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Volunteer opportunities in GERMANY

 

Improving the surroundings of an environmental education centre near Heidelberg
      
Schoenau, Baden-Wurttemberg
          August 12 - August 31, 2008

Volunteer project: The “Landheim Lessingschule” is an environmental education centre for the pupils of a school in Heidelberg. The house is beautifully located at the edge of the forest, approx. 1,5 km out of Schoenau. About 2,5ha are belonging to the house including a forest, sports ground, a barbecue place and there is a small stream running next to it. Participants can enjoy the opportunity of amazing nature walks in the neighbourhood.

The area around the Landschulheim needs to be cleared of woodland which has been neglected over recent years. This includes removing alien species, cutting trees and bushes or cleaning a small pond. Besides, the two sports grounds need to be taken care of. There will be various tasks to do around the house and you will be sometimes supervised by teachers of the school or work together with pupils.

Language: English

Accommodation: The Landschulheim offers very comfortable conditions and has sleeping rooms with 4-8 beds.

Location: Schoenau is a small town, approximately 15 km from Heidelberg, situated in the Odenwald hills. The present settlement of Schoenau grew up around a monastery, which gives example of historical movements. The nature in the area is very beautiful and many tourists are visiting this region every year.

Train station: Heidelberg, Neckarsteinach

Airport: Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Restoring a stream and reviving a biotope in Pluederhausen
      
Pluederhausen, Baden-Wurttemberg
       August 16 - September 4, 2008

Volunteer project: Following the success of the last years, the municipality of Pluederhausen has invited a volunteer group to undertake environmental work on their grounds: A small stream is running through the territory of Pluederhausen. Usually there is not much water inside, but after rainfall the water surface is raising and neighbouring land gets damaged.

Volunteers will help to keep the stream’s water under control and the water level low. This means building of “stoppers” and natural steps in the stream and around it, for example with stone or wooden palisades. Tools used for this are picks and scoops. Another effect of the palisades is that they provide possibilities for insects and small animals to find a shelter. Next to the stream, a biotope died of lack of water. After the construction of a new water source, it should get back to life. Therefore, bushes and trees around have to be cut. Professional workers will support, instruct and guide the participants at work. Volunteers should be prepared to work in all weathers and work may be hard sometimes.

Some volunteer projects have already taken place in the town, so the locals are experienced in hosting them and are looking forward to welcome you. As the projects are organised very carefully, all participants should be very motivated.

Language: English

Accommodation: The group will live in a school. There is a big kitchen and a place for barbecue outside. Beds are provided.

Location: Pluederhausen is a small town with approximately 9.500 inhabitants. It is situated approximately 50 km northwest of Stuttgart. The participants will have the chance to experience a nature park by hiking or enjoy swimming in the lake. More sporting activities like beach volleyball, tennis or miniature golf will be organised by the municipality. There are also a few bigger cities to visit like Stuttgart or Heilbronn.

Train station: Pluederhausen

Airport: Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Renovation of children's playgrounds
       Gevelsberg, North Rhine Westphalia          August 16 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: The city Gevelsberg is located in the beautiful valley of the Ennepe. With your help, playgrounds will be renovated and rearranged in order to make them more attractive for kids.
You will rearrange the area and overwork toys. Afterwards the area should be greener, with more flowers and colourful toys.

Language: English

Accommodation: You’ll stay in circus wagons.

Location: Gevelsberg is in North Rhine-Westphalia, 15 km from Hagen, 30 km from Dortmund, 65 km from Cologne. The city offers a broad cultural program. In the youth centre you can play billiard and mini-golf, and there’s an adventure swimming pool. There are possibilities for trips to Dortmund, Bochum and Cologne.

Train station: Gevelsberg

Airport: Dortmund

Age range: 16 - 26 years old
 


 

Environmental maintenance of biotopes, gardens and watercourses in Bavaria
       Babenhausen, Bavaria          August 16 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: The beautiful village of Babenhausen is close to Memmingen and Ulm, not far from the Bavarian Alps. Under the guidance of an environment-educationist from the Youth-Education-venue “Babenhausen” and the support of local workers, you will be involved with different tasks, such as taking care of ecological sanctuaries (Biotopes), rebuilding natural watercourses and help enlarging the Garden of senses belonging to the youth centre. You will be introduced to the topic of amphibian life and the importance of water protection; you will be working artistically and creatively.

In your free time, you can make trips to Lake Constance, to Munich, to Ulm, to Kempten, to Augsburg, or undertake one of the many hiking-tours offered in the Alps. If the weather is good, you can go swimming in the lake close-by. In order for you to discover the region, you can borrow a bicycle.

