Dölf (Switzerland) at the age of eleven, had his first contact with the YMCA through its youth work at YMCA St. Gallen.
The YMCA became a shaping force for him. In 1979 Dölf received a doctor degree in practical theology with a thesis on “Christian Youth Work”, and after serving one year as a vicar in the parishes of Zürich-Seebach and Baar, was ordained as a minister of the evangelical-reformed church.
1979 to 1986 he worked as General Secretary of the YMCA St. Gallen. During the years 1987 to 1990 he worked as a parish minister in Wil SG, later combined with a part-time employment as a lecturer for religion at the Cantonal School in St. Gallen.
Dölf had represented the Swiss YMCA since the seventies on European and World YMCA levels. In 1990 he was appointed as the Secretary General of the European Alliance of YMCAs and he served until 1999.
In summer 1998 Dölf became a part-time councilor of the Evangelical-reformed Church of the Canton St. Gallen. Until the end of 1999 he was responsible for its adult education department. 2000 to 2014 he served as their President and Chief Executive Officer.
