No one took the decision lightly – and yet everyone involved agrees: the local workers’ welfare organizations (Awo) in Poing and Zorneding will be dissolved at the end of the year. As a result, there will soon be only four instead of the previous six local groups: in Anzing, Kirchseeon, Markt Schwaben and Pliening. At the most recent general meeting of the Poinger group at the end of July, there was a discussion on this topic that lasted more than an hour, says the first chairman of the local association, Peter Maier, when asked. At the end there was great regret among the members. “That touched us all very much, after all we’ve been around for 56 years,” Meier continued. “But it’s the right decision.” Structural and legal reasons would not have permitted any sensible alternative.
As a welfare association, Awo is organized into local, district, district and state associations as well as a federal association. A membership fee in one of these organizations costs 30 euros per year. In Ebersberg, the district association runs several day-care centers and offers outpatient nursing services and outpatient services for people with disabilities. The Awo retirement homes in Markt Schwaben and Kirchseeon are in the hands of the district association. The local associations are responsible for local projects – in Poing, for example, this has been the organization of senior citizens’ meetings or fundraisers for the Awo-Kitas for many years, in Markt Schwaben the local association is responsible for the weekly food distribution “Tischlein Deck Dich”.
The continued existence of some local associations is always on the brink
The structure of Awo has been changing for years. In Poing, for example, the local association was responsible for the local Awo-Kitas up to 30 years ago. However, this was no longer manageable, so that the district association now holds the sponsorship. Again and again, the continued existence of local associations is in jeopardy because there is a lack of young people. In Pliening, for example, no one wanted to take over the duties of the resigning board. If there hadn’t been people who were interested at the annual meeting last May, this local association would have been dissolved as well.
Since 2011, Peter Maier has been the first chairman of the Poinger local association.
(Photo: Private)
Member numbers are also a problem in Zorneding and Poing. Zorneding has always been a small local association, “there were never more than 30 members there,” says the managing director of the district association, Ulrike Bittner. In the meantime, however, it has shrunk too much for a meaningful continuation.
The Poinger local association counted at least 116 members, as Peter Maier says. However: Before Corona there were 156. According to Maier, the decline in members is due to a lack of young people on the one hand, and on the other hand to the fact that Awo members, unlike other clubs, do not enjoy a preferential right to help. In the pandemic years, however, some long-standing members approached the local association with these expectations. Unfortunately, out of disappointment, there were resignations.
Ulrike Bittner is managing director of the Ebersberger Awo district association and chairwoman of the local association in Markt Schwaben.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
In addition, at least in Poing, there are other reasons for the dissolution: There are now two full-time community employees working with senior citizens. This office has recently been organizing a weekly senior citizens’ afternoon, which the Awo local association organized until March 2020, and is available for legal advice. The need for the latter is growing steadily, says Maier. “But we as a club can’t afford that.” He sees it as a positive development that competent contact persons are now available in the community. In addition, the legal requirements regarding hygiene measures for events have increased significantly due to Corona and thus also the responsibility for the volunteers.
But what does the dissolution of the two local associations and the dwindling number of members mean for the people who have so far counted on the commitment of Awo? District association chair Bittner says: Hardly anything, no help will break away. Those from Poing and Zorneding who would like to continue to get involved with the Awo can do so in the future as members of the district association. There are still many volunteers in the social sector – only fewer and fewer want to do it under the umbrella of an association. Very few of the “Tischlein Deck Dich” team are actually Awo members.