MIT DIR FÜR UNS ALLE Magazin

Today in an Interview: Zaid Alasady from Neuried near Munich. He is 19 years old and has been an active member of the volunteer fire department in his home town for the last five years. Since this year, he has also been involved in the „ABC-Zug München-Land“. We talk to Zaid about how a coincidence turned his life upside down, how his love of chemistry has led to his second volunteer position – and why he also benefits from his knowledge gained from volunteering in everyday life. Hello Zaid! Let’s start from the beginning: what motivated you to become a volunteer? I got into volunteering through the fire department. The volunteer fire department in Neuried had organized a discovery day with lots of activities for young people to get to know each other. We were allowed to put on firefighting gear and were able to try our hand at various stations. Back then, we were thrown straight into the world of firefighting – fire hoses, putting out fires and, of course, exploring fire engines. That was pretty cool. After all, many children dream of joining the fire department one day! How old were you back then? I was 14 years old when I joined the youth fire department. We learned a lot there through games. For example, there were scavenger hunts with radios through our small town. Or we learned how to use the water-carrying fittings on hot days. From the age of 16, as long as you’ve been there for two years, you’re actually allowed to go out on operations. Can you still remember your first operation? I think it was a housewarming party – something very typical. Someone locks themselves out and has left the stove on. Then we arrive and break down the front door to prevent anything worse from happening. I have to admit: That was very exciting! It’s just a completely different world. Suddenly you’re driving a fire engine for the first time! When you arrive at your destination, you are the friend and helper. In addition to your voluntary work with the volunteer fire department, you also have a second voluntary position. What exactly do you do there? Exactly, I joined the „ABC-Zug München-Land“ this year. It was because of my great interest in chemistry – chemistry was the subject I was most interested in at school. I already knew the ABC-Zug from the fire department, as we work together with them in the event of any chemical problems. So I thought to myself: just write to them! After that, I went there in person to take a look at the whole thing. “ABC” sounds so cute at first, but what exactly does it stand for? “ABC” stands for “nuclear”, “biological” and “chemical” hazards. That may sound dangerous, but at the end of the day, luckily we don’t have that many dangers in Germany. What can happen more frequently, however, is an accident involving a transport vehicle with chemicals, for example. Then we have to be on site and neutralize the chemicals if necessary. When else is the „ABC-Zug“ needed? Another thing I didn’t know at the beginning was that the „ABC-Zug“ is automatically involved in every large-scale fire, for example a building fire – because of the fire gases. These consist of so many different chemicals that the „ABC-Zug“ has to be involved. It supports the fire department and tells them whether the building can be reopened to the public. What do you enjoy most about your voluntary work? Firstly, that you really actively help people. You get out of your normal everyday life and slip into the life of a firefighter – and then you’re just there to help other people. On the other hand, the great thing about volunteering is that you can contribute and develop your personal interests and expertise – like I did in the „ABC-Zug“. And what challenges do you see in your voluntary work? You have to be prepared for the fact that not everything goes according as planned. Sometimes things can go so wrong that you see things on site with the fire department that you don’t want to see. Think of a traffic accident, for example. You always have to be mentally prepared for that. What options are there for dealing with such difficult situations? Volunteering is like a second family. We have what is known as psychosocial emergency care (PSNV) on our side. These are psychologists who are firefighters themselves. And as soon as something really dramatic happens, they are automatically called in. So we have our own specialized experts who provide us with psychological support. We are also actively consulted before an operation. If you don’t want to do something, nobody is forced to do so. Can you also benefit from the knowledge you have gained through volunteering in your everyday life? Yes, very much. That was very strongly the case for me because, admittedly, I was a very introverted person before I started volunteering. I rarely helped others and when I got into a tricky situation, I was always overwhelmed. Now that I’ve become something of an expert, I see the world through different eyes and know how to help people. I have the knowledge to make sensible decisions in difficult situations. Volunteering really makes a huge difference to your personality in a positive way. Is there a specific situation that you can think of? I remember a situation from last summer: an elderly person can’t cope with the heat and trips and falls – straight onto the asphalt with their head. People’s first reaction is just to look and do nothing. With the knowledge I’ve gained from my voluntary work, I immediately run a different program. I don’t look at what’s happening, but analyze the situation directly. Then actively approach the person and apply the processes I learned. Is the person still responsive? Is he or she bleeding? Is a conversation possible? All of this happens so quickly that you almost don’t notice it. As soon as you start to help the person yourself, other people join in. The biggest problem is always the first step. But thanks to volunteering, you’re constantly in the role of helping anyway. That really makes a huge difference in everyday life. What advice would you give to someone who might be hesitant about volunteering?  Just have a look – all civil protection and disaster control organizations offer this! Then you can find out on the spot whether it’s something for you. Another option: go for a drink and a meal with the team and ask questions. You can really feel your way around for as long as you like. Until you really feel that you get on really well with the people and that volunteering is the right thing for you. Do you have specific plans for the future for your voluntary work? Definitely! At some point, I would like to work at management level, for example as a specialist advisor in the NBC platoon or as a group leader in the fire department. I’m currently doing my respiratory protection training with the fire department. The firefighters with this demanding training are the ones who first go into a burning building. With their equipment and training, they are able to rescue people from the fire. Did your 14-year-old self expect that you would experience so much with volunteering? Never in my life, honestly! It was a really big coincidence in my life – and the best one! Because it really turned everything upside down in a positive sense. Looking back, I wouldn’t want to do anything differently. If I were 14 again, I would make the same decision again!

