April at PMI is dedicated to volunteering. A good opportunity to focus on what lies at the core of our community: engagement.

With the new role of Vice President Volunteering, this topic is now also more firmly anchored organizationally within the PMI Germany Chapter. The increased focus on volunteer engagement highlights its central importance for the continued development of our community. The PMI Germany Chapter is growing – and with it, the opportunities to get involved, connect, and shape things together. This growth does not happen automatically. It is built on people who take responsibility and are willing to invest their time and energy in the community.

Volunteering is project management in action

Project management means taking responsibility, achieving goals, and providing direction in complex situations. This is exactly what happens in volunteering. Volunteers often work without formal hierarchy, alongside their professional roles, and in dynamic environments. In doing so, they create solutions, formats, and initiatives that shape our community.

At the same time, volunteers develop exactly the skills that are critical in project management: communication, collaboration, ownership, and decision-making.

Volunteering is therefore not only a contribution to the community – it is also a space for learning and gaining experience in modern project management.

Engagement as the foundation of our community

PMI – both globally and locally – thrives on the engagement of its members. Events, Communities of Practice, mentoring programs, and expert contributions do not emerge on their own. They are initiated, shaped, and further developed by volunteers.

The PMI Germany Chapter already has a strong base of engaged members and well-functioning structures. At the same time, looking at other chapters shows the potential of further activating the community. In those chapters, volunteering is clearly structured, visible, and strategically embedded.

A key success factor is intrinsic motivation. People engage when they see purpose, impact, and opportunities for growth. As motivation research shows, sustainable motivation primarily arises from within.

Outlook: strengthening volunteering further

In her role as Vice President Volunteering, Alex Bruckschen focuses on further developing volunteer engagement within the PMI Germany Chapter. The first step is to make existing structures more visible and to evolve them further. The goal is to make it easier for new volunteers to get started, to define roles more clearly, and to increase transparency around engagement.

Building on this, the aim is to create conditions that foster motivation and enable long-term involvement – through clear orientation, strong networking, and visible appreciation. Volunteering should not be seen as an additional task, but as an opportunity: for personal development, active contribution, and building a strong network.

Engagement thrives on people who are willing to take responsibility and make a difference together. These are exactly the people who shape the PMI Germany Chapter.

Get involved and help shape the future

If you would like to actively support the development of volunteering within the PMI Germany Chapter, you are very welcome to get in touch. Whether you bring experience or simply motivation – we appreciate everyone who wants to contribute and help shape the community.

You can reach our new VP Volunteering at: alexandra.bruckschen@pmi-gc.de