schwiderski and Nele Schütt. Neele Schwiderski has been with us since the start of the project in 2022. Nele Schütt joined in October 2023. Together, we are the main players in the blue light project. Our tasks include arranging and organising appointments as well as preparing for and following up on them. In this way, we act as a point of contact and interface between the facilities and the emergency services organisations. At the same time, we are constantly working on the further development of the project. What does it mean to you to share this commitment with children and young people? It is particularly important to us to get children interested in volunteering and to improve their skills. We want to show children and young people opportunities outside the media world and inspire them to gain valuable social and personal experience. As we are both volunteers ourselves, we are keen to pass on our knowledge to the next generation. How did the idea for the blue light project come about? The fire at a kindergarten in Bokhorst was a decisive event. It gave Kirsten Voß-Rahe the idea of introducing children to voluntary work and teaching them the importance of providing assistance. This eventually developed into a comprehensive pilot project involving all the emergency services organisations in the Plön district. What gaps or problems in volunteering would you like to close with this project? With our project, we want to tackle the lack of young talent, which is a major problem in many areas. In volunteering in particular, it is important to reach the youngest members of society at an early stage and to communicate the importance and value of volunteering to them. By inspiring children and young people to volunteer, we hope to counteract violence against emergency services personnel in the long term and promote a positive attitude towards helpers in society. What makes the blue light project special compared to other initiatives? We unite different organisations in a joint project. This promotes cooperation and exchange between those involved and maximises the reach and impact of our initiative. Our pedagogical training enables us to take the children’s stage of development and needs into account and to convey our content in a child-orientated way. We attach great importance to adapting our concept to the respective age group and continuously developing it further. Our overriding aim is to train children to become capable adults who are able to take responsibility and make a positive contribution to society. How do you work together with the cooperating organisations THW, Johanniter, ASB, volunteer fire brigade, DRK and DLRG? The blue light organisations actively support us in carrying out the events. They accompany us with emergency vehicles and show them to the children, which is always a source of great enthusiasm. They also support us by providing materials and sharing their extensive expertise with us. This close cooperation enables us to give the children and young people a practical insight into the work of the aid organisations and to successfully implement the project. How does the organisational coordination between the participants work? Are there fixed structures or regular meetings? The organisational coordination between the participants takes place through regular meetings with all participating organisations. These meetings enable a direct exchange and the planning of joint activities. Appointments are mainly arranged by telephone or email. We have appointed fixed contact persons from the individual organisations for the collaboration. We coordinate the appointments with them and ensure that all those involved are well informed and involved. What have been the project’s biggest successes so far? One of the biggest milestones was winning first place in the ‘Helping Hand’ award. This recognition confirms our work and motivates us to continue. Another significant highlight is the continuation of the project after a two-year ‘trial period’. The positive response and the success of the first two years have shown us that we are on the right track. Were there any challenges during implementation, and how did you overcome them? At the beginning, we were faced with the task of publicising the project to the general public and the relevant target groups. It was crucial to reach as many educational institutions as possible and get them excited about the project. To overcome this challenge, we contacted schools and kindergartens to present our project and encourage cooperation. We also developed a flyer and sent it to all educational institutions in the district. We also relied on word-of-mouth advertising. The positive response and the commitment of the participants helped to ensure that word of our project spread quickly. What concrete steps would you like to take in the future to further expand the project? In the future, we would like to take several concrete steps to further expand the blue light project. One important aspect is to get more schools on board and actively involve them in our project. By working with schools, we can reach a larger number of children and young people and teach them about the importance of volunteering. In addition, we plan to constantly revise and develop our concept in order to reach the children in the best possible way. By regularly obtaining feedback and adapting our methods, we ensure that our project always meets the current needs and interests of the children. What support would you like to receive? For the future, we would particularly like the support of schools. Close cooperation with educational institutions enables us to reach more children and young people and get them interested in volunteering. It is also very important to us that we continue to work well with the aid organisations. Their support and expertise are crucial to the success of our project.  These two pillars – support for schools and close cooperation with the aid organisations – are essential to the continued success of our project. What else would you like to pass on to children, parents and potential supporters? Don’t look away! It’s important that we all help, no matter what. Every contribution counts and can make a positive difference in our community. We want to show how important and meaningful volunteer work is. Together we can achieve a lot and create a better future for us all. Get involved, because your efforts are valuable and needed. The Plön district blue light project proves that early insights into volunteering not only impart knowledge, but can also promote long-term commitment. Through practical experience and close cooperation with aid organisations, the project creates lasting enthusiasm – and thus makes a valuable contribution to society.