Language: English

Accommodation: Shared rooms in a house, close to the lake.

Location: Bavaria; 120 km away from Munich, 40 km from Ulm, 60 km from Kempten and 90 km from Lake Constance.

Train station: Sontheim (Schwab)

Airport: Munich

Age range: 18 - 26 years old
 

 

Running a summer holiday play scheme for kids in Marbach
      
Marbach, Baden-Wurttemberg
          August 17 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: The youth club in Marbach organises a play scheme for children during the summer holidays. Different workshops and activities will be offered for 150 children between 6 and 12 years of age.

Volunteers will take care of the children during the play scheme and they will offer own workshops and activities – this means volunteers should bring creative and handcrafting skills. Working hours will be Monday to Friday, start in the morning till late in the afternoon.

Special requirements: Volunteers should have German language skills and send a motivation letter in German showing their interest in working with kids.

Language: English and German

Accommodation: The accommodation will either be home stays in families in town or the group will be accommodated all together in a building of the community.

Location: Marbach is known as the birth place of the classical poet Friedrich Schiller. The Schiller National Museum and the German Literature Archive are popular destinations. The town has a picturesque centre with several churches and many historical houses.

Train station: Marbach am Neckar

Airport: Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Construction of a leisure park for children, youth and adults in Haiterbach
      
Haiterbach, Baden-Wurttemberg
          August 18 - August 30, 2008

Volunteer project: For the first time the municipality of Haiterbach invites an international workcamp to help with the construction of a leisure park. This park should become a meeting place for local youth, children and adults. The idea is to set up a bike trail, a playground and a beach volleyball-court.

Volunteers will help to set up parts of the leisure park. This means for example to help with the construction of the play scheme or the beach volleyball-court. According to the needs, there are different tasks to do, and volunteers will be supervised by professionals. Work might be demanding sometimes and will be outside, so volunteers should be prepared to work in all weathers.

Language: English

Accommodation: The volunteers will be accommodated in a newly renovated historical building called “Zehntscheuer”. In the Middle Ages it was used by farmers for storing corns and crops. After a recent renovation, this historic building was transformed into a modern community house including a big courtyard used for cultural events and rooms for a kindergarten and different activities for young and old people.
Kitchen and sanitary facilities are available. Mats will be provided as well, but volunteers should bring sleeping bags. The accommodation is situated in the middle of the town, so volunteers will have the chance to get in close contact with the neighbours and probably there will be cultural events in the courtyard.

Location: Haiterbach is a town with about 5.800 inhabitants consisting of five districts. It is situated in the eastern Black Forest, 20 km northeast of Freudenstadt and 30 km west of Tuebingen. About 1000 years ago it was first mentioned and historical traces can be found in the town. The Black Forest is a famous wooded mountain range. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1.490 meters. There are numerous paths suitable for day walks.

Train station: Nagold

Airport: Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Organizing a summer feast in a Home for mentally handicapped people
      
Berlin-Koepenick, Brandenburg         August 23 - September 10, 2008

Volunteer project: In the Koepenick district on the outskirts of Berlin, within close proximity to two rivers, lakes and extensive forests, there is a Home for mentally handicapped people run by the social foundation “Koepenick”.

Your main task will be to organise and run a summer fete together with the residents. We would hope that the preparation of decorations, games, entertainment (for example, music and theatre) and food would mirror the varied cultural backgrounds of the participants. Other tasks are the creation of a herb and vegetable bed for each of the groups living in the home, and taking day trips with the residents. Most of the residents work in workshops until early afternoon and you will need to be flexible in arranging your working time and be prepared to work in the afternoons.

Language: English

Accommodation: In rooms belonging to the protestant parish of Berlin-Oberschöneweide.

Location: Berlin. Köpenick is the largest geographic section of Berlin. Seventy-five percent of the district is water, forests, and meadows. For the people of Berlin, this district serves as a recreational area.

Train station: Berlin

Airport: Berlin

Age range: 18 - 26 years old
 

 

Improve your German and help in workshops for disabled in Berlin
      
Berlin-Spandau, Brandenburg          August 23 - September 14, 2008

Volunteer project: This volunteer project takes place at the Spandau branch of the “Mosaic Workshop for the Disabled” which includes twelve different workshop areas, such as industrial assembly, laundry, joinery, home-grown produce, canteen, etc, and provides work for 260 mentally disabled people. The facility also provides care, support and education.

