Volunteering in Munich

01Where can I find volunteering in Munich?

The easiest way to find volunteering in Munich is personal advice at one of the volunteer agencies. Freiwilligen-Agentur Tatendrang gets to know you, your ideas and your wishes and looks with you for a role that fits your life. The advice is free of charge, and placements are with recognised charitable institutions within the city. On its website, volunteer reporters also present people who volunteer and their organisations.

The Caritas volunteer centres in Munich work at several locations. Your postcode takes you to the centre near you, where you can register for advice. If you prefer to come without an appointment, there are drop-in sessions at the Pasing district library and at the city library in the Motorama. Advice there covers the whole city and is independent of any provider, so it is not only for Caritas institutions.

The city itself gives the best overview of all routes. On engagiert.muenchen.de the Fachstelle Bürgerschaftliches Engagement has set up a guide for individuals, initiatives and associations. There you will find contact points, information on tax, law and insurance and pointers if you want to start a project of your own. The site mainly makes getting started easier if you do not yet know where to look.

02Which areas are there?

The areas range from leisure companionship through projects for children and young people to culture and neighbourhood work. Tatendrang, for example, is looking for volunteers who accompany people with disabilities as they shape their free time independently, such as dancing, sport or visiting exhibitions. The Caritas volunteer centres run a bike workshop where children and young people can join in. And the “Hofkonzerte” project brings music to people who would otherwise be alone.

Even people with demanding jobs can find suitable fields. Tatendrang has long experience with corporate volunteering and develops projects with companies for their staff. The city has its own office for corporate engagement. Ask your employer whether a partnership already exists.

If you would rather help shape things than help out, engagiert.muenchen.de has a section on public participation. There you can take part in the planning and future strategies of the city. This is a different form of engagement that has more to do with having a say than with practical help. Both have their place, and the advice services help you understand the differences.

03How can I get involved in peace and understanding?

You work for understanding where people are newly arriving or feel like strangers. The Caritas volunteer centres run a support café for refugees where encounter and practical help come together. They also collect old laptops so that refugees gain access to education and training. Offers like these need people who listen, explain and accompany.

The Munich volunteer agencies have stepped up their cooperation since the end of 2023 and take a joint stand for a strong democracy. Tatendrang has also signed the Diversity Charter, committing itself to respect and equal opportunities. If cohesion in the city matters to you, feel free to raise this directly in the advice session. The agencies know institutions that work in this spirit.

If you have a project of your own, you can create it as a peace mission on W3ltfrieden or support an existing mission. A mission describes what you plan to do, who is responsible and how progress is documented. You can see in the mission overview whether there are already suitable missions in Munich. For a local project of your own, engagiert.muenchen.de also helps with pointers on rooms and city funding.

04How much time do I need to bring?

You do not need a lot of time, because short and spontaneous assignments are possible too. The Caritas volunteer centres stress that many projects welcome people who help at short notice. A long-term commitment is therefore not a requirement. In the conversation you clarify whether you want to be active regularly or only now and then.

According to the volunteer centres, volunteering alongside work and family is quite manageable. What matters is that the task and the time frame fit your everyday life. That is why the Tatendrang quiz also asks about the length of commitment you want. With this information, the advice session can make more targeted suggestions.

For people in retirement or anyone new to Munich, volunteering can also be a way to make new contacts. In that case it can be a little more time, because meeting people is a goal in itself. You do not need any prior knowledge, as the volunteer centres explicitly point out. The institution usually takes care of the induction.

Before you start, allow some time for practical questions. Whether you are insured or need a certificate of good conduct is explained by the volunteer centres in their questions and answers about volunteering. Further information on insurance and legal matters is on engagiert.muenchen.de. Once that is settled, you can concentrate fully on your task.