Ralf Kosse – THW The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BKK) organized a photo competition under the motto “Your photo for all of us”. Anyone was allowed to submit a photo – on the condition that it was related to voluntary work in civil protection and disaster relief. Of the 134 photos submitted, the 20 best pictures were put to a community vote online. One of the photographers who made it through with their pictures is Ralf Kosse. He is a volunteer at the THW and his picture received over 4,000 votes. We met Ralf Kosse for a chat – to congratulate him on his success and to get some first-hand background information. We meet Ralf online. He is currently on vacation and welcomes us for a chat from his rented apartment. He could really use a vacation at the moment, as he is in the middle of renovating his house back home. When asked about the progress of the building work, he replies with a laugh: “One of the advantages of being a THW member: You learn how to use a drill and the like. I’ll probably be chiseling up walls, laying screed and a few other things myself.” From recovery equipment to camera Ralf has been a volunteer with the THW for many years. He joined the THW Gronau youth group in 1991 at the age of 12. He completed his basic training in 1997 and later became a squad leader in the “second rescue group”. A few years later, he was squad leader in the “electrical supply specialist group”, and for a year he also acted as its group leader. Since 2017, he has been the public relations officer for the Gronau local association, which has around 85 members. He often accompanies exercises and operations of “his” THW with a camera. So he is well experienced in handling the camera. WHow did the winning photo come about? “I heard about the BBK photo competition when we received the press release from the BBK in our local association.” Ralf was immediately convinced to try his luck. An idea for the submission was quickly found: THW Gronau had organized a photo shoot a few months ago to celebrate Mother’s Day. At that time, a wide variety of photos were taken for the website and the Facebook page. Two helpers, who are already mothers, were photographed in different scenarios. This also resulted in the winning photo, of which Ralf was absolutely certain: “That’s just the thing for this competition!” An honorary position for the whole family The photo shows: THW member Melissa with her little daughter Rieke, who is trying on a THW T-shirt, helmet and boots – all still a little oversized for the toddler, which makes the scene even cuter. Melissa’s husband Torsten is also active in the THW. “And with Rieke, it’s probably only a matter of time,” says Ralf, “the three of them are the best example of families at THW. That’s not just the case here, but in many local associations.” Families are also not uncommon in many other volunteer organizations. They spend a lot of time there and often make new friends. For some, volunteering even becomes a second home. Not a men’s club with heavy equipment Ralf reports that the local association in Gronau has an above-average proportion of women, at twenty percent. Although this does not yet reflect the ratio in the rest of the population, Ralf is certain that the THW has the best prerequisites to further increase the numbers: “There is still room for improvement! The THW is not just a men’s organization with heavy equipment. For us, being a woman is not an issue at all; the 1950s are long gone. Of course, our female helpers also drive the really big trucks and stand at the winch.” Ralf is convinced that society still has work to do when it comes to gender parity. By submitting the photo, he wanted to set a good example, so to speak. “And I thought: photos with children are always good,” he adds with a grin. A close race The jury really didn’t have an easy time judging the photos. Especially in the top places, the points were extremely close. Ralf can therefore be all the more proud of the success of his photo – although it also had to win the community vote after being shortlisted by the jury. How did Ralf manage to motivate as many people as possible to vote? “I started by contacting my family and colleagues and writing to all the WhatsApp groups.” He intentionally didn’t use the website of his local THW association in Gronau as an advertising platform: “I thought that was unfair. After all, it was about me as a photographer and not about me as a THW member.” Gronau goes viral But there are two Facebook groups for the town of Gronau. He posted the photo there. Before the post, there were two to three hundred votes – not even an hour after the post, there were 1,200. Ralf is still happy about this success today: “People were voting for all they were worth. Everyone in Gronau stuck together and spurred each other on to get even more votes.” Has the success on the Internet already made itself felt in the analog world? “Torsten, Melissa’s husband, told me the other day that he had already been approached about it at work. Gosh, that’s your wife in the photo, isn’t it?” Everyone can help ZAt the end of the interview, we ask Ralf if he has a message for the readers. His prompt reply: “I’ve always found it very helpful to have people with different ways of thinking and backgrounds in the team. There are many more tasks in THW than just operating heavy machinery and cut-off saws. Volunteering can be a home for just about anyone. And anyone can help.”