EN All about your Freiwilligendienst

Allowance

In the Youth Voluntary Service, you currently receive a monthly allowance of €450. This allowance includes a contribution for accommodation and meals. For the BFD 27plus, the allowance depends on the working time model and ranges between €330 and €490 per month.

BFD

The Federal Voluntary Service (BFD) is based on the content and structure of the conditions outlined in the Voluntary Social Year (FSJ). Differences include a shorter probationary period (see probationary period) and participation in a political education seminar. Unlike the FSJ, the BFD is also possible for individuals over 27 years of age and on a part-time basis.

Breaks

According to the Youth Employment Protection Act (Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz), if you are a minor, your break times are as follows:

• If you work 4.5 to 6 hours per workday, your break time is 30 minutes.
• If you work more than 6 hours per workday, your break time is 60 minutes.

According to the Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz), if you are an adult, your break times are as follows:

• If you work 6-9 hours per day, your break time is 30 minutes.
• If you work more than 9 hours per day, your break time is 45 minutes. Your work without a break should not last longer than 6 hours.

Deviations from these legal requirements may be regulated in a service agreement if necessary.

Certificates

At the beginning of your voluntary service, you will receive a provisional certificate indicating your participation and the expected duration of your voluntary service. This certificate is intended for submission to authorities. After the end of your voluntary service (at least six months), you will automatically receive a final certificate in terms of employment law, documenting the actual duration of your voluntary service. The original is intended for your records. For applications, etc., please always use a copy!

To provide proof of the amount of your monthly allowance or in-kind benefits, you will regularly receive a salary statement. At the beginning and end of the voluntary service, you will receive a registration or deregistration for social insurance.

Please keep these documents, as you may need them even after your voluntary service.

Child Benefit

In tax law and for the purposes of child benefit eligibility, a voluntary service is considered equivalent to school and training periods. This means that, in principle, there is a right to child benefit. You will receive the corresponding certificate along with your contract.

Conflicts

If something bothers you in your placement, try to resolve it on-site first, for example, with your supervisor. If that is not possible because he/she is not "accessible" or is part of the conflict, please contact your responsible educational advisor directly and always.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

Your personal data will be collected, processed, and used by DRK only to the extent necessary for the establishment, implementation, processing, or termination of voluntary service assignments.

Data such as names and images provided to you during voluntary service assignments and seminars must not be disclosed to third parties. This also applies to information about third parties from the deployment sites as well as internal topics. Violations of data protection and confidentiality have labor law consequences, including termination.

Please refer to our website for the applicable data protection regulations for digital seminar offerings and participation in face-to-face seminars.

Data Sheet

You will receive the data sheet along with your contract documents. We need the information on it in order to pay your allowance. The fully completed data sheet must be submitted to us no later than four weeks before the start of your voluntary service. Only then can we pay your pocket money on time (by the end of the month). The following information is requested from you on the data sheet:

• Bank details
• Tax ID
• Tax class
• Health insurance
• Social security number

Duration

The voluntary service is typically contracted for a period of 12 months. Recognition as a completed voluntary service occurs after six months (see certificates). You have the option to extend your service for up to 18 months.

To request an extension, you will need to submit an appropriate application, which you can obtain from your assigned educational supervisor. Your deployment site must provide written approval for the extension.

For each additional month of extension, an extra seminar day, as required by law, is incurred. Please get in touch with your assigned educational supervisor regarding the additional seminar days.

Your entitlement to vacation increases by two additional days for each extended month.

Emergency Medical Services

Volunteers in the emergency services must complete a course to become a paramedic beforehand. This does not count towards the duration of the voluntary service. The working hours in the emergency services are not based on 39 hours, as the so-called "waiting or standby times" (i.e., times when waiting for an emergency call) are not fully counted as working hours. This can lead to higher weekly working hours of up to 46 hours. The calculation of working hours for a seminar week is equivalent to a working week at the service location, meaning that during an educational day, you cannot accrue either extra hours or deficit hours.

