The project was launched in 2022 on the initiative of the Kevelaer pilgrimage town council for a period of two years. It quickly became apparent that the implementation of such a volunteering project required close cooperation with experienced partners. The administration therefore worked closely with Caritas and the app provider "Nyby" to realize the project.
The aim of the project was to recruit new people to volunteer in addition to the existing structures - even if they were not members of an association. The project was primarily intended to promote flexible assignments for volunteers: individual short-term assignments or individual activities were possible within the framework of the project and were also expressly desired. Existing associations, organizations and structures were also supported by the project. The project also tested simple, app-based communication channels via the "Nyby" app solution. The Nyby app had already been successfully tested by Caritas in a pilot project in Kevelaerer Klostergarten.
Institutions and private individuals seeking help, as well as the volunteers, were connected by coordinator Fabienne Lamorte from the Caritas association and the use of the Nyby app. There were twelve different groups within the app and a total of 100 volunteer members. During the two-year project period, around 40 requests were successfully completed using the app.
Thanks to the energetic commitment of the volunteers, residents of the Regina Pacis Haus, for example, received support to take part in the wheelchair pilgrimage in Kevelaer. Additional hard-working helpers were recruited to set up the circus tent for the circus project at St. Hubertus Primary School in Kevelaer. Thanks to the volunteering platform, a former Kevelaer resident has found regular support in caring for the grave of his deceased family member. Various technical requests from residents of the Klostergarten, such as setting up a Google account, making calls abroad via Skype or computer updates, were successfully implemented using the app. The primary school children also benefited from the volunteering platform: For example, the project was used to repair the foosball table in the OGS of St. Franziskus Primary School in Twisteden and the Kettcars at the OGS of St. Hubertus Primary School in Kevelaer were also repaired. Accompanied walks for people with mental disabilities, trips to doctors and authorities and the assembly of furniture are also among the successfully completed requests. Many interested volunteers and institutions from various social areas were won over to the volunteering project in personal discussions and thus networked in the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer. Information about the volunteer platform was communicated to interested parties through flyers on display and good press work by the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer.
However, the project also presented challenges: On the part of the institutions, which were responsible for publishing the requests for help in the app, there was often a great deal of personnel and administrative effort behind the organization of the assignments.
Without the requests for help, volunteer activity also decreased. The number of members in the Nyby app has stagnated in recent months and hardly any orders have been implemented in the end.
Discussions to find the cause of the lack of requests in the volunteering app and assistance were unable to increase activity.
After joint discussions, the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer and the Caritasverband Geldern-Kevelaer e.V. have come to the conclusion that there is no realistic chance of a successful continuation of the project. The project will therefore come to an end at the end of 2024.
However, the Caritas Association will remain a central point of contact for flexible volunteering in the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer with its volunteer center, the Mechel House on Kapellenplatz and the multi-generation house on Klostergarten. The need for support remains high.
Volunteers and institutions were informed about the end of the project and were given information about alternative opportunities and the option to submit future requests for help via the Gelderland Volunteer Center. Despite the end of the project, the volunteering app has brought many people together and many continue to enjoy the regular contact that has resulted.