New online service for volunteers

As of now, a new online service being provided by Deutsche Post Pension Service will enable all interested pensioners to find out anything they might want to know about possibilities of becoming involved in unpaid and voluntary work.

To this end, the so-called "Ehrenamtcheck", or check for volunteers, has been developed in cooperation with Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Seniorenbüros e.V. as an online service which is available at www.rentenservice.de.

Prior to making a commitment to become a volunteer, a few questions generally need to be asked, such as: how or where can I become involved? What appeals to me and what area would I enjoy becoming involved in? Can I decide myself when I am going to make myself available? Will I be insured?

The new "Ehrenamtcheck" provides senior citizens with information on regional opportunities for becoming involved in voluntary work and, at the same time, gives them access to 250 senior citizens' offices nationwide. The latter are staffed by experienced advisers who can help caring senior citizens find exactly the right activity for them, or else can set up an activity together with interested senior citizens.

Senior citizens' offices liaise with a large number of organizations and places of employment, enabling them to help senior citizens take their first steps towards making a commitment to become a volunteer. If required, however, they can also support participants during their period of service.

"We are pleased to be able to support the initiative "Alter schafft Neues. - Aktiv im Alter" (Senior citizens exploring new opportunities - remaining active in your old age) launched by Federal Minister Ursula von der Leyen and Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Seniorenbüros e.V. with our online service. Our aim is to help older people find fulfillment in their retirement and to provide them with valuable and useful information for that purpose," explains Daniel Schwartz, Head of the eServices Department and responsible for the Pension Service's website.

Since 2007, pension recipients have been able to notify Deutsche Post Pension Service of change of address or bank details quickly and conveniently using Deutsche Post Pension Service's online service. In addition, each month, via an up-to-date "Topic of the month", the portal offers tips that are relevant to the lives of senior citizens and a wealth of service information which is constantly being expanded.

Since January 2008, for instance, all pension recipients have been able to carry out a quick individual check using the so-called "Steuercheck", or "tax liability check", to see whether or not they are required to file an income tax return under the new Retirement Income Act (Alterseinkünftegesetz).