Volunteers also work in children’s institutions Image: AFP
The Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband has emphatically warned the traffic light coalition about the planned cuts in voluntary services. These would result in a loss of 25,000 to 30,000 places.
The Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband has emphatically warned the traffic light coalition about the planned cuts in voluntary services. The reduction in state support for voluntary services provided for in the draft federal budget “would lead to a loss of 25,000 to 30,000 places,” quoted the editorial network Germany (RND) on Saturday from a letter from the association’s general manager, Ulrich Schneider, to the parliamentary group leaders of the SPD, FDP, Greens, Union and Left Party in the Bundestag.
The savings of 78 million euros in 2024 for this area correspond to a quarter of the previous funding, criticized Schneider according to the report. Voluntary services, however, enabled important additional help in day-care centers and schools, in care, nature conservation and sport. The general manager of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband pointed out that the coalition agreement contained a promise to expand voluntary services in line with demand.
Overall, the draft budget contains “drastic cuts for social and civil society organizations and forces massive cuts in aid for people who are particularly in need of support,” criticized Schneider. In his view, implementing the plans would be “devastating” for the social infrastructure, for volunteers and for those in need.
According to the RND, Schneider also cited cuts in aid for refugees, in migration advice, in support of job centers and social organizations as an example. There is a “contradiction between the commitments made and the declared goals of the governing parties on the one hand and the future budget plans on the other,” the head of the association was quoted as saying.
Criticism of the planned cuts also came from the Union. “Especially with our young people, who have made many victims in the pandemic, the traffic light now wants to save,” said deputy Union faction leader Dorothee Bär (CSU) of the “Stuttgarter Zeitung” and the “Stuttgarter Nachrichten” (Saturday editions).
“That doesn’t leave me speechless, but stunned. After all, it’s about young people who want to volunteer for a year for our country and our society,” said Bär. She accused the federal government of constantly unsettling young families, women, pensioners and now young people.
In the budget for the coming year, significantly less money is earmarked for voluntary services than is currently the case. While 326 million euros are planned for federal and youth voluntary services in 2023, in 2024 it should only be 248 million.
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