“

Sebastian Ohneseit – ASB Today on the line: Sebastian Ohneseit. He can be seen in the winning photo from Karlsruhe. But the real hero of the photo has four paws and an absolutely reliable nose: Australian Shepherd Paul, a rescue dog. Owner and rescue dog handler Sebastian tells us today what he does for a living, how he came to volunteer, why working in the rescue dog unit is something very special – and of course the story behind the photo. “When an electric car catches fire, I’m thrilled – from a technical point of view!” says Sebastian, 28, a graduate engineer in mechanical engineering and research assistant at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. There he conducts research in the field of applied materials on the safety and thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries and how this can be prevented or controlled. So fires and explosions are a natural part of his day-to-day work. But he didn’t first come into contact with fire as an engineer. He joined the youth fire department at the age of ten. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t do it earlier,” says Sebastian. This voluntary work was his absolute passion right from the start.” Love of dogs awakened in the fire department He also remained loyal to it as an adult. During his studies in Kaiserslautern, he was active in the fire department in the city center and gained operational experience there. The fire department also brought him into contact with his second great passion: working with dogs. His first contact with the rescue dog team was during a search operation as a firefighter: “I was immediately enthusiastic and wanted to join!” Unfortunately, it was difficult to combine a dog with his studies. But as soon as Sebastian started his professional life, he got down to business and signed up to the rescue dog team to take a closer look at the work – but still without a dog. “Normally, you have the dog first and then join the rescue dog team. That’s why I was looked at strangely at first. But I wanted to choose the right dog for the work in the squadron straight away.” The choice fell on an Australian Shepherd: Paul, the hero of the winning photo. The dog can do what no technology can But it was a long journey for Paul to shine, one that the dog and his owner mastered together. There are around a dozen trained rescue dogs throughout Karlsruhe. The demanding training takes two to three years. The reason: “The dog has to work. If we say the section of forest is empty, then no one will search there. We have no room for error. We rely on the dogs’ noses.” A great achievement by the animals and so Paul is quite rightly the focus of the winning photo. Sebastian makes it clear: “Rescue dogs save people’s lives. Our dogs can do something that no technology can. It’s a resource that can’t be replaced.” Hard training leads to the goal When you have so much responsibility, you naturally have to train hard. What exactly does Sebastian and Paul’s training schedule look like? “We train for about three hours on Wednesday evenings. And five to seven hours on Saturdays. Then there’s the private training with the dog at home and the commitments for civil protection. Paramedic services, training courses for rescue dog work and civil protection and, of course, missions.” Sebastian became a paramedic in 2020 and a rescue dog trainer in 2022, the same year he took over as head of the rescue dog team. But how exactly does the work of the rescue dog team work? In which areas are the dogs trained? Sebastian explains: “There are four areas: Water search, mantrailing, area search and debris search. We work in the area search, which mostly takes place in forests and fields.” For example, if a person goes missing, the rescue dog team is alerted by the police and search areas are defined. “And we then plan the most suitable tactics for searching the area. In addition to the topography, the wind direction must also be taken into account, for example, as this is relevant for the dogs to pick up the scent. During