Andrea Beestermoeller - Volunteer work is essential!

Andrea Beestermöller has held the position of Volunteer Coordinator of Caritas Luxembourg since mid-May. She started her work with great motivation and enthusiasm.

What experience do you bring to the position of Volunteer Coordinator?

Already in my youth, I was very involved as a volunteer in my parish. My parents were a good example for me. As an adult, I became involved in ecumenism in Hamburg; I led the Taizé services and I was the contact and the "string-puller" for the World Day of Ecumenical Prayer in our parish.

When I arrived in Luxembourg, I volunteered for the "Wanteraktioun" of Caritas Luxembourg. Not only did I help with the distribution of meals to the homeless, but I also planned the intervention of all the WAK volunteers. That's how I met many of the staff of Caritas Luxembourg and was asked if I wanted to take over the position of volunteer coordinator. In my opinion, there is no relevant training for this function. You have to have great organisational and improvisational skills and you have to be able to deal with very different people. Thanks to my professional experience in the field of financial control and my previous volunteer positions, I can bring a lot to Caritas Luxembourg and its volunteers.

What are the tasks involved in this position?

The aim is to promote, through the different media, the possibilities of volunteering with Caritas Luxembourg. I try to place interested people who contact us in the best possible position according to their skills and interests. Volunteers need a good welcoming and support throughout their commitment. And, of course, recognition of their work is important. The colleague who preceded me, Caroline Theves, has already done extensive preliminary work.

What priorities will you be setting in the coming months?

First of all, I would like to know more about the departments, services and centres. This will make it easier to describe the missions of the volunteers and to take more precise account of mutual needs.

More and more companies are contacting Caritas Luxembourg because they want to motivate their employees to get involved socially or to organise a social day. One of my goals will be to find possibilities for companies to realise this social commitment at Caritas Luxembourg.

What is the commitment of the many volunteers who work for people in need within Caritas Luxembourg?

Volunteering is a key element of Caritas Luxembourg. Many people volunteer because they don't want to fall back on their own well-being, but want to stand by the less fortunate. Volunteers are a bridge to people who are at risk of falling into isolation and poverty. The Coronavirus crisis has greatly increased the number of people in need, but the demand for volunteering has also increased significantly. We are delighted that volunteers are Caritas ambassadors in Luxembourg.

If you have any questions about volunteering with Caritas Luxembourg, please do not hesitate to contact Andrea Beestermöller, andrea.beestermoeller@caritas.lu, phone 40 21 31 - 232.