Anna Klug from VfB Hallbergmoos is committed to volunteering - in practice and in theory: she made the volunteering the topic of her bachelor thesis.
Hallbergmoos
- Anna Klug (39) is still young for a functionary, but has been volunteering at VfB Hallbergmoos-Goldach for almost two decades - and not only in the volleyball department, but now also at the main club.
She devotes a large part of her free time to “her” club and recently completed an online course that also includes volunteering in society.
Ms. Klug, you have been with VfB for almost 20 years. Which positions have you already held or are you currently exercising?
I came through the youth mixed team player at around 15 years of age to the trainer and trainer of the female youth, after which I took over the post of youth warden.
In 2010 I was elected deputy head of the volleyball department.
I became captain of the women's team - a position that I still hold today.
In 2015 I became head of the volleyball department - and in 2018 I was asked if I would like to take on an office in the main club.
At this point in time the 1st and 2nd board positions were vacant.
It was important to me to be able to continue running my volleyball division, and I was also looking forward to the new tasks in the entire club as 2nd chairwoman.
At the same time, I was doing the online course "Management of Non-Profit Organizations" - very suitable for club life.
What are the main reasons why you volunteer at VfB Hallbergmoos?
I've been rooted in the club since I was a child, and I feel at home there.
Volleyball isn't just a hobby for me, it's already part of my life, it's just my passion.
I really enjoy getting involved, working with people and getting involved.
Accepting the job at the main club was also a human decision - the team you work with here as a board member was crucial for me to accept the post.
With Michaela Reitmeyer as 3rd chairwoman, we are a very good team, but one that still needs reinforcement.
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Anna Klug is second chairwoman and volleyball department head at VfB Hallbergmoos.
© private
What role does voluntary work play for you in our society, especially in sport?
In my opinion, an NPO, a non-profit organization, is not possible without volunteering.
No non-profit organization can exist without the unpaid work of volunteers.
Sport is an elementary part of society, and it is precisely this area that is predominantly carried out by volunteers.
This is exactly the case at VfB Hallbergmoos. The number of volunteers who offer their work, support and help in a variety of ways in their free time and without monetary compensation is essential for the association.
Precisely for this reason, the appreciation and appreciation of the individual volunteers must always come first.
Social recognition must not only find expression through awards ceremonies and volunteer cards, but must also go hand in hand with a rethink in people's minds.
Because in the end it is not the voluntary work that we have to look at, but the person who performs it, with all its facets and its uniqueness.
How much time do you invest in volunteering each month?
Quite a lot - on average around 40 to 50 hours, depending on the time of year and the organizational effort, sometimes even more.
In addition to professional life and volunteering, there is also a little time left for private life.
Is your volunteer work worth it in any way?
I would say it is definitely worth it.
The contact with people, especially with the children and young people, to see that something is developing, that the work is bearing fruit.
When the kids then implement what they have learned in volleyball and gain their first experiences, but also when the individual areas and departments grow and prosper, I really enjoy it.
Can you imagine getting involved in other areas outside of sport?
In general, I would never say never.
At the moment, however, I would rather expand my activities in the sports sector at VfB than get involved elsewhere.
But you never know.
As part of your studies, you wrote a thesis entitled “Motives and expectations of voluntary social work”. Did the idea come from you or from a professor?
The idea for the topic of my bachelor thesis came from me.
As part of my studies, I was able to develop freely here.
Association or club work as well as topics from the social area were in mind.
I also wanted to do something useful - a study from which information can be used retrospectively.
So I decided to conduct an empirical study on the subject of “volunteering in a club” - after all, I was able to draw a lot of knowledge for the work of the association.
Do you know of any other research on volunteering?
I was able to find some other work on the net.
My main focus, however, was on the volunteer survey of the Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth, which has been conducting telephone surveys on the subject of "volunteering" in Germany since 1999.
How did you conduct the survey?
I did written, quantitative surveys of our sports club members aged 14 and over.
Both volunteers and members without a function were surveyed.
I wrote to 838 people via email - that is 39.3 percent of the association.
In addition, I carried out 120 surveys by post - with a reply envelope and stamp.
This post was mainly sent to older members without email contact.
I received feedback from 319 people.
How was the feedback?
Actually, I've only received positive feedback.
Founding members and others whom I had written to even thanked me for my dedication and great commitment and wished me every success.
What personal conclusions did you draw from the results of your work?
Above all, volunteering must be fun - but the volunteer also wants to do something for the common good in his work and stand up for other people.
The expectations and demands of both sides are to be taken very seriously in the area of voluntary work.
Through transparency and open interaction, you can ensure a strengthened and successful coexistence not only in sports clubs.
So we have to take good care of the volunteers - appreciation is a magic word here.
Because if it is our goal to win volunteers for the association, to bind them to it for as long as possible and to increase the attractiveness of the activity, care should be taken to perceive the needs of the volunteers.
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