Gauss-Advent Calendar: International Volunteer Day

Gauss-Advent Calendar: International Volunteer Day

by Alexandra

Santa Gauss 2019

Many people around the world are involved in a wide variety of activities and contribute gratuitously to the economic and social development of a community, region or country. Since 1985, this volunteering has been duly appreciated and supported by the UN’s commemoration and action day on December 5th of each year. In Germany, the Order of Merit for extraordinary commitment is awarded on this day.

Volunteering: Finding the right activity for you

There are many projects in which people get involved – in the most diverse areas. You can do voluntary work according to your interests and skills in social or cultural areas, in politics or business, in religious houses, by providing education or for the protection of animals or nature. You can contact different associations or organizations in your city or region or even register at an organization that does voluntary work worldwide.

You can easily find information about volunteering in your city by using an online search engine. In Germany, every city also has a homepage (e.g. Braunschweig), which provides information about voluntary work. Besides, you can search specifically for agencies that offer an engagement exchange. Here you can set filters according to your interests, similar to a job exchange. In Braunschweig there is e.g. the Freiwilligenagentur of the Jugend-Soziales-Sport e.V.

Additionally, you can get in personal contact with sport associations, religious houses, senior or child homes, animal protection organizations or animal homes etc. Furthermore, schools and universities also have many offers that you can get voluntarily involved in. Possible activities are for example the support of school clubs, the participation in buddy – or tandem programs or by taking responsibility for a student committee or student organization.

The Gauss Friends is also an association in which you can participate on a voluntary basis. The association mainly promotes international encounters, cultural and linguistic diversity and organizes many campaigns against various forms of discrimination.

Voluntary campaigns and donations during the Christmas season

Especially during the Christmas season, volunteering plays an important role. Unfortunately, many people do not have the opportunity to spend Christmas with family and friends for various reasons. Many organizations reach their financial and personal limits during the Christmas season while trying to prepare a nice Christmas feast for everyone. Therefore, many wonderful Christmas campaigns are organized where additional helping hands are needed.

In Braunschweig, for example, you can participate in the campaign “Päckchen für Braunschweig” (little packages for Braunschweig) of the same named association. Until December 9th 2020, filled shoe boxes with small gifts for children in need can be handed in at various places in Braunschweig, such as the Schlosscarree or the Schloss Arkaden. You can donate boxes or ask if you can help distribute the gifts. Furthermore, the animal protection in Braunschweig is also organizing a lovely campaign. Annually in the morning of Christmas Eve a gift giving is prepared in the local home for animals. Due to Corona, people cannot go to the animal home on Christmas Eve this year. However, you can bring a gift on each day of December beforehand. Another example of a Christmas campaign is the Santa Gauss evening organized by Gauss Friends. Everyone, who registers until December 20th, 12:00 pm, is assigned to small group, which gets together on Christmas Eve for a pot-luck dinner at one of the guest’s home. The aim is to enable everyone, especially those far away from home and family, to celebrate Christmas together with other lovely people.

Share your volunteering experience with us!

Have you ever volunteered or helped organize a Christmas campaign? What kind of work have you done, in which association or organization and in which country? Tell us about it in the comment section below our Facebook – or Instagram post.