Fachhochschulreife (vocational technical diploma)

For the recognition of the practical part of the subject-specific university entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife), your voluntary service must generally cover the full 12 months. For more detailed information, please contact the institution recognizing the theoretical part of the subject-specific university entrance qualification (your former school).

Flexitage

You can individually choose your flex days (flexible seminar days) from a variety of topics. This allows you to tailor your voluntary service even more to your personal interests. You select the flex days using our online tool "freiwillig24.de".

Freiwillig24.de

Freiwillig24.de is an online tool where you can:

• upload missing documents
• choose your flexible seminar days

You will receive the access data directly from the freiwillig24 website via email at the appropriate time. To register, we use the email address you provided to us. If you forget your password, you can reset it yourself through the website.

Freiwilligendienst-Begleiter (booklet)

You will receive a personal book as a volunteer service guide during your volunteer service. This book will be used, among other things, during the education days. Feel free to explore it a bit in advance.

FSJ

See youth volunteering service

German Red Cross

The German Red Cross (DRK) is a leading organization in the field of social welfare. The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consist of 192 national societies (as of 2020). Our principles are: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, and Universality. More about the German Red Cross can be found here.

The German Red Cross State Association of Rhineland-Palatinate (DRK LV Rheinland-Pfalz e.V.) is a recognized organization for the implementation of voluntary services. The DRK is responsible for hiring, terminations, placement, personnel management, remuneration, certificates, and the practice-oriented seminar work.

Mailing Address:

DRK-LV RLP e.V. Freiwilligendienste Mitternachtsgasse 4, 55116 Mainz

Email: freiwilligendienste@lv-rlp.drk.de Hotline: 06131-28281380

An overview of the staff of the Voluntary Services with contact information can be found under Team. If you are unable to reach your responsible educational advisor, feel free to contact our hotline.

Half-Orphan/Full Orphan Pension

During your voluntary service, as a dependent of an insured person, you are entitled to half-orphan/full orphan pension. This entitlement exists until you reach the age of 26 at the latest. This provision ensures financial support for dependents in case of the insured person's death during the voluntary service period.

Happiness

Your voluntary service is a learning and orientation year, guided by learning goals. Our happiness concept provides you with helpful impulses for your personal development. So, happiness will repeatedly cross your path during your voluntary service. For example, in the happiness group, which serves as a forum for exchanging experiences in your placement and also delves into various aspects of happiness.

Illness (Seminar)

Notify your responsible education coordinator by phone before the start of the seminar (at the latest on the first day of the seminar before it begins) if you are ill. On seminar days, a certificate of incapacity for work is required from the first day of illness. We expect you to send the sick notice to the DRK-Landesverband without being asked to do so; otherwise, a warning will be issued. Those who are sick only from Monday to Wednesday during week-long seminars must participate in the seminar on Thursday and Friday.

Illness (Service at the Placement Site)

In case of illness, notify your deployment site immediately (at the latest before the start of your shift) by phone to inform them about the expected duration of your illness. It's not necessary to disclose the reason for your illness. Make sure to discuss the procedure in case of illness in advance with your EST (Einsatzstelle).

If you are sick for more than three calendar days (not working days!), a medical certificate confirming the incapacity to work and its expected duration is required.

There are two cases here:

• If you receive three copies (one for you as the insured person, one for the employer, and one for the health insurance): The AUB (certificate of incapacity for work) must be presented immediately to the DRK-Landesverband RLP (original for the employer) and at your deployment site (copy for the employer).
• If you only receive a single copy for yourself as the insured person, please contact your responsible education coordinator.

In the case of prolonged illness, the DRK LV RLP will continue to pay your benefits for up to six weeks. After that, you will receive sick pay from your health insurance. It is important here that you also send the AUBs to your health insurance, unless they are transmitted electronically.

Please be sure to notify the DRK as soon as it is clear when you will likely be able to work again.