its training, the dog has learned to work out the scent particles that it can perceive very well, which every person emits and which are distributed by the wind, and to track them back to the person. How did the submitted photo come about? Sebastian pursues photography as a hobby. During his studies, he took a foreign module on photography in France – and caught fire here too. It’s a good way to combine a hobby and voluntary work: “We regularly take the camera into the field. Simply to be able to show our work. After all, we spend many hours in the forest every week. It’s often easier to explain to friends and family what we’re actually doing with a picture.” As Sebastian can be seen as the dog guide in the winning photo, he didn’t take the picture himself: “We work very closely with the Malteser Hilfsdienst rescue dog team in training and operations, a cooperation that benefits both sides. We support each other in terms of personnel and can act as managers for the other organization during operations. As part of this collaboration, we trained a team from the Malteser Hilfsdienst in area searches. A dog guide, who acted as the missing person in this search, took the picture from this perspective.” He continues: “In this picture, I wanted to show the unusual perspective from the point of view of a rescued person, the moment of redemption when help arrives, in this case the ASB and Malteser emergency services. And apparently the idea was so convincing that we made it into the voting with the picture. Further proof that when aid organizations work together, really good things come out of it.” The hot phase of the voting Sebastian motivated all social media channels to vote. And his commitment paid off. And not just because the photo was one of the winning photos in the end. Sebastian knew how to use the attention generated by the photo competition and the voting for himself and his animal friends. “When we were told we were in the voting, I immediately wrote to ASB Karlsruhe’s public relations department. Then it got exciting: suddenly the managing director and other full-time staff were involved and I was allowed to report on our rescue dog team.” All of a sudden, the concentrated attention was focused on the rescue dog work. In addition to ASB Karlsruhe, the regional association posted a story on Tik Tok, while the national association published a post on its Instagram page. Sebastian looks back on the success of the photo competition with satisfaction: “I think that we were able to reach a lot of people with the competition, get them interested in the topic of civil protection and increase their awareness of a particular aspect of it.” Can anyone join the dog unit? And what if lots of people suddenly want to join the rescue dog team? Is it even something for everyone? Basically yes, says Sebastian. “You have to be physically able to move well in the forest, even cross-country – and not get lost if possible,” he adds with a wink. “The most difficult requirement for us is probably the time required and the work with the dog. The dogs notice immediately if you are nervous or unbalanced – that can make the work much more difficult.” In addition, not everyone is able to devote ten hours a week or more to their voluntary work. But there are other tasks in the rescue dog squadron besides being a dog handler. “You can also join us as a helper without a dog, depending on how much time you have. Or you can support us on the technical side. We can find the right volunteer role for anyone who is interested.” Volunteering for the whole family What many volunteers report also applies to Sebastian: Volunteering is also a family affair. His wife is also active in the relay team. They often spend their free time together volunteering. “If you include Paul, the whole family is involved in the dog unit.” And his relay colleagues have also become friends. Volunteering is simply a completely different world to working in the lab – and that is precisely why it is so fulfilling. Sebastian talks about a night-time search mission in a storm last week. During the intensive search under a sky lit up by lightning, there is no room for everyday worries. Sebastian confirms: “You don’t have time to think about upcoming lectures or test series, you’re fully focused on fulfilling the mission in the best possible way.” In addition to balancing work, volunteering is also valuable for another reason: “Volunteering for the blue light really helps you to develop a different perspective, gain skills for life and specialist knowledge.” And it can also get you on the dog. Sebastian and Paul can be seen with their winning picture in the exhibition “Held:innen von nebenan – Ehrenamtliche im Porträt” in Kiel, Koblenz and Chemnitz.