People who volunteer are a great support to society: They can be found as trainers in sports clubs or as organisers of cultural events. They work with refugees or help people without a permanent home. Furthermore  they  look after our safety, put out fires and care for the injured. About the importance of volunteering we interviewed Ralph Tiesler, President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance. How important are volunteers in the field of civil protection in Germany? “Well, accidents and disasters can happen at any time. Their effects can affect everyone and every community. In Germany, many volunteers are involved in these  emergency situations, and they are responsible for over 90% of all operations. They play therefore a key role in ensuring the safety of all of us. This also applies to the field of civil protection, meaning the protection of the population in the state of tension and defence.” In which areas are volunteers deployed? “For example, they attend road accidents. They reinforce dykes, rescue people from their homes or secure buildings in the event of flooding. Technical assistance, such as the emergency power supply for hospitals or the construction of bridges, is also one of their tasks. However, it doesn’t always have to be an emergency service operation: thousands of volunteer swimming trainers, first aid instructors, extras during exercises or administrators in front of computers play an equally important role.” And if you want to volunteer in the field of civil protection? How can you do that? “All organisations introduce themselves on our campaign website. This gives you an insight into the many different activities. Last summer, we published an interactive map of Germany. Interested people can now use a simple postcode search to see where they can get involved in their neighbourhood and contact the organisations directly. Simply call or write an e-mail, go there and join in.” Why do you think it is important for as many people as possible to volunteer? “Oh, the list is quite long. On the one hand, climate change and the changing security situation present us with major challenges. The state cannot provide for and protect millions of people solely through full-time staff. Our assistance system is based on a strong partnership between the state and society. On the other hand, it makes sense from an individual perspective to get involved. It teaches you how to help yourself and help others. Volunteers shape our society. Their commitment holds us together as a society.”

‘The Helping Hand is slowly coming of age’ – this is how Federal Minister Nancy Faeser categorised the long tradition of the 16th presentation of the “Helping Hand” award. The award was established in 2009 to honour volunteer work in the field of civil protection. A tradition which is more than just an award ceremony. The personal exchange between the nominees and the heads of the aid organisations about projects and ideas once again formed the lively setting for this year’s gala in the office building of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI). With around 120 participants, the hall was packed when the Berlin based band ‘Stand Arts’ accompanied the festive part with a mix of styles ranging from bossa nova to chanson – a musical reflection of the diversity of voluntary work in civil protection. Host Susanne Schöne was already able to announce a record in her welcoming address: With 640 submissions, more projects applied this year than ever before. This initially meant a lot of work for the jury, which had the difficult task of selecting worthy nominees and ultimately award winners. Above all, however, it meant that the nominees present in the hall had already beaten hundreds of other applications so that, as Susanne Schöne put it, all those who made it to Berlin could already see themselves as winning projects before the award ceremony. Nancy Faeser recalled the increased importance of civil protection in Germany, driven by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides as a result of the climate crisis on the one hand and war in the centre of Europe on the other. Let this be a reminder to everyone to ‘make our country more resilient’. ‘We have felt too safe,’ said the Federal Minister, summarising the threat situation. ‘Even our strong society is vulnerable’. To counteract this, considerable investments were made e.g. in the warning system, but direct improvements for the numerous volunteers were also necessary. Some had already been implemented, for example, by taking pension entitlements into account, but also by increasing penalties for attacks on helpers. In the eyes of the Federal Minister, the annual Civil Protection Day and the Joint Civil Protection Competence Centre, supported by various stakeholders at federal and state level, are also examples of further efforts in the