First step "Honorary representative"

• Who remembers the birthday of the coach of the C-juniors?

• Who supports the coaches with their license renewal?

• Who takes care of young volunteers? Who says "THANK YOU"?

• Who listens to the concerns and needs of all volunteers in the club?

• Who actually looks after those in our association who keep everything running?

First of all, install a volunteer representative in your club!

Here are a few ideas for a "Volunteer Coordinator" profile.

• This person should be linked to the board (does not have to be part of the board) in order to be able to make appropriate decisions.

• Time scope: approx. 4-8 hours per week

• Supported by the Executive Board and department heads

• Qualifications: ideally moderation & consulting, coordination & organization, dealing with people, ability to work in a team, motivator

  Tasks.

• Support, motivation and contact person for all volunteers in the association

• Recruitment of new volunteers and retention of existing volunteers

• Developing a culture of recognition and helping to organize awards and thank-you ceremonies

• Qualification planning and support for all active volunteers (especially trainers)

• Installing and managing a volunteer database

• Suspension and management of volunteer contracts/agreements

• Onboarding new volunteers and offboarding deserving volunteers

• Contact person for the association on the topic of "volunteering"

In cooperation between Susanne Amar (communications expert in children's and youth soccer), FC Internationale Berlin, Sportmetropole Berlin, the Berlin State Sports Association, DSEE, the Berlin Football and Society Network and the BFV, an interactive "Volunteering Handbook" has been created as part of EURO 2024 in Germany and with funding from Host City Berlin. It contains a practical guide with clear and comprehensible recommendations for action to strengthen volunteering in amateur sport. These were developed from a series of workshops based on the three supporting pillars of volunteering in every club: the board, coaches and parents.

Volunteering right in the middle! - How we can strengthen amateur sport

The interactive handbook should be available to anyone who wants to help make amateur soccer and grassroots sport fit for the future. With videos, graphics, handouts, reflection questions, articles, podcasts, a collection of links and a wide range of recommendations for action, it is designed to arouse curiosity and be fun. The handbook is intended to be a pool of knowledge from which everyone can draw. The aim is to implement changes in a low-threshold manner, without ineffective and excessive expenditure of time and personnel. At the same time, the specific recommendations for implementation are intended to make it as easy as possible for organizations outside of sport to take the measures within their means to strengthen volunteering and thus the people in amateur sport.

The handbook is not definitive, but can be expanded. Suggestions and sources for further development can be added at any time. The aim is to provide assistance to as many clubs and people as possible. The most important thing, however, is mutual support and learning from each other.

Do you want to strengthen and develop your volunteer work in your association and improve your volunteer work? Do you need professional support? Then contact the BFV club advisory service and make an appointment, as the club advisors already have initial ideas on the topic of promoting volunteering and can advise you accordingly.

To the club advisory service

Interested in volunteering in sport? The BFV acts as an intermediary in the clubs - even beyond soccer.

Volunteering in Berlin soccer can be enriching for many reasons.

• Self-realization and broadening horizons

• Gaining experience and learning new skills

• Making a difference and taking on social responsibility

• Being part of something big as the heart of Berlin soccer

However, many interested people often lack an overview of what is on offer or find it difficult to make contact. The BFV and the Landessportbund Berlin (LSB) are working together to remedy this situation.

An online form can be used to quickly and easily record interests and ideas, whereupon the BFV or LSB will take over the placement in the clubs. The interest in volunteering is not limited to soccer, but can also relate to any other sport. For example, it is possible to volunteer as a supervisor, in the matchday organization, as a child protection officer or much more.

Fill out the online form now

Are you looking for a short-term event commitment or a temporary volunteer position? Then you have the opportunity to get involved as a volunteer or in the BFV event team. You can find out exactly what this means, which events you can apply for and the right people to contact at https://www.berliner-fussball.de/veranstaltungen/event-engagement/ .

The German Football Association has created a culture of recognition for voluntary work as part of the "DFB-Aktion Ehrenamt" (DFB Volunteering Campaign), which is used to recognize outstandingly committed people in amateur clubs throughout Germany every year. The DFB Volunteer Award is a great opportunity for the BFV to present awards. The BFV has the opportunity to select the following winners from all applications and nominate them to the DFB.