Laura Holder – Wasserwacht BRK Sparkling blue water, a life belt in the middle and children, teenagers and a lifeguard gathered around it: not only does the picture immediately take you back to summer, it also shows great enthusiasm and lightness. How did Laura Holder manage to take this snapshot, which is one of the four winners of the BBK photo competition? That’s exactly what we’re talking about today with the 16-year-old aspiring lifeguard from Wiesenfeld/Karlstadt. Despite her young age, Laura Holder is an “old hand” when it comes to the element of water. She first came across the water rescue service in the second grade – and swimming has stayed with her ever since. For all those who are not familiar with the term “water rescue”: This is the water rescue organization of the Bavarian Red Cross. Laura is training in the water rescue organization’s youth group in Triefenstein so that she can work as a lifeguard one day. A responsible job. Because whether in the swimming pool, at the lake, on the river or on the coast: lifeguards save people of all ages from drowning. Everyone is welcome at the water rescue service “But you shouldn’t be too afraid of this task – that’s exactly what you’re trained for. There is plenty of theoretical and practical training before you actually become a lifeguard,” says Laura, taking away any fears of not being up to this responsible task. She adds: “Volunteering is a lot of fun and you simply feel good when you can do something social. We also have a great community. It’s a really great feeling when you know that you might be able to make a big difference one day – and it doesn’t depend on your age. Everyone is welcome at the „Wasserwacht“!” Two hobbies combined Laura currently trains once a week for the water rescue service, but also swims laps in the pool several times a week privately. Outside of the cool water, Laura also pursues a hobby: photography. Normally, however, she is out and about with her camera on soccer pitches. When her father drew her attention to the BBK photo competition on the subject of “Volunteering”, she didn’t hesitate for long: instead of the green of the soccer pitch, the blue swimming pool should now form the backdrop for the perfect photo. But how did Laura go about it? Together with a friend, she first collected ideas on how to best fulfill the requirements of the competition with a photo of her volunteer work. A hit at the last minute No sooner said than done: at the beginning of June, the Triefenstein Water Rescue youth group stayed in the water a little longer after training – and Laura tried out possible motifs with her camera. What looks so easy today was hard work in the background: “For example, we still had a motif with the buoy where someone is being towed away. But that didn’t look so nice and we also missed the communal element in the picture. For us, the lifebuoy symbolizes that we are connected as a community – this picture was actually the last one we shot. But it was a perfect fit.” The view from above Anyone wondering whether a drone was involved in the unusual perspective is told by Laura with a laugh: “I took the photos from the diving platform. It took a little while to get the right perspective. But everyone really did a great job and it was a lot of fun.” The effort put into the picture composition was definitely worth it. Despite the effort Laura put into the photo, the news that she was in the top 20 came as a complete surprise to her: “I was really extremely surprised! We had only taken part for fun. But of course I was very happy about the good ranking.” A photo on the road Once the initial positive shock had been overcome – it was time to vote for the top 20 winners – Laura and the others promoted the photo primarily via social media – on private Instagram accounts, via WhatsApp and on the water rescue service’s social media channels. The photo even made it beyond the country’s borders. The photo ended up in a Facebook vacation group in Turkey, from where it traveled internationally. How does it make Laura feel to think that the picture has spread so far and wide – and can now be seen in exhibitions all over Germany? “Of course I’m proud of myself for coming up with the idea for the photo. But I’m also proud of the whole group who volunteered to take part after training. And I’m also excited – I hope that lots of people can relate to the photo!” Laura’s winning photo can be seen in the exhibition „Held:innen von nebenan – Ehrenamtliche im Porträt“ in Kiel, Koblenz and Chemnitz.

