Karlsruhe, Germany. From September 27-29, the Friends of Waldorf Education celebrated a special anniversary in Karlsruhe-Hagsfeld: 30 years ago, the organization sent its first volunteer to South Africa. Since then, the Friends of Waldorf Education have enabled more than 40,000 people to do voluntary service in Germany and abroad. To mark the occasion, we asked Susanna Rech-Bigot, Chairwoman of the organization: “What role does voluntary service play in today’s world?”
In our view, voluntary service plays a decisive role on several levels, especially in today’s world: on the one hand, there is the self-development of the young people who do voluntary service at a crucial time in their lives. Through the voluntary work in the facilities, through the encounters and dialogs with the local people, they have the opportunity to connect with the question of their own mission in the world and to set an important course for their future. This also has an impact on society as a whole, because it is the mixture of the freedom to decide to take part in this year and the will to actively engage in the present that enables people to experience their own self-efficacy. Through this experience, many gain a confidence that young people, in particular, lack today in the face of multiple crises—something that motivates them to become socially, politically, or socially involved in the future. Institutions in Germany and around the world are also currently facing huge challenges in the various social, educational, and nursing fields of work—regulations, funding cuts, staff shortages, and wars and crises are making their work more difficult. Volunteers support the existing structures and offer an additional helping hand. They also bring their fresh perspective to the everyday life of the institutions. At the same time, they gain an insight into the anthroposophical fields of work and often make a lifelong connection with the work, the area, and the people.
More Friends of Waldorf Education
Translation Charles Cross
Photo Charlotte Fischer
