Thank you all for showing up and helping us! Your commitment is very much appreciated! In order to help in the best possible way, it’s important that we all follow some basic rules and stick to the structures we were able to build over these last days.
Please only come to the station after taking the steps below
You are on station and have a question? Use our
Table of content
Before you go
- Check the Volunteer Shift System to see where and when help is needed.
Look for time slots when buses or trains are arriving, but few volunteers have signed up.
Do you speak 🇺🇦 Ukrainian, 🇷🇺 Russian, or 🇵🇱 Polish? Your skills are really highly needed! If you see a time slot without enough 🇺🇦🇷🇺🇵🇱speakers signed up, try to come then. Basically, you can come any time and most likely there will be something to translate and explain 🙏
- Register for a shift via Volunteer planner
There is no confirmation email! Sign up for a time when help is needed and then just come.
Read and agree to the Code of Conduct
When registering first time on volunteer-planner.org, please be aware that your chosen user name will be visible to all other people on this platform! So we recommend to chose a name that does not identify you as a person, just as a precaution.
You want to volunteer as a larger group (e.g. from University, your company, or any other context)? Feel free to reach out to volunteers-hbf@arrivalsupport.berlin beforehand 🧑🤝🧑
- Get physically prepared for your shift
Wear warm clothes and bring something for yourself to eat and drink.
The 3G rule applies.
- Fully vaccinated (at least: 2 doses) with an EMA approved vaccine
- or recovered, with a recovery certificate (no older than 90 days)
- or with a rapid test, no older than 24 hours (during the day, in UG 1 the corona bike is present)
General protection measures such as FFP2 masks, distance (if possible), and hand hygiene remain unchanged. Also, as we are in close contact with vulnerable groups, please consider making a COVID test, even if it is not strictly required by the rules 🙏 Thank you very much 😊
- Get prepared with information (continue reading this guide 🙂)
Make sure to learn about your specific station as well as the general procedures.
At the station: How to start your shift!
Please don’t just jump in! To keep things organized, follow these steps before starting any job.
- Come to the volunteer desk (currently: UG 1, next to platform 6 and 7).
- Sign up yourself with name and contact.
- Get Your briefing
Wait nearby for the next briefing, before you start, please! Make sure the ways are clear and no one is blocking escape routes.
We appreciate that you are coming back to help several times. Please keep in mind, that regulations concerning refugee accommodation, transportation, and registration can change at any time. To stay updated, it’s important to attend the briefings even if you’ve volunteered before.
- Get a reflective vest from us, plus additional items that identify you as a volunteer. Put your name and the languages you speak on a piece of tape and put it on your vest. 🦺
There are slightly different kinds of vests (dark green, dark green with yellow patch, grey, blue), signalling for example which language you speak. Read more about it here 😊
- The coordinators will divide you into teams and assign you to specific stations/locations.
If not you can also read up on what to do here: What to do at Hauptbahnhof
Have a question or problem while you work? Talk to your station coordinator.
- If you are done for the day, please return your vest to the volunteer desk (important, as we encounter a lot of losses currently in that regard)
- Take care and rest! If you have feedback or the need to talk, try to reach out to the people on the volunteer desk 😊 Thank you for helping welcome everyone to Berlin!
Warning — keep your eyes and ears open! There are some people approaching our volunteers and others, offering them money to host women and/or children. Better be safe than sorry - unfortunately, there are people who are taking advantage of the current situation. We’ve experienced very unpleasant situations with people, especially men, approaching our volunteers asking them to host women (with children), even offering them money to do so. Also, there were cases where they tried to approach children/ unattended minors. We HAVE TO MAKE SURE that everybody who arrives here is safe! If anyone approaches you or refugees, tell them to wait where they are and IMMEDIATELY INFORM THE POLICE AT BERLIN HBF. 📞 03020622930 Tell the police where the person is located (e.g. “UG1, near Rossmann”) and they will handle them.
For emergencies call 📞 112 – or approach DB security If you need to call an ambulance, let them know the nearest entrance (Washingtonplatz or Europaplatz) and go to meet them upon arrival, so that they can get to the patient quicker.
Stay safe! Please make sure to look out for your own safety! There are psychologists available for volunteers through DRK or Deutsche Bahn, you can identify them by their purple vests. 🔗 Read up about self-care