Maximilian Gießelmann – DLRG The spume of a river – and a DLRG river rescuer in the center. Maximilian Gießelmann’s photo is pretty action-packed. In this interview, the 28-year-old tells us who jumped into the waters of the Isar, why he was there with his camera and how many times he had to press the shutter button to take this winning photo. Small spoiler: It was more than a hundred times … The water was Maximilian Gießelmann’s element from an early age: he began swimming training in the fifth grade. He became active in the DLRG during his A-levels and can now look back on a decade of voluntary work. Maximilian covers many areas: as a trainer for swimming lessons, as a boat driver, current rescuer, EHSH instructor (first aid with self-protection content) and now also as a group leader. But how is it that Maximilian is also good with a camera despite his attraction to the water? More than “just” a swimming instructor As a media technology graduate, Maximilian is also interested in photography. He says: “As I work in print and media technology, I’ve submitted the one or other project in the past.” So far, however, these submissions have come to nothing – so Maximilian was all the more pleased to have hit the nail on the head with his photo this time. But how did the submission come about in the first place? Maximilian explains the basic motivation for choosing this particular photo as follows: “In Geretsried, we are mainly known as swimming coaches from the indoor pools. We want to change that and be recognized more for our water rescue service.“ A photo against all odds What could be more fitting than submitting a spectacular photo of a river rescuer? The fact that there are so many of these photos on Maximilian’s hard drive was down to chance – in two ways. Firstly, the DLRG had scheduled an exercise in 2021. “With great effort and additional expense, we were able to hold it despite coronavirus,” Maximilian remembers. Secondly, the winning photo would not have existed if Maximilian had taken part in the exercise himself. However, he was unable to do so due to injury, which is why he grabbed a camera instead: a real stroke of luck in retrospect. An experienced river rescuer in action Even if it is hard to imagine how such a photo would be arranged, Maximilian makes it clear: “The pictures are not posed, of course.” But how is such a snapshot in full action possible? It only works by repeating it, Maximilian makes clear: “I have about 200 other pictures from the exercise that turned out absolutely nothing.” Incidentally, the photo shows Technical Director Operations Bendikt Schrettenbrunner, an experienced river rescuer. He was delighted that the photo was so successful in the competition, reports Maximilian. “But he doesn’t like being in the spotlight. That’s probably why he’s pleased that he’s not so easily recognizable in the picture,” he adds with a grin. The danger is always there Anyone looking at the picture will probably find it hard to imagine being up to the task of a river rescuer. But Maximilian says: “In fact, we can train almost anyone to become a river rescuer. However, a certain level of physical fitness and the right mental attitude are among the most important qualifications.” For example, initial fitness for action is regularly measured using the Cooper test, which some people may remember from school. What remains is always a certain amount of risk: “We regularly put ourselves in danger. You have to be able to deal with that.” Wild water: ignorance can be fatal But the image certainly not only inspires respect for the work of the river rescuer – the elemental force of a raging river is also impressively captured. It is clear at first glance that a seemingly harmless day of swimming in the river can have fatal consequences. And this is precisely the message Maximilian wants to communicate with his photo: “Wild rivers are dangerous. Unlike indoor swimming pools, wild rivers are unpredictable. Every teenager here in Geretsried is on the Isar in summer. And it’s important to know what the water can potentially do to you.” The photo causes a stir – right up to the Bavarian state government Thanks to Maximilian’s photo, many more people are now aware of the dangers of wild rivers. Of course, his commitment to motivating as many people as possible to vote has also made waves. How did he approach this? “The DLRG regularly deploys rescue teams to the coast. I’ve also been there a few times. So I contacted all the rescue teams from that time. They then activated their local associations.” Of course, Maximilian was also delighted to inform his fellow students at the university. The publicity has already paid off, reports Maximilian: “We actually received a request from the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior asking if they could use the photo for a brochure.” Safety on the water is the common goal For those who simply cannot imagine jumping into a raging river, there are of course other tasks at the DLRG. Maximilian makes it clear: “There are so many other activities: Public relations, youth work, swimming coaches at schools and also the many administrative tasks. We have many lifeguards, but not all of them.” As varied as the activities at the DLRG may be, they are all based on the same motivation: ensuring safety in the water. This element unites the volunteers – beyond age limits and other boundaries. “You get to meet so many exciting people, you make friends in the association, make contacts and become part of a large community with the same goal,” says Maximilian, describing his “volunteer feeling”. Maximilian’s winning picture can be seen in the exhibitions „Held:innen von nebenan – Ehrenamtliche im Porträt“ in Kiel, Koblenz and Chemnitz.

