Volunteering near you
Volunteering in Hannover
From the volunteer centre in the city centre to the regional offers and AWO: how to find a volunteering role in Hannover that fits the time you have
Contact points
| Contact point | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Freiwilligenzentrum Hannover | The central contact point for volunteering, with an online search and free advice sessions that you book on its website. It also runs its own projects, for example on language support and bringing people together. |
| Region Hannover: Ehrenamt und Nachbarschaftshilfe | The region’s page describes neighbourhood help roles and lists volunteer centres and agencies in Hannover and the surrounding towns. |
| AWO Region Hannover | Offers fixed-term roles and projects, such as accompanying older people in care homes. Depending on the role, there is travel reimbursement, insurance and training. |
- State
- Lower Saxony
Where can I find volunteering in Hannover?
The central contact point in the city is the Freiwilligenzentrum Hannover, the city’s volunteer centre. It advises people who want to volunteer, helps non-profit organisations find volunteers and develops its own projects. Together with Aktion Mensch it has set up a new search function that lets you narrow down opportunities in a few steps. Advice and placement are free and without obligation.
If you would rather talk to someone, book an advice session on the website. The personal conversation focuses on your interests and strengths, and you are given concrete opportunities. Alternatively, you can send a written enquiry through the contact form. Non-profit organisations add their requests to the database free of charge using a profile form, so the choice draws on many institutions.
If you live in the surrounding area, the Region Hannover page is worth a look. Besides the Freiwilligenzentrum Hannover, it lists further volunteer centres and agencies, for example in Burgdorf, Garbsen, Neustadt am Rübenberge and Ronnenberg. There are also local services such as a volunteer service for older people in Hemmingen or a volunteering exchange in Isernhagen. That way you can find a contact point near you.
Which areas are there?
A great many roles are in neighbourhood help, and you do not need any special knowledge for them. The region names visits, reading aloud, small errands and shopping, going for walks with people, childcare and homework help. Volunteer agencies also arrange mentoring for trainees and visiting services. It is above all the personal contact that makes these roles valuable for both sides. The region’s page shows which agency arranges them in your town.
The volunteer centre runs its own projects with a clear profile. Volunteers accompany young people in choosing a career or train as coaches, while others visit care homes and facilities for people with disabilities with their dogs. Volunteer language mentors support the language skills of children aged three to six in nurseries. And KulturLeben HANNOVER gives people on a low income free access to cultural events.
AWO Region Hannover mainly offers roles around older people, for example in care homes, a day care centre or a shared care flat. There you go for walks with residents, talk with them or play board games. AWO is also looking for people who want to run a social project, help shape their neighbourhood or get involved in a local branch. Current requests are posted as volunteer vacancies on its page.
How can I get involved in peace and understanding?
The most direct way is through projects where people of different backgrounds meet. The volunteer centre runs a project that brings newcomers, volunteers and long-standing residents together in mixed groups. This includes a language café that meets every week at the Schauspielhaus theatre. If you take part, you practise language and meet people you would otherwise hardly come across. If you prefer working with children, you can help them communicate more easily as a language mentor in a nursery.
AWO also explicitly addresses people who want to take an active part in integration and inclusion. Its fixed-term roles include supporting migrants and tutoring refugees. Roles like these combine practical help with genuine encounters. A tutoring session can grow into a connection that goes beyond the subject.
On W3ltfrieden you can also create your own peace mission or support an existing one. A mission is a verifiable project with a responsible person, and its progress is documented in the mission log. It could be a discussion group in your district or a project you take on together with a language café. The mission overview shows you whether there are already missions near you.
How much time do I need to bring?
Often one hour a week is enough, and you largely set the scope yourself. The Region Hannover states explicitly that each volunteer decides on the time and the tasks. At AWO, accompanying residents of a shared care flat is possible from one hour a week, while two to three hours are usual in day care. Each listing states how much time is involved.
If you do not want a long-term commitment, choose a fixed-term role. AWO offers such roles deliberately, and the volunteer centre’s Social Day lasts just one day. On that day, teams from companies volunteer in social institutions. So it is worth asking your employer whether it takes part. If you enjoy a fixed-term role, you can talk to the organisation about extending it.
There are hardly any formal hurdles. The volunteer centre advises everyone who is interested, regardless of age or profession. Only for some roles, for example with children, do you need a police certificate of good conduct or specific training. Allow some time for this before you start. It is best to raise such questions in your advice session, so you know early on what is needed.
Sources
Four steps to volunteering
- Check where you liveIf you live in the city, the Freiwilligenzentrum Hannover is your first port of call. In the surrounding area, the region names the agency in your town.
- Search onlineThe volunteer centre’s search form helps you find roles by interest. Note down what appeals to you.
- Book adviceYou book an advice session directly on the website. The conversation focuses on your interests and strengths.
- Arrange a first sessionContact the organisation and agree on the task and the time involved. Many roles can be tried out for a limited period first.
More cities
- Volunteering in HamburgHamburgIn Hamburg, volunteer centres in the districts and the social affairs authority advise anyone who wants to get involved and show where volunteers are needed
- Volunteering in BerlinBerlinBerlin has volunteer centres in its districts, a large volunteering fair and a church-based placement service, and here you will find the three main routes to your role
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