Volunteering with Caritas

Today we started off at the Caritas headquarters with Claire. She explained to us the volunteering at Caritas and how it works. During the pandemic there was an influx of young volunteers. Volunteers are trained to help refugees live in the real world, find and apartment, and learn how to live on without the assistance of a social worker. Currently there are around 250 refugees in Munich. She also explained that during the influx of refugees from Ukraine they also had an increase of people wanting to be volunteers. After this we then went with her to a hotel next to the central station where Ukrainian refugees who have disabilities of illnesses are taken to. Before we could go in we were required to complete a Covid test and sign in since the people living here are at-risk. It was interesting to hear that so many people wanted to help Ukrainian refugees even though there were already refugees in Munich who needed help. Volunteers are very essential to this work. They provide support to refugees especially since most social workers already have a lot of work to do. Claire told us that at one point in her work she was in charge of over 300 refugees at her camp.

Hotel for refugees with disabilities and illnesses


 
Map of Caritas camps around Munich


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