Initial Examination

You will receive information about the pre-employment examination and any necessary vaccinations from your placement site. Before starting practical work at the placement site, you may need to undergo a pre-employment examination, such as the initial medical examination for individuals under 18 years of age according to §§ 32 and 42 of the Youth Employment Protection Act. The costs are covered either by your health insurance or your placement site. Please discuss cost coverage with your placement site before incurring any expenses.

In addition, vaccinations may be required according to the Biological Agents Ordinance. Your placement site will inform you about the health prevention measures necessary in your area of assignment.

Insurances

During your voluntary service, you are covered by social insurance, which includes the following types of insurance:

• Health Insurance:
  • During the voluntary service, all volunteers must be covered by statutory health insurance. This means that those who were previously privately (family) insured must join a statutory health insurance fund for the duration of the voluntary service. You should discuss with your health insurance company whether you can return to your previous insurance conditions after your service.

• Accident Insurance:

  • Volunteers are generally covered by accident insurance. This applies to both working hours at the placement site and during seminar times. Commutes are also covered, provided the direct route to or from the placement site or seminar is taken.

• Pension Insurance

• Long-Term Care Insurance

• Unemployment Insurance

These insurances provide a comprehensive safety net during your time as a volunteer, covering a range of circumstances from health issues to accidents that may occur during work or while traveling to and from your placement site or seminars.

Pedagogical Guidance

The educational support in your voluntary service is legally regulated (see JFDG and BFDG). It is subdivided into:

• Practical guidance by the placement site
• Practice-related seminar work
• Support by the organization

If you have questions or issues during your voluntary service, you can always contact your responsible educational advisor.

Probationary Period

In the FSJ (Voluntary Social Year), the first twelve weeks of the deployment are considered a probationary period, while in the BFD (Federal Voluntary Service), the first six weeks are. In rare cases, there are different arrangements. Please check your agreement to see if this applies to you. See Termination.

Qualified Testimonial

After completing the voluntary service (at least six months), you are entitled to a qualified testimonial. Please note:

• A testimonial will be issued only upon your active request. For this, please contact your placement site and educational consultant in advance (approximately 4 weeks before the end of service).
• Only testimonials from DRK-LV are formally valid. Testimonials directly issued by a placement site do not have formal validity.
• The finished testimonial will be provided to you only after the end of the voluntary service. If you need an interim testimonial in advance, you must request it from the placement site.

Rest Times

You are entitled to an eleven-hour rest period between the end of work and the beginning of the next workday. Special regulations apply to minors (see the Youth Labor Protection Act). In hospitals and/or facilities for the treatment, care, and support of individuals, the eleven-hour rest period may be shortened by one hour, provided that any reduction is compensated within a month by extending another rest period to at least 12 hours.

Secondary Employment

A secondary occupation must always be approved in advance and is possible on a limited basis, provided that the maximum weekly working hours are observed. The form 'Application for Permission to Engage in a Secondary Occupation' must be requested from your responsible education coordinator and signed by you, your placement, and the DRK 

Here are some guidelines on when a secondary occupation is permissible:

• Your application for a secondary occupation must be approved before you start the secondary job. If your secondary occupation already exists before the start of your voluntary service, it still needs to be approved by us before your voluntary service begins.
• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must observe a rest period of at least 11 hours.
• You must not exceed a regular weekly working time of 48 hours. Naturally, this includes the working hours of your voluntary service plus any working hours from the secondary occupation.
• Your voluntary service is always considered your primary occupation.

Seminars

During the Youth Voluntary Service, 25 days of education take place. In BFD 27plus, 12 seminar days are mandatory within one year. The education days can be held in a digital format or in-person. They are structured into the following components during your voluntary service:

1. Welcome day
2. Block seminars
3. Flex days

Special conditions apply for BFD 27plus. A key focus of the educational seminars is the reflection on experiences and insights gained from daily work in the placement sites (practice reflection). You actively contribute to shaping the content of the seminar work. Attendance at seminars is mandatory.

Social Security

see Snsurances.

