Volunteering in Wolfsburg
We are pleased that you are visiting our site, because it means that the topic moves you and you may want to become active yourself to support a good cause.
There are many reasons why people get involved in charitable causes in their spare time. One thing is certain: Through their commitment, volunteers help make life in Wolfsburg friendlier, more communal and more worth living. We appreciate your commitment to our city!
Under the link Frequently asked questions and on this page you will find extensive and valuable information about volunteering. If you have any further questions, simply contact the Civic Engagement Coordination Office.
News
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Volunteer exchange 2025
On Saturday, June 28, 2025, this year's Volunteer Exchange will take place on the open space in front of the City-Galerie (Porschestraße 45).
There you will have the opportunity to find out about a wide range of volunteering opportunities and talk directly to a wide variety of organizations.You will soon find a list of participating organizations/clubs and a map here.
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New! Volunteer card has become even more attractive and can be applied for purely digitally
The requirements for applying for the volunteer card in Lower Saxony have been adjusted and made easier for you.
The new regulations in detail:
1. volunteer card for active members of volunteer fire departments, emergency services and rescue servicesWith immediate effect, active members of volunteer fire departments who have completed their Truppmann I training and emergency services personnel who have completed their basic training can apply for the Lower Saxony volunteer card without any further proof - the proof of the duration of the commitment that is generally required no longer has to be provided by this group of people.
2. reduction of the minimum duration of commitment from three to two yearsIn order to receive the card, the level of civic engagement previously had to amount to at least five hours per week or 250 hours per year and have existed for at least three years. From now on, the commitment only has to have existed for at least two years.
3. the volunteer card can be applied for digitally on the volunteer serverThank you very much for your commitment!
CITY OF WOLFSBURG
Volunteer Office
Civic Engagement Coordination Office
Wolfsburg Civic Engagement Network Office
Tel: 49 5361 28-2163
City Hall A, Room 103 | Porschestr. 49 | D-38440 Wolfsburg
E-mail: engagiert@stadt.wolfsburg.de -
wolfsburg_unbezahlbar Instagram channel for volunteering
Volunteering in Wolfsburg has had its own Instagram account "wolfsburg_unbezahlbar " since July 2023. The aim is to create a central place in the world of social media for sharing and presenting voluntary work.
wolfsburg_unbezahlbar is managed by the city's Communications Department and the City of Wolfsburg's Volunteer Office.
Volunteers are invited to contact the central e-mail address insta-ehrenamt@stadt.wolfsburg.de with their content and ideas.
The city is looking forward to active participation from the circle of volunteers.
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The platform mein.wolfsburg.de
The digital platform for participation and engagement is online. It can be used at any time via this link: https://mein.wolfsburg.de/
An extensive section has been set up for volunteering: The marketplace can be used for search/offer advertisements in various areas and organizations in and around Wolfsburg present themselves and their areas of commitment.
Current dates and the newsletter round off the offer.
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Volunteer Day
On Volunteer Day 2023, current successful projects were entered into a draw as part of a competition. The "Vorsfeld Naschgarten" was chosen, which was highlighted with a personal visit by the Lord Mayor to the grounds of St. Peter's Church.
On the occasion of Volunteer Day 2022, a panel discussion on the topic of "Youth Engagement" was held in Wolfsburg's market hall in cooperation between the Volunteer Office and the city's youth development department and streamed on YouTube.
A small competition was held by the Volunteering Office to mark Volunteering Day 2021. One participant from Vorsfelde won two tickets to the art museum and was able to discuss the topic of volunteering in person with her husband over coffee with Mayor Weilmann.
Picture impressions of volunteers from Wolfsburg 2020
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Brochure "Strong in Volunteering
As of September 2019, the volunteering brochure is available in print and can also be viewed online below.
Around 100 Wolfsburg associations/organizations introduce themselves and provide interested parties with information on key issues relating to civic engagement.Please note that the contact persons listed may have changed over the years, for example. However, each organization has also listed its homepage so that you can find additional helpful information there.
There are new requirements for the Lower Saxony Volunteer Card on page 110. You can find them here
All organizations from the brochure and others can be found updated on the page mein.wolfsburg.de
You can obtain a single copy of the brochure from the information shelf in the entrance area of Town Hall A or, if you need a larger copy, from room A 101 in the office of the Volunteer Office.
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I am ready! How and where can I get involved?
Here you will find a comprehensive overview!
