Why I decided to volunteer with the German UPA

Why I decided to volunteer

I'd had the wish to volunteer for a while. Not just anywhere, but in an environment I find professionally meaningful and whose values I can identify with.

What mattered to me was not just doing "something," but actually contributing – something that moves others forward and, at the same time, clearly connects to who I am.

The actual push came during the German UPA Summer School. Alongside the content and the exchange, there was also an active call for people willing to support volunteer work. I thought it over more than twice, since my studies already had me pretty deep in the hustle. But even after a few nights of thinking, it became clear to me: now is exactly the right time.

So I applied. I knew where my strengths were, but not exactly how they'd best fit into the existing structures.

First impressions and exchange

In conversation with the board, I got a much clearer picture of what tasks were possible and where support was needed.

What struck me right away was how open and appreciative the communication was. I felt like I was welcomed in immediately. That kind of collaboration built a lot of trust for me. It's exactly the attitude I also consider important in my own work.

Getting started as a volunteer

Since I'd just started my studies in parallel, staying realistic mattered to me. So I deliberately chose to start within a manageable scope.

Right now, I mainly support in the following areas:

• Quality assurance for the website, especially in terms of content and structure
• Identifying inconsistencies in text and design
• Supporting discoverability (SEO) and content structure
• Contributing to blog content and topics around visibility

Especially with the website, I quickly noticed that many small differences had accumulated over time, both in language and in structure. That's nothing unusual, but it's exactly where you can make a difference.

Thanks to my experience in frontend and content work, it's relatively easy for me to get into the existing systems and approach things in a structured way.

Why this feels right for me

The volunteer role fits for several reasons right now.

For one, because I can contribute professionally without starting from zero. For another, because I'm supporting topics I find important anyway: exchange, access to knowledge, and a strong community in my field.

I also notice that I enjoy working on it. Not just because of the tasks themselves, but because you can directly see that you're moving something, even if it's often just small things in the background.

That's why I'm very grateful to have been welcomed so openly and to have the chance to contribute. Especially getting started showed me that volunteering doesn't have to be complicated or intimidating if the conditions are right.

I'm looking forward to building on this further and seeing where else I can contribute long-term.