field of civil protection. Cooperation as a success factor The principle of cooperation between different organisations subsequently formed the common thread for many projects that were awarded with the Helping Hand. A conspicuous number of projects were set up jointly by several organisations. Some partnerships extended beyond the circle of traditional aid organisations. For example, the third place in the ‘Innovative concepts’ category went to the ‘Emergency bell ringing’ project, where the bell ringing of six Protestant and Catholic churches fills gaps in the local siren network and thus helps to alert the population  in the event of an emergency. This was made possible by the creative cooperation between the local civil protection organisation and the church communities. In the district of Plön, six organisations (ASB, DLRG, DRK, FFW, JUH and THW) have joined forces to introduce nursery and school children to the work of emergency service organisations. In this way, they were able to give the children and young people real-life experiences, individually tailored to the respective educational institution, from teddy bear hospitals to plaster-driving-licences. The reward for the work of the ‘Blue Light Project’ was a large number of people interested in joining the volunteer organisation – and first place in the ‘Young talent work’ category. The winner in the ‘Support for Volunteering’ category also involved a broad network: The Service Centre for Volunteering at the Würzburg District Office came up with the striking name ‘FEEL FR.E.E.’ for its collaboration with ASB, DLRG, DRK, FFW, JUH, MHD, THW and others to summarise the guiding principle of voluntary, honorary and committed work. So far, the project has motivated 570 young people to spend a school year getting a taste of the structures and working methods in the field of civil protection. The winners of the third prize in the ‘Support for voluntary work’ category also presented a new image. The Dormagen reservist comradeship accepted their prize for their commitment to dyke protection in a Bundeswehr field suit. A motivation for volunteers beyond the traditional civil defence and disaster control organisations to apply for the Helping Hand. The award, which was not decided by the jury but by votes cast via the website, also went to a joint project: the ‘Disaster Prevention Action Day’ at 40 schools, organised by ASB, DFV/FFW, DLRG, DRK, JUH, MHD and THW. On stage, the delighted organisers revealed the secret of their success – they had canvassed for votes from all over Baden-Württemberg. The ceremony concluded with perhaps the most important part for many: the personal exchange from project to project in order to be inspired and make connections across regions and organisations. In some cases, initial project ideas for the next Helping Hand were already being discussed.  

Today we´re talking to Frank Twardy. He has been a volunteer with Malteser since 2017. In this interview, the 58-year-old tells us how he came to join Malteser International, how the collaboration between younger and older colleagues works, why volunteering reminds him of rock’n’roll and how it can perhaps help against loneliness in old age. Mr Twardy, thank you very much for taking the time to talk to us today. Let’s start at the beginning, how did you come to join the Malteser organisation? Hello! I´ve been with Malteser emergency service for 24 years now. However, not all of that time as an active member, but as a passive member, a sponsoring member so to speak. And how did I first come to join Malteser? My parents were mainly involved. My father was also an active member of the emergency services during his lifetime. Also with Malteser International. He often took me with him on his missions whenever possible. So you have been with Malteser for 24 years, but when did you become an active member? Since 2017, after both my parents passed away. Then I started in the visiting service for Malteser, helping lonely people. Elderly people who may no longer have any relatives. I went outside with them and we had a chat. I then picked them up from the care home. One lady, for example, could no longer go out on her own because she was not as mobile anymore. And as long as the weather was reasonably warm, we packed up the wheelchair and went to Tegeler See to go for a walk and talk. However, the lady passed away at the age of 93. She was in a care home during the coronavirus crisis which was not that easy. The care homes were more or less sealed off. And then I thought to myself: would you like to continue the visiting service? Or perhaps get to know new fields? Because I´m interested in medical things, technical things and social areas. Being a Malteser is not only about emergencies, it has different components. Finally, I ended up in the care service. The care service is all about looking