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Support for volunteering in civil protection
Article Civil protection
Volunteering in civil protection and disaster management forms the backbone of our national system of disaster preparedness
More than 1.8 million volunteers provide the basis of a civil protection system that proves itself every day, from preventing local threats to dealing with natural disasters. Promoting volunteering as the basis of civil protection and disaster management is a federal task and mandated by law.
The Federal Minister of the Interior has repeatedly stressed the importance of volunteering in civil protection. Promoting and ensuring the future of volunteer work in the variously oriented, highly professional organizations is a declared objective of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Helping Hand Award
To publicize and honour the volunteer commitment of groups and institutions in civil protection, each year the Federal Minister of the Interior launches a call to submit new ideas, strategies and innovative approaches to encourage interest in volunteering in civil protection. A jury evaluates the proposals and honours the best ones with the "Helping Hand Award".
Work with children and young people
Working with children and young people is an important activity of all relief organizations. The intention is to inform them about civil protection and encourage them to volunteer in a relief organization.
Relief organizations offer a wide variety of activities which combine play, learning and opportunities to try new things and help others. Overall objectives are to create a sense of responsibility and raise awareness for the importance of teamwork and social tasks.
