In December 1995 ten registered associations and bilateral friendship associations founded the Auslandsgesellschaft Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. - AGSA (foreign society Saxony Anhalt). Today 28 registered associations and friendship associations belong to our common-interest society. The activities of AGSA focus on three objectives: development policy related project work and domestic training to clarify global interrelations; support of European and international encounter and co operation and promotion of tolerance between migrants and Germans as well as their integration
AGSA cooperates with NGO´s, migrant associations, religious groups and other associations, ini-tiatives and institutions. This co operation enables AGSA to organize state wide activities like Woche des ausländischen Mitbürgers (week of the foreign fellow citizen) and Europawoche (european week) in Saxony Anhalt.
AGSA is the association responsible for the "Einewelt Haus Magdeburg" (one world house Magdeburg). People of different origins meet there for political, educational and cultural work, discussions, seminars, exhibitions or language courses. In the one world shop, people can buy fair trade producs.
AGSA arranges regular school project days for tolerance and democracy and working with young people to fight racism, especially in vocational schools.
The regional office of the german children and young people trust (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) supports with different projects the civic commitment of young people, own initiative and entrepreneurship (school firms).
Since 1996 AGSA organizes the yearly "Eurocamp" - an international youth project with approx. 100 participants from about 30 countries. By living together, they realize, that the common live of different cultures is enriching everybody and problems can be solved together.
Starting from this experiences, AGSA organises a german - polish - french youth meeting project for social disadvantaged young people since 2001. Also in the frame of the project "eurocamp", AGSA runs seminars and training cources to promote international youth work.
AGSA also promote international and national volunteer work. Since 2005 delegate AGSA within the EVS youngsters in different projects in europe and caring european volunteers in the hosting projects "virtual eurocamp" (2002-2004) and "Living and working in the oneworld house Magdeburg" (2005-today).
AGSA are getting involved in Cooperation and Network of volunteer work in Sachsen-Anhalt and Europe. Together with 11 european partner developt AGSA so an european volunteer project "diversity in europe - evs in network and instigate initiatives for coordination of EVS-activities in Sachsen-Anhalt.
For running the different activities, there are 8 people long term employed and until 10 project workers. Also AGSA gives professional training to one young people and works with 2 national and 3 european volunteers and young people in placements.
Magdeburg is the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, one of Federal Lands in the east of Germany, and second biggest city in this land. Magdeburg has 250 000 inhabitans. It is a very old city, located at the river Elbe. During the second world war, 80% of the city was destroyed so the biggest parts of the beautiful architecture was lost.
In the last centuries Magdeburg developed to a center for heavy industries. After the economical changes, that where the result of the german reunification, a lot of the factories where closed. As in other cities of East Germany, in Magdeburg, especially in the parts of the city, that where build in 60ties - 70ties, exists a big problem of unemployment, that couses social tention and other social problems. In the last years the number of students at the Universities of Magdeburg is steadily increasing. Also the cultural life in Magdeburg is very rich and active: theatre and cabaret are offering interesting and constantly changing repertoire, there are a lot of museums and galeries as well as different cultural activities, that you can visit.

