International Volunteers in Germany

Projects for International Volunteers in Germany

The projects you will work for are most likely to be in the social, cultural or ecological sector. You could work with kids or juveniles, adults, aged people or with disabled people of all ages. Your work placement could also be in an one-world coffee shop, on an ecological farm or with a social organization where you will do administrative work (in this case you should already be able to speak German).

Sharing everyday life in another culture is the best way to gain an understanding of it. Your voluntary service therefore constitutes a major part of your exchange year. In any kind of voluntary work placement, the social and intercultural learning is highly significant. Doing voluntary work means to receive only a pocket money for your daily expenses. You will not be allowed to have a paid job during your voluntary service. You should be willing to take over a certain amount of responsibility and to collaborate with your team.

Living situations of International Volunteers in Germany

Generally, there are two different kinds of host situations:

One option is to be staying with a host family (mother and father with children, single mother with children, single father with children, a couple without children or even a single person). In this case, your work placement will be in a project in the village/ town/ city where you will live in. ICJA will organize the project for you before your arrival in Germany.

The second possibility is to live at the project site, e. g. in a nurse home where you live in the compound of the project or share an apartment with other (German and/or international) volunteers working at the same place.

ICJA will be there for you

From the day of your arrival until the day you leave Germany, ICJA will be in touch with you. During your stay, we will organize various (orientation, midterm, evaluation) camps for you. You will have a personal mentor in your region and you will always be able to contact the staff at our Berlin office for any problems you might encounter.

Program Information

ICJA offers two different programs for incoming volunteers:

1. ICYE program

Our international volunteers (aged between 18 and 26 years) come to Germany for a duration of usually 12 months. In exceptional cases, we also accept a duration of 6 months. Your voluntary year usually begins in September, yet we also offer the option to arrive in January. Your weekly working hours in the project will vary between 30 and 35 hours, thus enabling you to participate in other activities as well. Besides participating in ICJA camps, you are entitled to take 2,5 days off per month. These off-days should be coordinated with your project, many volunteers prefer to take a one month vacation at the end of their stay. If you stay in Germany for the duration of 6 months, your holiday time will alter accordingly. Applications must be sent to the ICYE partner committee in your home country. In case there is no committee in your country, please contact the International ICYE Office.

2. European Voluntary Service (EVS)

ICJA is also a hosting and sending organization participating in the European Voluntary Service (EVS) program. If you come from an EU country and are between the age of 18 and 30, you may apply for this exchange program, which is funded by the EU. The procedure and conditions differ from that of the ICYE program (s. a.). If you are interested in serving an EVS, please consult the following website for further information: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.php