During the second and third week you will work for about 4 hours in the Mosaic workshop. Your tasks will be to rearrange the surrounding area, to plant flowers and to arrange sitting areas. Furthermore you will have the chance to gain an insight view into the work of this workshop. If you want, you can help and learn how to cooperate with disabled people.

Study part: In addition to working at the Mosaic workshops, this project gives you the opportunity to learn more German. During week one, you’ll have four to five hours of language tuition per day. Your tutors are experienced teachers of German as a foreign language and also participate in the workcamp. During the next two weeks, you’ll spend about four hours each day in the workshop areas, where you can practice and improve your newly acquired knowledge of German. An hour’s German tuition straight after work should help to ensure that you retain whatever new words and phrases you learned that day.

Special requirements: This project is for participants with a basic knowledge of German.

Language: English and German

Accommodation: You’ll stay at the Grunewald centre, in the middle of the Grunewald forest and close to lake Grunewald.

Location: Berlin. The centre of Berlin is within easy reach by public transport. You will receive the tickets for this. The 3 hectare big area is big enough for camping, an outside theatre, for BBQ, and to play football.

Train station: Berlin

Airport: Berlin

Age range: 18 - 26 years old

Extra fee: 300 Euro
 

 

Creating a new meeting center for migrants in Bremen
       Bremen-Tenever, Bremen          August 23 - September 13, 2008

Volunteer project: The intercultural workshop “Tenever” is a society which aim is to encourage a better and smoother integration within the city of Bremen. Within the district “Tenever” of Bremen, about 80 different nations live together, sometimes in poor conditions.

This summer the workshop will move to other premises and we will need your help for setting up this new meeting point. You will do some painting, re-arrange and design the interior decoration, and much more handcraft work. You can leave your creativity full bent. You will work together with the society members and learn a lot about their background, lives as migrants in Bremen and further projects of the association, such as meal service counter, addiction help centre or taking care of public parks.

Language: English

Accommodation: You will stay in a school or an empty building.

Location: In Bremen; 120 km away from Hamburg. From the district “Tenever” it is easy to reach Bremen’s downtown. This city exists since 1200 year and therefore has lots of historical interest points. Furthermore, you will find nice places for shopping and interesting museums. On the weekends you will have the opportunity to visit the North-See coast, Hamburg and other interesting places around.

Train station: Bremen Central station

Airport: Bremen or Hamburg

Age range: 16 - 26 years old
 

 

Organizing a holiday program for mentally and physically disabled people
    
Sindelfingen, Baden-Wurttemberg
      August 23 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: Only for volunteers experienced in work with disabled people!
The local host is a charity organization taking care of mentally and physically disabled persons who live in families. For the fourth time they offer two weeks of holidays for the disabled and the volunteer project will help to run it. It will take place in and around a house in the forest and there will be lots of different workshops and excursions during the daytime. The disabled will be picked up in the morning at 9.00h and be brought home in the evening at 17.00h.

Volunteers and disabled people will spend their time together to be creative, have fun, do handicrafts, go on excursions, playing games, do sports,.... In total there will be around 20 disabled and non-disabled children, youth and adults, which will be divided into groups according to the needs and abilities (the group with severely handicapped will for example be offered quieter activities).

An introduction seminar for all volunteers will take place on the first Sunday to explain the rules, responsibilities and tasks. Local volunteers will work together with the international group and they will have lunch altogether. The weekends will be free and you can either spend leisure time in the families you live together with or with the group.

Special requirements: Project language will be German and English! Please add a motivation letter to show your interest and experience in working with disabled people (What kind of experience do you have? Do you have experiences in taking care of disabled persons including sanitary aspects?).

Language: English and German

Accommodation: The accommodation will be in families, which means an experience of “real German culture”.

Location: Sindelfingen has about 60.000 residents and is about 15 km south west of Stuttgart. It has an economy fuelled mostly by the automobile industry and the weaving industry. Nice excursions in the Black Forest for hiking tours are possible as well as sightseeing trips to cities like Stuttgart or Heidelberg.

Train station: Sindelfingen – Goldberg

Airport: Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Support the organizing and running of summer festivals for children
      
Wangen, Baden-Wurttemberg
          August 23 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: It is the first time that the municipality of Wangen invites a volunteer group to help out at the local summer festivals for children. In the course of two weeks a play scheme called “Mini-Wangen” (August 25-30) followed by a “medieval festival in the year 1408” (September 1-5) will take place in the city. Children at the age of 7-10 years are invited to participate. Around 120 children are expected to attend the activities.