• two winners* from the "Aktion Ehrenamt" (Over 30s), who are invited to the annual "Club 100" event. This event usually takes place as part of an international match or at the DFB Football Museum and the winners receive a great evening and other prizes in recognition of their outstanding voluntary work.

• two further winners from "Aktion Ehrenamt" (over 30s), who are invited to a volunteering weekend with other national associations together with the two "Club 100" winners, each accompanied by a companion. This weekend usually includes a visit to a soccer match, food and drink, a festive event and a corresponding cultural program.

• Four winners from "Young Heroes" (under 30), who are invited by the DFB to a five-day "soccer education trip" together with all regional association and district winners. In this context, the "soccer heroes" are taught theoretical and practical knowledge by experienced speakers, which is specially tailored to their respective area of activity in the club. In addition, a varied supporting program with various optional offers, top-class special speakers and, of course, the opportunity for free leisure activities round off the measure.

Further information can be found at: https://www.dfb.de/mehr-fussball/amateurfussball/ehrenamt

The call for applications is usually issued in the summer. The awards are then presented the following year between March and June.

The Berlin Football Association honors the Berlin volunteers as part of the annual BFV Volunteer Day. This is combined with an invitation to the award ceremony and a subsequent visit to a soccer match.

The BFV Volunteer Day takes place once a year and 60-80 volunteers from Berlin's soccer clubs are honored for their voluntary work. With this event, the BFV expresses the gratitude that EVERYONE deserves for their day-to-day voluntary work, which is usually performed over many years in various positions. In addition to an official award ceremony, refreshments will be provided and afterwards there will be the opportunity to exchange ideas on the way to the Olympiastadion Berlin and during a visit to a home game of Hertha BSC.

The BFV would like to thank Hertha BSC for their many years of support for volunteering by providing free tickets for the BFV Volunteer Day.

The BFV has an honorary order according to which it honors its members for many years of meritorious activities up to the present or for extraordinary sporting achievements, in accordance with § 6 No. 2. j) of the BFV statutes. This can be viewed here: BFV RULES OF HONOR.

Would you like to propose an award? Then please use the online application form.

The Landessportbund Berlin (LSB Berlin) offers the opportunity to present awards in recognition of many years of commendable voluntary work for sport in Berlin: Click here for the LSB honorary regulations.

The LSB also offers further opportunities to say thank you to club members and to honor them appropriately. On the following page you will find a list of various honorary and award opportunities as well as information on the award criteria and how to apply: LSB homepage Recognition.

Volunteers show initiative, contribute ideas and invest time, financial resources and expertise. They help to develop our city in both small and large ways. The state of Berlin recognizes the commitment of its citizens with a variety of offers, events and awards. Further information can be found at https://www.berlin.de/buergeraktiv/anerkennung/

The BFV would particularly like to highlight the opportunities offered by the Volunteer Card and the Berlin Volunteer Pass.

Berlin-Brandenburg Volunteer Card

The joint Berlin and Brandenburg volunteer card is a sign of thanks and recognition for committed citizens. It offers discounts at more than 300 partners, such as leisure and cultural facilities or companies in both states.

The Berlin-Brandenburg Volunteer Card is available to anyone who has been involved in volunteering for at least one year and has the intention of continuing to do so.

The volunteer card can be ordered through the organization where the volunteer work is carried out or through one of Berlin's volunteer agencies.

Further information

Berlin Volunteer Pass

The Berlin Volunteer Pass is a recognition instrument of the state of Berlin. It is intended to document the skills informally acquired or promoted in voluntary work and thus contribute to a culture of recognition for voluntary civic engagement.

Volunteers can apply for the passport themselves via this website. The organization where they volunteer then issues the VolunteerPass and hands it over in an appropriate setting.

The Berlin VolunteerPass is also available in an adapted form as a Pupil VolunteerPass for volunteering pupils in grades 4 to 13 and as a Refugee VolunteerPass for volunteering in refugee aid.

Further information and registration

"The social return on investment of amateur soccer - a comprehensive analysis for Germany"

"Volunteering - the engine of democracy"