German football's 'Iron Men' FC Union Berlin are currently joint top of Bundesliga 2 with Kaiserslauten. Being a non-conformist club, and as such supressed by the Stasi in the communist east, it's the highest position they've been in for yonks. At this rate, they could take Hertha Berlin's place in the top flight.

What's that got to do with us? Nothing really. It's Union's stadium redevelopment that's interesting.

To satisfy the requirements of the Bundesliga, the club had to update the facilities at its delapidated stadium. Not being the richest of clubs, they employed architects to design the redevelopment in a way that non-skilled workers could do the bulk of the work i.e. volunteers.

Of the 80 or so workers on site, there were less than ten professional construction workers, with the rest being made up by Union's supporters. In the first phase of the redevelopment, 1,600 volunteers put in around 90,000 hours of work. This saved the club about 3 million euros.

'Union is a social event. We’ve got the spirit of a neighbourhood club where everyone sticks together.' #



Now that is community, and the feel good vibe seems to be rubbing off on the team. What with the Reds' link up with Salford City College, I wonder whether there's scope for apprentiships and NVQs to be run in a similar way for willing volunteers.

German football's 'Iron Men' FC Union Berlin are currently joint top of Bundesliga 2 with Kaiserslauten. Being a non-conformist club, and as such supressed by the Stasi in the communist east, it's the highest position they've been in for yonks. At this rate, they could take Hertha Berlin's place in the top flight.

What's that got to do with us? Nothing really. It's Union's stadium redevelopment that's interesting.

To satisfy the requirements of the Bundesliga, the club had to update the facilities at its delapidated stadium. Not being the richest of clubs, they employed architects to design the redevelopment in a way that non-skilled workers could do the bulk of the work i.e. volunteers.

Of the 80 or so workers on site, there were less than ten professional construction workers, with the rest being made up by Union's supporters. In the first phase of the redevelopment, 1,600 volunteers put in around 90,000 hours of work. This saved the club about 3 million euros.

'Union is a social event. We’ve got the spirit of a neighbourhood club where everyone sticks together.' #



Now that is community, and the feel good vibe seems to be rubbing off on the team. What with the Reds' link up with Salford City College, I wonder whether there's scope for apprentiships and NVQs to be run in a similar way for willing volunteers.