after casualties at the scene of an emergency. And looking after the emergency services, the fire brigade, the police and the other emergency services. You´re an interface. What exactly does that mean? Looking after the emergency services? Looking after the emergency services means being able to provide a meal, drinks, tea or hot soup if necessary. We´re not talking about one hour’s work of the emergency services here, but a much longer period of time. What do you think is the best thing about volunteering? What is the best way to describe it? It is a combination of many things. Firstly, perhaps being able to pursue your own interests, but also being able to help when you are needed. You also have the opportunity to be flexible. Volunteering does not mean you have to help. Or you have to take part in all events or all assignments. Instead, you can. Everyone helps as much as they want to. You can contribute a part of yourself according to your personal skills and interests without having to invest any financial resources. You can learn from others or from your missions and experiences. But you can also take part in further training – even digitally. I also wanted to pursue an activity with a Christian and humanitarian background. And Malteser is a Christian organisation. What else counts? Team spirit. Humanity. Togetherness. New challenges. Getting to know new topics. Practising and training together. So really also the collegial aspect? On the one hand, the aspect of the new challenge and further training opportunities, but on the other hand, the aspect of sharing? Absolutely. Let me put it this way: volunteering brings people together. You have the same goals despite often having very different personalities. That makes it exciting. Never being alone, that’s what the Malteser motto says: ‘Because closeness counts’. You help each other and not just yourself, instead you´re also there for the community. And in which situations do you notice the solidarity of the Maltesers the most? First and foremost in real-life operations. The first thing you look at is: how can we help? What is the situation? What resources are available? What resources are already tied up? Who is available at all? I think that requires a great deal of mutual help and willingness.There are also regular group evenings where we can exchange ideas and socialise. Of course, we talk a lot about the voluntary work here, but also about private matters. Joint events are organised, including on special occasions. An anniversary, for example. There is also a Christmas party, with a corresponding Christian mass, where everyone comes together. There is also an annual kick-off event with the presence of the Bishop of Berlin. There are many opportunities where you do not have to be alone and can socialise. And if one person in the team isn’t feeling well, are you there for each other? Yes, for example, I once had a situation where help was needed from my circle of friends. I did not know how I could help at the time either, but then I was able to use my Malteser contacts and asked: Hey, who could help or name contact points. And they then supported me. That´s great, this networking. And you´re really not alone. Volunteering brings many different people together, including people of different ages. There are younger and older colleagues at Malteser – how do you experience the interaction with each other at Malteser? As part of my professional training, I learnt that younger and older people can work together. I associate it a bit with the music scene. I’m not talking about ‘the older ones’, but about the ‘stars’. They take the newcomers on stage with them in the supporting programme or in the middle programme to give the newcomers the opportunity to make progress. It’s a bit like that with the Malteser. The environment is also a bit like music, like rock ‘n’ roll: from totally relaxed, spending a Tuesday evening together to rock ‘n’ roll in a mission where everyone is challenged. That’s roughly how you can describe it. When you’re on a mission, you’re usually not travelling alone. How many of you are always on duty? That varies greatly. There are usually at least two of us on the road. But that depends on the services – what is required in the services. So, if you take major events, it’s not just Malteser that are requested, but actually all the aid organisations that are available. At the European Championships, for example, all organisations are asked to help if possible. There is also a lot of cooperation because you have to organise yourself together. But that always works well. What is the approximate age range of the team members you often work with? That’s very interesting, because Malteser already offers the opportunity to join as a school paramedic at the age of 16/17. Of course, you have to be of legal age for certain activities. And from