The project "living and learning in the oneworld house" is a long term opportunity to participate in the design and content of our youth projects and to explore diverse fields of activity.
A long term individual stay in a foreign country implies that a complete personal self-development is shaped through a longterm cross-cultural learning experiences.
We want to strengthen the volunteers' soft skills like independence, teamwork, empathy etc. by peeking in diverse fields of activity. At the same time language skills and knowledge about Germany are gained, that improve career opportunities.
Experiencing these diverse activities opens new perspectives and emphasises the importance of tolerance, democracy and intercultural learning as well as active participation in our society and its European context.
The volunteers obtain knowledge and professional skills in the field of international youth work and within the intercultural education sector. They become also familiar with the organisation and management of projects, while working in and on concrete tasks. Specific knowledge is acquired in the field of public relations and concering design and print media and web pages. By request, we offer the chance to take part in further education modules like workshops, seminars or trainings of the AGSA, its members or partners.
Especially the requests and the interests of the volunteers are decisive as well as their claims to learn prospects. Hand in hand with the requirements of the particular working field, a specific project plan is going to be developed and aligned to the activities. During the year the person is expected to develop an indipendent way and put his/ her personal project into operation.
A first area of operation is the attachment to sessions in schools that broach the issue of tolerance or political and cross-cultural education.
It's also included the familiarization to the topic, as well as the practical implementation in schools or peer groups in the one world house.
Tasks are:
- orientation to aims and content of these activities
- transmitting own ideas and linking to existing material - compiled by former volunteers
- functional participation in diverse activities like sessions in schools or our touring exhibition "Abenteuer Leben"
A next field of work is the participation in campaigns, informative meetings or fairs, as well as by supporting the production of materials e.g. publications, flyer, press reviews or documentations.
Tasks are:
- orientation to aims and content of these activities, research
- drafting and creating informative supplies, flyer, posters and publications
- participation in informative events, educational fairs and campaigns
- development and implementation of informational activities in terms of workshops
In the field of international youth work we want the volunteer to support the preparation and implementation of youth encounters, trainings and seminars.
Tasks are:
- supporting the preparation of application forms, cultivating contacts of partner organisations and the exchange of information
- participation in the development and implementation of intercultural schemes
- participation in the organisational planning and implementation of the project
- participation in the evaluation process
- supporting the development of documentations and presentations on the web
Moreover the volunteers can get involved into the actualisation of our webpage or the creation of documentations and videos.
Tasks are:
- chatting with youngsters, keeping the forum and guest book interactive, publishing a monthly newsletter
- extension of the interactive area, where Ex-Eurocamper can reflect intercultural experiences, exchange European perspectives or facts about their home countries
A final working field is the cultivation of contacts and inclusion of former participants of youth encounters, trainings and seminars via newsletters, the phone and the internet. By interest it would be also possible to developt own projects with our partners, implemented with the the volunteer during or after his / her stay with AGSA.
All the activities are adjusted to the volunteer's interest and desire and are corrected and evaluated on a regular basis.

From our future volunteers, we expect the ability to work as part of a team, also to work on their own initiative, to be creative and to have fun in trying out themselfs. They should be open to new things and have an interest in international and political work. Specific interests towards antiracism work and intercultural work or cultural interests or working with internet and photo/ video are an advantage, but not a condition. The young people shall be prepared to have flexible working ours and weekend work, with the possibility to make up for it.
We would like our future sending organisations to be active in the field of national or international youth work, culture work, or development policy or European cooperation. We would be glad, if through the volunteer person, a cooperation with that sending organisation could develop also in other projects, may be implemented with the help of the volunteer during or after his / her stay with AGSA.
The description of the project is available on a public dadabase that it's open to all the interested youngsters. We also use the webproject www.evsworks.net and our own website www.eurocamp-agsa.eu to promote the volunteer work and our EVS-project. The information about our hosting project will be also ommunicated to our partners in Europe.
Interested youngsters can contact us directly or though our partners. During the selection process the motivation and the expectations and wishes on our project will be challenged. Together we will check if the wishes and the interests of the youngster meet the objectives and the possibilities of our evs-project and we can develop a common plan for tasks.
In the selection process we will prefer youngsters, who have already worked in common international youth projects with our partners.

To realize the integration of the volunteer in the EVS-project and to assure the best condition for a successful volunteer year we are planning the following measures.
Here all the measures regarding the European Voluntary Service Charter:
An agreement will be signed to fix the objectives, contents and organizing conditions of the project and the rights and duties and also the responsibilities for all organisations and he volunteers.
The sending and hosting organisation work together to prepare the volunteer and to realize the project with clear contact persons. Also a common evaluation between all parties will be guaranteed.
The volunteers take part in the trainings involved the Cycles of EVS and get a German language training to improve their language skills
A personal mentoring will be guaranteed though Evaluation meetings that will take place weekly with the tutors to evaluate the activities and to plan the next steps and monthly activities together with all the volunteers to evaluate the experience and to present the different projects.
The volunteers will work as an assistant of a AGSA employee, with a concrete field of work and an own working place in a common office. They will gain a lot of cooperation with other volunteers.
The volunteers are lodged in a flat-sharing community together with European or national volunteers of our and other organisations or also with students. The volunteer will have his/her own room with a shared kitchen and bath room.
The common living and working will enabled an intensive exchange of experience and an interacting learning and supporting process with all the volunteers and trainees, who work for AGSA or also for partner organisations. AGSA also organize contact meetings for all volunteers, who are working in Sachsen-Anhalt to involve them into this process.
In case of misunderstanding or conflicts it is also possible to use the monitoring team of the national agency.