Volunteer Services for ALL! is the web portal of the Coordination Hub for Inclusion and Diversity in Volunteer Services.
The Coordination Hub is a nationwide advice and support centre independent of format, central office and provider that is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) until the end of 2024. The German Parity Welfare Association (Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband - Gesamtverband) in Berlin is responsible for the implementation of the Coordination Hub.
Our services are aimed at professionals and volunteers in the Youth Volunteer Services and Federal Voluntary Service (BFD, short for “Bundesfreiwilligendienst”) as well as people who are interested in doing voluntary service. The Youth Volunteer Services include the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ, short for “Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr”) and the Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ, short for “Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr”). Our field of activity covers questions and issues related to inclusion and diversity in the state-funded volunteer services.
The Coordination Hub is run by the following Parity Welfare Association staff:
- Tim Redfern, Specialist Advisor and Head of the Coordination Hub
- Seha Inan, Administrator
Tim Redfern will be replaced by Janine Lange from May to August 2023.
The focus of our work: promoting inclusion and diversity
“Inclusion” means allowing everyone to participate, belong and be considered. This applies to all categories of persons, irrespective of characteristics such as gender or gender identity, ethnic or migrant background, disability, social background, age, sexuality or level of education. The range of human differences is known as “diversity”.
The Coordination Hub for Inclusion and Diversity in Volunteer Services was created to offer professionals across Germany support in dealing with diversity and to help volunteers with various needs.
We work with a broad understanding of inclusion and diversity and represent an intersectional perspective. This means that we believe that different dimensions of diversity and forms of discrimination overlap and are interwoven. Therefore, inclusion and diversity must be approached holistically.
At the same time, the focus of our work is on the participation of people with disabilities in volunteer services. In doing so, we do not forget other dimensions of diversity, but create a clear point of reference for inclusive and diverse work.
Our cooperation partners
The Coordination Hub operates as a joint project of the Bundesarbeitskreis Voluntary Social Year (BAK FSJ), the association Förderverein Ökologische Freiwilligendienste (FÖF) as well as the central offices of the FSJ and Federal Voluntary Service, funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ). The German Parity Welfare Association (Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband - Gesamtverband e.V.) in Berlin is responsible for the implementation of the Coordination Hub and is supported by an advisory board.
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