The international participants will help and support to take care of the kids at several different activities at both festivals. The volunteers will support the staff in supervising a set programme of indoor and outdoor activities such as sports, games and crafts. They are generally helping the children enjoy their summer holiday. The activities of the festivals are running from 8 am until 3 pm each day, so the group should be prepared to work long hours, but it is very rewarding. Working tasks will be different due to the topics of the festivals.

Special requirements: Project language is German. Motivation letter in German is required.

Language: German

Accommodation: The group will stay in a beautiful and well equipped self-catering house belonging to the “Franziskanerklösterle” (little monastery) close to the city centre. Around the house, there is a big garden belonging to the monastery. In the monastery itself, there are monks living separately but there is always the chance to get in contact and to get to know each other's lifestyle. All sanitary facilities and kitchen are available.

Location: Wangen is a beautiful city situated in the southern German region called “Allgau”, close to the borders of Austria and Switzerland. The region lies close to the Alpes and therefore provided with a diverse nature of mountains, meadows, waterfalls and the like. There is a lot to discover in terms of history and nature. Old castles, mountain trails, the Lake Constance. But also Wangen itself has much to offer. The history of the city dates back to the year 815. The charm of Wangen lies within its historical buildings and southern German architectural style.

Train station: Wangen

Airport: Munich, Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Park maintenance and renovation project in the Black Forest
      
Kappelrodeck, Baden-Wurttemberg
          August 24 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: In the town of Kappelrodeck the inhabitants can relax in the beautiful spa garden including a pond, nice foot paths, a children’s playground and lots of benches inviting to take a rest and observe the nature’s life around. The municipality of Kappelrodeck invites an international workcamp to help with the maintenance and renewing of this park.

According to the plans of a landscape architect, there are different tasks to undertake in the park: new footpaths have to be installed, old footpaths have to be cleared, alien species have to be removed, trees and bushes have to be cut, new trees have to be planted, dry stone walls have to be surveyed and reconstructed and other different tasks.
If the groups work faster than expected, putting a fence around a sports ground will be another task.

Language: English

Accommodation: In a school in the village of Waldulm, a part of Kappelrodeck. Two sleeping rooms, a kitchen and sanitary facilities are provided.

Location: Kappelrodeck is a small community situated in the popular “Black Forest” and has around 5700 inhabitants in total. The region attracts many tourists who find recreation in the beautiful landscapes. Besides, the area is famous for its delicious red wine. Hiking in the nearby nature as well as excursions to cities like Strasbourg or Stuttgart are possible.

Train station: Kappelrodeck

Airport: Strasbourg (France), Karlsruhe

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Teenage Orientation Camp
       Allstedt, Saxony-Anhalt          August 25 - September 6, 2008

Volunteer project: The medieval city ”Allstedt” in the federal-state of Saxony-Anhalt, already attracted the poet laureate Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Between 1176 and 1802, he often came to the city in order to take care of state affaires. While he was accommodated in the castle, he wrote the first act of the famous play “Iphigenie”. People say, that he enjoyed spending his time at the border of a pond, on the dyke.
You will help to restore this dyke, the related millstream and to take care of the surrounding forest and park.

Furthermore, this Teenage Orientation Camp in Allstedt will invite you not only to discover the life of the famous poet Goethe, but also to discover what you personally want from the future! Time, space and assistance will be given to you in order to find out, what you want to do in and with your life, which orientation you would like to take and which job or study you would like to choose. Different workshops will be held about “planning your life” and “Future Wishes”.

Language: English

Accommodation: You will stay in tents.

Location: In the federal-state of Saxony-Anhalt; close to Halle (40 km away), Erfurt (about 50 km away) and Magdeburg (60 km away).

Train station: Sangerhausen or Artern

Airport: Leipzig or Berlin

Age range: 15 – 17 years old
 

 

Restoration of an old Roman watchtower in Odenwald forest
     
Buchen, Baden-Wurttemberg
       August 31 - September 10, 2008

Volunteer project: It is the second time the town of Buchen invites an international volunteer project. After the success of the last year, the group will work on a special UNESCO cultural heritage in the region around Buchen. On request of the nature park association, the project's task is to rebuild the foundation walls of an old Roman watchtower belonging to the “Limes” (=a border defense of Ancient Rome).

The group will work on the rebuilding of a stone wall of the watchtower. In detail that means stones have to be arranged, concrete has to be mixed before setting the wall back in place. The working place is located in the middle of the forest. The group will be supported by professional workers of the building yard department of Buchen.