there, anything is possible: from 18 to around 65 – that’s a broad spectrum. You just said that their collaboration is like rock ‘n’ roll. The stars take the newcomers on stage with them. Is it a case of the younger ones learning from the older ones? Or is it sometimes the other way round? It’s also the other way round. That’s why I deliberately didn’t want to talk about the older ones, but rather about the stars, because I may be older personally, but I also learn from the younger ones. And younger people can perhaps learn other things from older people or gain experience. So, it’s by no means a one-sided approach. Are older colleagues deployed differently to younger colleagues or do they take on different tasks? In fact you have the opportunity to choose jobs that are a little less physically and mentally demanding than, for example, emergency rescue. For example, in the care service, where you´re more between the situation and the emergency services. In the care service and visiting service, for example, you can still help at 65, or in neighbourhood assistance or refugee aid. When do you think someone is too old to volunteer? I don’t think there is an age limit. It all depends on your personal judgement – how young you are at heart. And how long you can and want to do it physically and mentally. You are still working at the moment. What do you do for a living? I’m a banker. So, a completely different direction. There’s a gap, especially for people who retire. So perhaps the desire arises to use the new free time in a meaningful way. Have you ever experienced something like this in your environment? I can only really say for myself: yes, it’s an issue that goes through your mind. You think that if one day you don’t have to work 110% of the time in your main job, you’ll have more time available at that stage of your life. And how can you make good use of it? This is definitely an issue that I´ve also considered personally and where I think: yes, volunteering is a meaningful task – out of interest and enjoyment of the cause. It probably won’t take up 100% of my time if I also have another hobby or something similar. But it is quite conceivable for me that it will continue to take up a larger part of my time later on. When people retire or later find themselves in a care home, many are unfortunately affected by loneliness. This is especially true when social contacts also dwindle due to the loss of a job. The children may also have left home. Do you think that volunteering can help combat loneliness? Yes, definitely. I believe that if you can give joy yourself, a certain amount of joy comes back. I recently spoke to an elderly lady by chance on the public transport. She had approached me and told me that she was a fully qualified ward sister. And that her husband had died three years ago. And I then asked her if she had the training, wouldn’t she like to do something somewhere in the area of support? Then she told me: maybe that’s not a bad idea. We spoke briefly earlier about the fact that volunteering brings a lot of different people together, young people, older people, but also completely different personalities. So do you think that this might also cause conflicts? Or that it can also be an advantage that you get to know people you wouldn’t otherwise have met? Definitely. It’s really exciting to get to know people who think differently. As far as hobbies and interests are concerned, there are very different directions, for example IT or water sports. And also professions: from electrical engineering to project work, IT projects to education, children, school – there’s everything. You can see that not everything runs smoothly everywhere in society. There are rough edges, problems and hurdles to overcome everywhere. And you can see that every sector has its own special features, but there are also similarities somewhere. Now, if I want to join Malteser, how does it work? Where can I get information, where can I register, who can I talk to? For example, you can call the offices, including the head office, and ask. For example, the Volunteering Department. There are also information brochures about the different areas where you can find out more in advance. You can take a look at the Malteser website: What do they actually do? As I said, we do everything from the school service to the dog squadron. So much is possible, from refugee aid, care services, visiting services, neighbourhood help, integration to hospice. And you’re not forced to say: I’m going into one area for ever and ever and then you’re stuck there. No, you also have the opportunity to say: now I want to do something else. And an honorary position can also be handled very flexibly. It doesn’t mean that you have to do so many hours a month in a year, but that everyone can do what they can and want to do. What everyone is willing to give of their time.

