Situation in Germany
Civil society in Germany has a moderate but average structure, good general conditions and demonstrates high ratings for its values. Its impact on politics and society is evaluated as strong, due to its crucial role in the German welfare state and its high potential to mobilise citizens. However, civil society in Germany is currently confronted with significant changes that are taking place in the state and in the economy. Finding a new role among the set of actors who shape the German welfare state and broader society will be a key challenge for German civil society. In general there is a well known division on civil society into two sub-sectors: one sub-sector that is predominantly state-financed and one sub-sector that is mostly financed by service fees. The involvement of CSOs in umbrella associations is high and the communication and cooperation among them is fluent, even if cooperation does not tend to be cross-sectoral.
Source: Civicus, Civil Society Index – Country Report for Germany, 2005, www.civicus.org
BBE - Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement Is a national network for civil society, linking CSOs with corporations and foundations as well as federal and local governmental bodies. It gives practical impetus to the promotion of volunteering and civic engagement for the common aim of strengthening civil society and works on the improvement of the legal institutional and organisational framework for volunteering. Birger Hartnuss, Ansgar Klein
Founded in: 2002
Based in: Berlin
Michaelkirchstr. 17–18
10179 Berlin-Mitte
Tel.:
Fax: +49 (030) 6 29 80 - 151
info@b-b-e.de
www.b-b-e.de
CEDAG member in GERMANY
Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der freien Wohlfahrtspflege (BAGFW)