There are many attractive opportunities to volunteer in Wolfsburg. On the digital platform mein.wolfsburg.de, organizations present themselves with fields of activity. On the search-and-offer marketplace there, you can find current offers and also post your own requests. You can also follow the Instagram channel for volunteering: wolfsburg_unbezahlbar. Volunteers are also advertised here from time to time.
A brochure "Stark im Ehrenamt" (Strong in Volunteering), which is available in the Citizens' Hall of Town Hall A, rounds off the offer.
You can find out more about this brochure under the tab above this information.
Still unsure?
Finding a suitable volunteer position and a satisfying activity is not that easy, but a few preliminary considerations can make the search easier. To help you get started, we have prepared a checklist of questions to help you find an organization and activity. Because one thing is clear: the clearer the agreements between you and the organization, the higher the chance of finding a fulfilling activity.
Looking for networking? The
Wolfsburg Civic Engagement Network
15th meeting of the civic engagement network
Around 20 interested people met at the plantation in Hattorf to get to know the "Raum zum Wachsen e.V." association better.
An exchange on current topics rounded off the meeting.
You can find the documentation of the meeting here.
14th meeting of the civic engagement network
The Civic Engagement Network met on 28.11.2023 in the council meeting room. The content of the event was information on the "Live Democracy!" funding program and the collection of topics to be focused on in 2024.
You can find the documentation of the meeting here
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Advantages for volunteers
Overview of WOB benefits
Lower Saxony Volunteer Card
Commitment pays off! In Wolfsburg, there are various initiatives that value your volunteer activities. On this page you will find an overview of the various initiatives and the benefits you can take advantage of.
By awarding the Lower Saxony Volunteer Card, the City of Wolfsburg would like to thank volunteers for their many years of intensive commitment. Holders of the Ehrenamtskarte receive discounted admission to many public and private institutions and to events of various kinds throughout Lower Saxony and Bremen, regardless of their place of residence.
Initial and renewal applications for the Lower Saxony Volunteer Card can only be registered under the following link:
For more information on the Lower Saxony Volunteer Card, click here:
The lifesaver card
The Lifesaver Card was introduced in Wolfsburg on 01.04.2017. A bonus card that is a sign of recognition for particularly active volunteers in Wolfsburg's aid organizations that provide fire and disaster protection.
The aid organizations (Wolfsburg Volunteer Fire Brigade, DRK Wolfsburg District Association, THW Wolfsburg Local Association, DLRG Wolfsburg e. V./Vorsfelde e. V., Wolfsburg District Liaison Command, Malteser Hilfsdienst e. V.) apply for the card for active volunteers as soon as they meet the requirements. The card is always issued on April 1 of each year. The card is valid for one year.
Sports volunteer card
The Juleica card
The Youth Leader Card (JULEICA) is the nationwide standardized ID card for volunteers in youth work.
It serves as legitimation and proof of qualification for the holder. In addition, the Juleica is also intended to express social recognition for voluntary work.
Information on training as a youth leader is available here www.juleica.de or from the Stadtjugendring Wolfsburg at https://www.stjr.de/seminare/ -
Volunteers report
Our urban society could not exist without volunteers. Volunteers are indispensable for a community, as they play a key role in shaping the environment in which we all live.
These invaluable services are as diverse as the people who perform them. We would like to thank all those involved and publicly present their commitment, both to show our appreciation and to invite others to perhaps take on a voluntary role themselves.
You will regularly find new interviews under the heading "Thumbs up for volunteering" on mein.wolfsburg.de
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Qualification
Wolfsburg educational institutions
Volunteering is an important topic for the city of Wolfsburg. For this reason, many Wolfsburg educational institutions also offer qualification and further training opportunities on the topic of volunteering in their programs.
Proof of competence
Important qualifications that volunteers have acquired through their activities can be documented with the statewide certificate of competence - whether for career advancement or further volunteer work.
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Newsletter
The city administration provides information on important topics relating to volunteering in a newsletter on civic engagement.
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The Wolfsburg Volunteer Label
"You are priceless"
"You are priceless"
The city of Wolfsburg supports volunteering in Wolfsburg in a variety of ways. One sign of appreciation is the "You are priceless" label, which the city administration has developed together with representatives of various aid organizations.
The "You are priceless" label is a sign of thanks and recognition for the work of the many volunteer public welfare organizations that are committed to their community on a daily basis and thus help to shape a strong urban society in Wolfsburg. The label was primarily created for the many Wolfsburg clubs, associations, foundations and organizations that are active on a voluntary basis. It serves the purpose of highlighting and bundling the diverse volunteer activities in Wolfsburg in order to generate attention and interest in the topic of volunteering throughout the city.