Today we’re talking to Luna Kratzsch – for the second time! In 2021, we met Luna for our video podcast “Freiwillig busy”. Back then, she told us – together with Stella from the German Red Cross – about her volunteer work as a paramedic at Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. Shortly after the podcast, it was clear that we had to meet again! Now it worked out and we were able to discuss many exciting topics in depth – from diversity in volunteering to dealing with mental illness and personal development. Luna herself is affected by depression and borderline personality disorder. In this interview, she reveals how her experience of dealing with mental illness can be useful in volunteering. Hello Luna, welcome again! In 2021, we met up with Stella and you for the podcast recording. How have you been at Johanniter since then? Very well! The podcast has actually led to a few more things. For example, I have passed on my knowledge about mental illness and how we as helpers can deal with it several times as a speaker – at Johanniter service evenings in Oldenburg, but also at other organizations, such as the German Red Cross in Stade. My work itself hasn’t changed that much. But I have recently taken on a bit more responsibility in the planning group for larger ambulance services. Do you generally feel that the topic of mental illness is given enough consideration in volunteer paramedic training? I do feel that there is a change towards greater awareness of the topic. Trainers are also becoming more aware that the topic is currently not being dealt with sufficiently. Another major problem is often the focus of the topic. Most of the training courses focus on depression and suicidal tendencies – but the range of mental illnesses is much wider. It is also very rare that we have people in training who have professional expertise in the field of psychiatry. And it’s even rarer for those affected to have their own voice heard. This makes it all the more important that you, as a person affected by mental illness, raise public awareness – and that you introduce an important aspect of diversity in voluntary work with the topic of mental illness. In your experience, how else is this broad term ‘diversity’ brought to life? On the one hand, it’s something that happens almost incidentally for us – through our humanitarian approach, so to speak. On the other hand, I have the feeling that there are more and more efforts to address the topic of diversity in volunteering more consciously. This is probably related to the fact that the large aid organizations are increasingly taking up this issue, including in their role as full-time employers. And there are many initiatives by organizations that aim to make diversity in voluntary work more visible, also for the purpose of recruiting members. On the other hand, the topic is playing a greater role due to the influx of young people. Diversity is therefore being addressed more and more from both above and below. You also said in the podcast that you personally feel that you encounter fewer barriers in voluntary work than in the rest of society. How do you explain that? I think several factors play a role here. Firstly, the humanitarian approach I just mentioned. Volunteering is characterized by the fact that we don’t get paid for it. We do it because we want to – and the people who are there enjoy it. That’s a completely different motivation than when I go to work and get paid for it. But that also means I have higher expectations: I want to be able to be exactly who I am here, I want to feel comfortable. I believe that this already makes you a little more open. And on the other hand, I believe that volunteering attracts many people who are not bound by a rigid way of thinking. There are no elitist aspirations here. We are simply there to help – and not to take on some heroic role. This means that in volunteering, no one has to pretend to be something they are not. If you can be yourself authentically when volunteering: Do you then also get to know each other better – especially in the field of disaster management, where you can sometimes find yourself in extreme situations? I think you have to separate the deployment from the preparation, which takes up most of your time. But of course, you are potentially exposed to more extreme conditions during operations. That’s why you definitely get to know yourself more honestly in terms of your character, because of course the stresses and strains and more extreme environmental conditions mean that you are a bit more reduced to who you actually are. But this authenticity is also simply necessary in order to deal with the stress in the end. If I completely disguise myself, for example, it’s also difficult to talk about what might be bothering me now.   Dealing with your own psyche: you also mentioned in the podcast that people who have learned to deal with a mental illness even have an advantage in some situations compared to those who have never learned to do so. What advantages do you see for yourself, for example? For one thing, I have a different emotional sensitivity. In other words, a greater sensitivity to how my counterpart is actually feeling. This can be very helpful when dealing with patients as well as with colleagues. On the other hand, I find it easier to deal with people with other mental illnesses because I can better understand the reality of their lives – even if they have completely different illnesses. In these situations, it is easier for me to make contact and perhaps also to mediate a little, even here in our volunteer team. In your opinion, to what extent can volunteering contribute to personal development? You really notice people’s development when they volunteer. You get to know so many realities of life. I think volunteering is one of the biggest platforms for exchange that I know of at the moment – and unlike social media, it is free from algorithms. Of course, certain groups of people are disproportionately represented in volunteering. But in general, you are confronted with so many different realities of life – and learn so much from them, both in terms of colleagues and patients. We also see people in their homes and apartments and gain an insight into their lives. We get to know people who have potentially lost everything – or those who are perhaps disappointed because their trip turned out a little differently than expected. That’s a wide range of possible situations. Yes, and you grow a lot in terms of character. On the one hand, because you take all these experiences with you and, on the other, because you learn to find individual solutions to problems for which you don’t have a standard solution. We often have to think: How can we cope? How can we solve the situation in the best possible way? And that, of course, creates significantly greater self-confidence and self-esteem. Then you find that shy people are no longer so shy after a while. And conversely, very self-confident people also learn to assess themselves more realistically. That sounds very exciting. Finally, is there anything else you would like to pass on to readers? I think the essence of volunteering is that anyone can be a volunteer – just try it out and stick with it if you enjoy it. If you no longer enjoy a particular activity, you can always try something else. And: social interaction is always good. Even if you are no longer physically fit, you can still listen, talk or pass on your experiences. That’s exactly what makes volunteering so diverse: you always have some way of getting involved.