• Applications shall consist of cv, foto and a motivationletter concerning the project you are interested in. A general motivationletter is not enough. Please explain why you are interested in the project. And please name the project number otherwise it is not possible for me to relate your application to the single project.

• good English and German language skills required

A.
Berlin is the capital city of Germany with about 4 million inhabitants. As the seat of Parliament and government is it the political center of Germany. But it is also a city of historical and cultural importance. Having been divided into two different political systems and belonging to different nations for decades, the city is now a good example for growing together of mentalities.

B.
The VJF works with international volunteers (in workcamps) from the beginning of her foundation in 1990. Since 1997 the VJF is active as a hosting and sending organization within the European Voluntary Programme. Volunteers from the EVS, but also students from Germany, Europe and from all over the world shape the image of the VJF with their individual personalities and cultural differences.
Annually the VJF offers approximately 60 young Germans the possibility to take part in an Ecological Voluntary Service. The VJF offers EVS-volunteers an interesting and varied work. The volunteer will be able to combine the work with children and young people with ecological activities. The volunteer will have the possibility to work independently and also with the support of the employees of the organization. The volunteer can be creative and find out new freetime-offers for the visitors of the project.
Beside the development of social abilities and skills, the volunteer will have the oppurtunity to learn the German language in the daily contact with the employees ("learning-by-doing"). Also there will be the possibility to take part in a language course.
Mainly the volunteer will be responsible for the organisation and realization of international youth-meetings. The volunteer will also support the employees in the Project- and Meetingcentre, which includes manual work in the garden, the collecting of natural materials for the work with the children, care of children- and youthgroups, do handicrafts with children, walk with the children through the forest and so on. In the ecological part of the project the volunteer have to support the employees with the care and removal of the herb garden. There will also be the possiblity of collecting new ideas for the creation of the free spaces in the project- and meeting centre to get new freetime-offers for the visitors. The realization will happen together with the employees and the German volunteer who is working in the Project- and Meeting Centre during her/his Voluntary Ecological Year.

C.
The volunteer should be open-minded and honest. The work within the VJF offers the volunteer the possibility to work in a team, but also to work independently. Creativity and a certain interest in working with children and young people are also very important.
Furthermore, for us it is essential that the volunteer enjoys and is interested in international exchange with adolescents from all over the world and therefore wants to participate in our international workcamps or even work as a co-teamer.
There is no raster for our actual decision and no special skills or previous knowledge are necessary. What is important to us is that the volunteer's application can convince us and that he or she fits in our team.
The VJF is willing to work with any partner organisations. People who are interested in our organisation can easily obtain information on our EFD-project from our database. There, one can also find our contact details and hence apply right away. Moreover, in the announcement of the EFD, we use different internet plattforms to reach a great number of juveniles and organisations and inform them about our selection schedules.

D.
The VJF works on the field of international youth exchanges for already 15 years. Since 2002 the VJF has worked together with other voluntary organizations (within the "Alliance" - Alliance of European Voluntary Service organizations) to develop programs for disadvantaged young people to give them the chance to take part in international voluntary exchange programs. On account of this program the VJF already sent volunters to international projects and the VJF already hosted disadvantaged volunters in international projects in Germany. Three employees of the VJF are educated social pedagogues and one of them is especially responsible for the EVS and she is the constant contact person for the volunteers.

E.
As soon as the volunteers arrive, they will be introduced to the project, the colleagues and their field of work as well as their personal tutors. The latter will aid them not only with their personal problems but also with difficulties concerning their work. Volunteers can choose by themselves whom to address as their contact person (does not have to be their assigned tutor). This is possible, because each staff member is informed and involved in the EFD. Furthermore, the adolescents will be supported in establishing contact with ex-evs, who can become a second backup next to the people in their actual working position. The VJF will also encourage them to approach other volunteers (e.g. from other coordinated projects).
In addition, frequent feedback discussions should provide them the opportunity to bring up possibly occuring problems immediately and in a safe setting, and as a group, they can find a solution together.
In the VJF's office as well as in the residential and conference centre for young people and children, the volunteers are instructed to all areas concerning work and fire prevention. They are also introduced to the particularities of the building and the usable open spaces. Moreover, there will be an extensive instruction to the conditions (fire prevention, escape routes, arrangement of the keys and so on) of their quarters where the volunteers will be accommodated during their staying.
The contact between the recepting and sending organisation will be hold up during the whole duration of the project to ensure the possibility to intervene in the case of tensions or crisis.