Join in and use the label, because one thing is clear: people who volunteer in their free time deserve a special "thank you".
If you would like to use the "You are priceless" label for your club, association, foundation or charitable organization, we will be happy to provide it to you in various formats (eps, jpg, pdf, png, tif). You are welcome to request the label by sending an e-mail to publikationen@stadt.wolfsburg.de.
The colleagues at the City of Wolfsburg's Civic Engagement Coordination Office are available to answer any further questions you may have (by e-mail to engagiert@stadt.wolfsburg.de or by telephone on 05361 28-1997 or -2163). -
Grants, projects and more!
FUNDING
Support fund for civic engagement
The City of Wolfsburg supports volunteer work in the city with its civic engagement fund. Associations, initiatives and individuals who are involved in and for Wolfsburg can apply for funding. See above for the application form.
Volunteering and civic engagement in the state of Lower Saxony
You can find more information here https://www.niedersachsen.de/75-Jahre-Niedersachsen/ehrenamt-und-burgerengagement-199308.html
honorAbility
In order to strengthen voluntary work as a pillar of social cohesion, the Klosterkammer promotes the qualification of volunteers with its program ehrenWERT.
You can find more information here: https://www.klosterkammer.de/foerderungen/ehrenwert-programm/
Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs
The Federal Ministry of the Interior and for Home Affairs promotes civic engagement through the following measures, among others:
DSEE - German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering
The DSEE support program is aimed at people who are involved in the areas of social cohesion, digital change and climate protection.
You can find more information about funding here: Support - German Foundation for Commitment and Volunteering (deutsche-stiftung-engagement-und-ehrenamt.de)
Children Youth helps fund
Here you can apply for funding for social, socio-political or ecological projects and take part in a nationwide competition at the same time.
Jugend Hilft! Fund - Children for a better World e.V.
KNOWLEDGE
Waiver of administrative fees for events organized by associations and organizations
The City of Wolfsburg waives the administrative fees for activities and services of the public administration for events organized by associations and organizations on a voluntary basis. This is possible for matters within the city's own sphere of influence, such as fees for the special use of public areas. Fees from the delegated sphere of activity, such as fees under the Lower Saxony Catering Act, cannot be waived.
Associations and organizations that are based in Wolfsburg and are treated as non-profit or charitable under tax law are exempt from fees. A certificate from the tax office is required. Aid organizations are exempt from the fee if they can provide proof of the donation seal of the German Central Institute for Social Issues. Political parties are exempt from the fee exemption.
Certificate of good conduct in honorary office
Certificates of good conduct that are required for voluntary work in a non-profit or comparable organization are generally free of charge. In addition, unlike previously, exemption from fees is also granted if volunteers receive an expense allowance for their work. The amount of the expense allowance is irrelevant.
The waiver of fees is particularly important for volunteers working with children and young people, who often have to submit an "extended" certificate of good conduct before starting their work.
Guide to the law of associations
The Federal Ministry of Justice supports association founders, association members and associations with a guide to association law. There is a lot to consider, from the founding to the ongoing operation and termination of an association. If you want to found an association or would like to find out about your rights and obligations as a member or organ of an association, this guide can provide a lot of important information and help with references to other sources of information. You can find the brochure as well as sample articles of association, founding protocols, registration with the register of associations, etc. in the following guide to association law from the Federal Ministry of Justice.
FOUNDATIONS
The foundation landscape is intended to offer citizens from Wolfsburg and the surrounding area the opportunity to obtain comprehensive information on the topic of foundations in general and on the Wolfsburg foundations in particular.
Citizens create knowledge
Citizen science describes research projects in which citizens participate on a voluntary basis in the collection or reproduction of scientific data. The GEWISS research project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, bundles the potential of citizen science and offers the opportunity to search for and post participatory projects on its citizen science platform.
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Wolfsburg support concept for civic engagement
Securing and strengthening volunteering - that is the aim of the support concept for civic engagement. The support concept was developed in a multi-stage process and was unanimously approved by Wolfsburg City Council on October 7, 2015. The support concept offers a deep insight into Wolfsburg's civic engagement landscape.
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Voluntary social year
For some years now, associations and institutions have also been offering voluntary services, such as the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ), the Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) and, since July 11, 2011, the Federal Voluntary Service (BFD).
State Working Group of Volunteer Agencies and Coordination Offices for Volunteering in Lower Saxony e.V.
The Civic Engagement Coordination Office is a member of the
To the website of LAGFA e.V. (opens in a new window)
