Red Cross St. Veit: 1.2 million kilometers for humanity!

Red Cross St. Veit: 1.2 million kilometers for humanity!

The district assembly of the Red Cross St. Veit an der Glan recently published an impressive report on the services of the aid organization in 2024. Under the direction of district manager Herbert T. Sager and the district manager Heinz Gritzner, the organization has 455 members, 372 volunteers. This commitment is crucial for health care in the region, which includes emergency services and social services. In total, more than 1.2 million kilometers were covered in the emergency services and 152,127 hours were carried out for the benefit of the population.

The contribution of the volunteers who have made 63,051 hours, which corresponds to an average of 173 hours a day. In order to honor these services, long -standing members have been awarded the meeting, including Dominik Leitner and Margit Sonvilla, who were promoted to medical masters. Guests of honor such as President Martin Pirz and Vice President Brigitte Pekastnig recognized the important role of the Red Cross for the community and the indispensable use of the volunteers.

engagement in the German Red Cross

In a broader context, a report by the German Red Cross (DRK) shows that the number of volunteers in Germany has been continuously increasing in recent years. In 2019, the DRK recorded an increase of around 8,500 new members, which increases the total number to 443,300. This has been the highest level for almost 20 years. The Corona pandemic has also increased the willingness to voluntarily engagement across all age groups. This emerges from the annual report of DRK President Gerda Hasselfeldt. Around 139,100 members of the DRK own the youth red cross.

As an important factor for social cohesion, the DRK President emphasizes the importance of voluntary commitment. In addition, the DRK offers over 12,000 places in the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ), which is more than any other welfare association. In order to increase the attractiveness for future volunteers, various suggestions for improving the framework conditions are discussed, including a legal claim to a place in voluntary service and free trips in local public transport.

Development of voluntary commitment in Germany

A comprehensive analysis of voluntary engagement in Germany was provided by the 5th German volunteer survey. This survey, which is carried out every five years, shows that in 2019 around 40 % of people in Germany (approx. 28.8 million) worked voluntarily. Compared to the 2014 data, the commitment quota has remained stable, with women and men committed almost equally often. In addition, the differences between East and West Germany have decreased in terms of commitment.

It should be emphasized that the commitment rate for people between the ages of 30 and 49 is 44.7 %, followed by 14 to 29 year olds with 42.0 %. The participation of older people aged 65 and over has also increased - from 18.0 % in 1999 to 31.2 % in 2019. This development underlines the diversity and dynamics of volunteering in German society.

The significant contributions of the volunteers in the Red Cross and in other organizations are indispensable for a strong community. In view of the increasing number of volunteers and the multitude of opportunities for social participation, the voluntary commitment is an essential part of the social structure in Germany.

For more information on these topics, we refer to the reports of Klick Kärnten , German Rotes Kreuz and bmfsfj