We have long suspected it, but now it has even been scientifically confirmed: Volunteering not only helps society, but can also improve your own cognitive performance. This is the conclusion reached by a research team from the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and the Bavarian Digital Dementia Register (digiDEM Bayern). In a systematic review, the team analysed the links between volunteering and cognitive performance. To do so, the researchers analysed a total of 14 studies from around the world that were published between 2017 and 2021. They included studies from Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, England, England/Scotland, New Zealand, China, Japan and the USA. The FAU researchers came to the conclusion that nine of the studies indicate a positive correlation between volunteering and brain functions. These functions include, for example, perception, thinking, attention and language skills. However, scientists are divided as to whether the frequency of volunteering has a proportional effect on cognitive performance. After all, too much strain from volunteering can lead to stress. The results of the study are particularly relevant for the prevention of dementia. Although the causes of dementia are as varied as they are complex, there are also risk factors that can be modified, such as obesity or smoking. A lack of education can also affect cognitive reserves. Volunteering can counteract this – after all, voluntary work challenges the brain and trains cognitive abilities. In civil defence and disaster control, for example, it is important to quickly recognise a complex situation and find a targeted solution. Volunteering can therefore prevent or delay the risk of developing cognitive deficits. Two of the 14 studies analysed even showed that people with a lower level of education benefit more from the advantages of volunteering for cognitive performance than people with a higher level of education. But other risk factors for dementia are also potentially reduced by volunteering. The sense of camaraderie in civil defence and disaster control organisations provides social support and counteracts isolation. There is also always something to do, so that physical inactivity – another risk factor – is effectively avoided. Incidentally, it is never too late to reduce your own risk of dementia. The study shows that the risk of developing dementia can be significantly reduced even later in life if several factors are reduced at the same time (for example through voluntary work). This is particularly relevant for women, as they are statistically more likely to develop dementia. Of course, voluntary work is no guarantee of ageing without dementia. The main author of the study also points this out. It was only possible to confirm a positive effect on cognitive abilities – not on the risk of dementia. The results were too varied for a clear prognosis. Nevertheless, we are certain that the varied tasks of voluntary work in civil defence and disaster control keep the mind and body fit! If you would like to find out more about the study, you can do so here: https://www.fau.de/2023/07/news/wissenschaft/ehrenamt-staerkt-die-eigene-geistige-leistungsfaehigkeit/ The study itself was published in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. Anne Keefer, Kathrin Steichele, Elmar Graessel, Hans-Ulrich Prokosch, Peter L Kolominsky-Rabas: Does Voluntary Work Contribute to Cognitive Performance? – An International Systematic Review

When human lives, the environment, private property or important public facilities are endangered on a large scale in Germany, many volunteers from the civil protection organisations are usually deployed. They have been specially trained to support people in emergency situations. However, in addition to civil protection, civil defence is also becoming increasingly important. Ralph Tiesler, President of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, explains what this term means and why volunteer work is so important here. Mr Tiesler, what are the tasks of civil defence in Germany? ‘Essentially, civil defence includes all non-military measures to protect the population from the effects of war. This includes, for example, warning the population of threats, evacuating and caring for those affected, caring for the injured and maintaining waterworks, electricity and telecommunications lines.’ How have the demands on civil defence changed in recent years? ‘Previously, the focus was more on civil protection. This task is the responsibility of the federal states, and we as a federal authority support and supplement them. However, with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, our situation has fundamentally changed, and with it the importance of civil defence. We are now increasingly preparing ourselves to be able to act in the event of an attack on us or our allies and to protect and defend the foundations of our free and democratic society.’ What role does volunteering play in civil defence? ‘More than 90% of all civil defence missions are carried out by volunteers. These helpers also make a major contribution to protecting the civilian population and infrastructure in the event of an alliance or even a defence situation. That sounds very abstract at first, but in most cases the volunteers will do the same as they do in a disaster situation: they put out fires, care for the wounded or provide technical assistance. I believe that the role of volunteers in civil defence in particular cannot be emphasised enough.’ What tasks can citizens take on in civil defence? ‘First of all, it is important that every citizen knows what they can do to help themselves, friends, family and neighbours in the event of an emergency. In addition, you can register with an aid organisation, the volunteer fire brigades or the Federal Agency for Technical Relief and undergo training. The activities in civil defence are as varied as life itself. It doesn’t always have to be physically demanding or risky.’