Supplementary Identity Card (Ergänzungsausweis)

Do you have a supplementary identity card? Please contact your responsible educational advisor for assistance.

Surcharge

Due to the legally regulated benefits for volunteers, overtime, weekend, and holiday services cannot be compensated with financial bonuses.

Termination

The voluntary service ends after the expiration of the contract period, without the need for a specific termination.

During the probationary period, the deployment site, the DRK state association and you can withdraw from the agreement without giving reasons (see ➔ probationary period).

After the probationary period, the voluntary service can be terminated with a notice period of four weeks to the 14th or the end of a calendar month. The notice period of four weeks to the end or middle of the month must be strictly observed. Please use the form 'Application for Termination'. You can get this from your responsible education coordinator.

Please send us the termination signed by your deployment site and yourself (for minors, by your parents) by post.

Transportation Costs (Commute)

During the FSJ and BFD, no travel expenses for commuting to the deployment site will be reimbursed. It is possible to obtain discounted public transportation tickets from regional transport associations. Check if the 49-ticket is possibly the most cost-effective option for you.

Transportation Costs (Seminar)

Travel expenses for public transportation, train (2nd class, excluding ICE, IC, and EC), or by car will be reimbursed if the completed application with the tickets or, for car drivers (€0.20/km), with a printout of the route (e.g., Google Maps), is sent to the respective educational supervisor. The most economical connection should be chosen. The applications must be submitted no later than three weeks after the educational days (seminar, flex day, preparation meeting).

You will receive the application form during the educational days or by email.

University Application

When allocating a study placement through the Foundation for University Admissions, individuals who are completing a voluntary service must not be disadvantaged (§ 18 State Treaty). This means that those who have applied for and secured a study placement during their voluntary service are guaranteed to retain it in the following year.

Your voluntary service can have a positive impact on your applications. Please note the regulations of the relevant universities and colleges and inquire specifically with them.

Vacation

You are entitled to vacation. This amounts to 26 working days for all volunteers (both adults and minors) in a 12-month voluntary service. Vacation must be coordinated in advance with the responsible person at your placement. Note the separate regulation during closure periods in facilities, especially in daycare centers and schools. No vacation may be taken during seminars!

Volunteer ID

At the beginning of your voluntary service, you will receive a voluntary service identification card. It is comparable to a student ID and allows for various discounts, although without legal entitlement. The specific regulations can be obtained on-site.

An overview of the different offers can be found here: https://fuer-freiwillige.de/.

Warning

It is possible to receive a warning in voluntary service due to misconduct at the placement or during educational days. If the misconduct persists, it may lead to termination.

Working hours

The working hours are determined by the labor conditions of the deployment site and are considered full-time in youth volunteer services. You can inquire about the exact weekly working hours at your deployment site.

The duty schedules are created by the responsible staff in the deployment sites. Sites with shift work may involve early, late, and weekend shifts, or other schedule models. Minus and overtime hours should be avoided or promptly compensated. Unintentional minus hours cannot be attributed to volunteers. See Youth Employment Protection Act (Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz).

Youth Labor Protection Act (JArbSchG)

The Youth Employment Protection Act (Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz - JArbSchG) applies to individuals under 18 years of age. It primarily outlines regulations regarding working hours, leisure time, weekend shifts, and break times, as determined by the placement. It's advisable to discuss these regulations with your supervisor if you are under 18 years old. Feel free to reach out to your educational consultant if you have any questions. Here's a summary of the key rules.

Youth Voluntary Service

If you are between the ages of 16 and 26, you can participate in a Youth Voluntary Service. This typically involves full-time practical work at a placement site, supplemented by educational days provided by us. If you complete a one-year service, you will participate in 25 educational days. During your service, you will be supported and guided by an education coordinator from the DRK (German Red Cross) and a supervisor at your placement site.

A Youth Voluntary Service can take the form of either a FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr) or BFD (Bundesfreiwilligendienst), which usually depends on the specific placement site.