In the autumn, together with a group of young people, I participated in an orientation evening at Game Streetmekka, organized by Aalborg Municipality.

Here we had to work more closely with the different voluntary cultures that exist among our youth – but also among the rest of the population.

We gathered across different associations and looked at the voluntary cultures and trends. Extremely relevant for a society which feels a lack of volunteering.

One of the trends we face is that our young volunteers demand a more flexible form of volunteering.

Tordenskjold’s soldiers no longer exist, and as a society we must adapt to a more flexible volunteering culture. One point that was emphasized this evening was that our young people do not want to commit.

We are doing them a disservice

I like to buy the premise that our volunteering culture has changed, but I also fear that we are doing young people a disservice by creating a non-committal volunteering culture – put at the top: where you can/must feel whether you feel like participating , Every time.

As I said, I think it can be a disservice in some ways. I understand that life is difficult and you can’t always give or volunteer, but our youth also need to know that we need them.

We cannot run a voluntary association without volunteers. We need both young and old to be part of Foreningsdanmark.

It is no coincidence that our men’s national team in handball makes a virtue of thanking the volunteers in the handball clubs – and says that these are also part of their victories every time they win.

Because without them, no national team.

I think it’s important to be told “that we need YOU, because otherwise these ten kids can’t go to handball”.

It is important to explain and talk regarding the importance of playing a role. And then I think it’s important that we feel we mean something to others – maybe even to someone who is a complete stranger to us.

The elderly must cheer

It is important to be something to someone. It is important to know that one is needed, and then I think – in the words of the king – that it is healthy to make a commitment.

It must be felt and experienced, and ownership must be given.

So yes, we in Foreningsdanmark have to deal with new cultures and change with the times and with the volunteers who have to take on the tasks and challenges they face.

They must feel that we need them and have confidence that they can handle the tasks, so that they can shoulder the responsibility together, while we, as experienced/old volunteers, cheer from the sidelines – and sometimes step in because we also want to be involved in the task.

So tell the young people – that someone needs them – because without volunteers in the clubs we wouldn’t have a cool men’s national team in handball.

And this applies regardless of whether it concerns handball, the scouts, the civic association, the shooting association, the food club, e-sports, skiing or a climate movement.

You are needed!