Language: English

Accommodation: The participants will stay on a family campsite area called “Eckbuckel” which was rearranged by the workcamp last year. This campsite lies idyllic and isolated outside of Buchen in a cozy village – surrounded by meadows and forests. Beside the cabins that are used as sleeping rooms, a separate building with a kitchen and sanitary facilities is available. There is also a place for barbecuing. For more leisure activities the participants are free to use the big sports ground as well as ping-pong tables at the centre. Around 2 km away lays a private lake for swimming…

Location: Buchen is a small town located in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg in the forest “Odenwald” with around 18900 inhabitants. Volunteers can enjoy the landscape by hiking or experience the wonders of a stalactite cave. In Buchen you can also find a forest swimming pool and more opportunities for sporting activities. Bigger cities like Stuttgart or Heilbronn are also worth visiting.

Train station: Buchen

Airport: Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Maintenance of a recently restored river in Kehl
      
Kehl, Baden-Wurttemberg
          September 8 - September 26, 2008

Volunteer project: For the sixth time the municipality of Kehl asks an international group to help with environmental protection in their town: There is a small river running through Kehl. In former times the river was redirected to run in concrete tunnels and it was biologically dead. The municipality has removed all the concrete, allowing the small river to flow through the town once again. There are now many plants and animals living in and by the river. However, since the river is in the middle of the town, rubbish and grass must be cleared from the banks regularly to prevent flooding in the town.

Volunteers will clear the banks of the river and cut the grass and bushes. They will work with machines and it may be physically hard and muddy. This is a good project to learn about nature prevention and conservation.

Language: English

Accommodation: The group will live in a youth centre close to the river where all facilities are provided. There is a big kitchen and different rooms to stay and spend time in. Outside you can find a place for barbecuing, a lake and trick fountains to enjoy. The area around the youth centre is rather spacious and provides many activities and things to experience.

Location: Kehl is a medium sized town on the bank of the river Rhine facing the French-German border. The Alsatian town of Strasbourg is situated on the other side of the river Rhine. It will be interesting to visit the beautiful town of Strasbourg, crossing the border to France. The youth centre is only a five minute walk from the inner city of Kehl. Other interesting sightings can be the Black Forest and the nature of the southern area in general.

Train station: Kehl

Airport: Strasbourg (10 km), Frankfurt (150 km)

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Creating and cultivating nature biotopes in the beautiful south of Germany
      
Willstaett, Baden-Wurttemberg
          September 27 - October 11, 2008

Volunteer project: For the first time the municipality of Willstaett invites an international volunteer project to help with the arrangement of biotopes which are situated in the surroundings of the town.

The volunteer group will create new biotopes as well as cultivate already existing biotopes. They will work with different kinds of tools. The work can be physically demanding – especially in any kind of weather. Volunteers should be prepared to work hard.

Language: English

Accommodation: The group will stay in a building of the fire department where they will have a sleeping room, a living room with couches and games, all sanitary facilities and a kitchen. The house is situated next to the building yard department from where the group will leave to the biotopes each morning together with the professionals with whom they will work during the weeks.

Location: The community of Willstaett contains several villages with all in all around 9000 inhabitants. It is situated in the beautiful southern part of Germany close to the border to France. It is characterised by its beautiful architectural style of carcass houses. There is also a lot to see and discover in the landscape close to the Black forest with its spectacular sights (waterfalls, castles…). Close bigger cities like Freiburg or Strasbourg offer a wide range of cultural events.

Train station: Appenweier, Kehl

Airport: Strasbourg, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Stuttgart

Age range: 18 - 30 years old
 

 

Developing an environmental conservation area in Lower Saxony
      
Edewecht, Lower Saxony          October 11 - October 25, 2008

Volunteer project: This autumn, the small town of Edewecht in the beautiful Ammerland district would like your help to convert an area of agricultural land into an environmental conservation project.

There is a variety of outdoor tasks for you, supported by local expertise. Your work will involve planting, the maintenance of existing young plants, designing information boards and building a wooden observation platform. You’ll have the opportunity to take part in small group excursions to learn about local flora and fauna, and during these two weeks you could gain a lot of knowledge about nature conservation and countryside maintenance. And of course this is a great opportunity to spend time outdoors before the winter sets in. With a bit of luck you’ll have two weeks of great weather due to the “Indian Summer“.

In your free time, you could explore the region’s excellent cycle lane network (bicycles are provided), visit the lovely university town of Oldenburg (20 km by public transport) or, at weekends, take a trip to Bremen or the North Sea.

Language: English

Accommodation: In a school in Edewecht.

Location: Lower Saxony, Oldenburg is 20 km away and Bremen - 65 km

Train station: Bremen, Hamburg, Hanover

Airport: Bremen, Hamburg

Age range: 16 - 26 years old
 

 

 

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