We are a small Berlin-based social enterprise with a big vision: We want to give everyone the chance to get involved and make a difference in local volunteering projects – regardless of how much time they have, what language they speak or what skills they bring with them. Since our founding in 2015, we have been able to match more than 6,000 committed individuals with more than 250 partner organisations in Berlin, Cologne and Munich through our vostel-o-mat. Our long-term objective is to deploy our volunteering platform throughout Germany.

More than 60% of our volunteers are newcomers (e.g. expats, people from a refugee background), which is why we attach great importance to also offering volunteering opportunities for people with no or little knowledge of the German language. In addition to collaborating with large charities, we place particular emphasis on assisting small and little known organisations and initiatives in their search for volunteers and help them promote themselves on vostel.de.

Our core task is to match those willing to help with those who need it and to advise non-profit organisations on effective volunteer management. In addition, we help businesses to plan and implement rewarding Corporate Volunteering activities.

vostel.de funds itself by organising and carrying out Corporate Volunteering activities (individual or group activities, pro bono work, donation campaigns) and advising companies on setting up and implementing CV programmes.