The children´s recreation centre Hölzerner See is a children´s recreation centre in Brandenburg and in the year 2004 approx. 43.000 children and young people stayed here. Most of the groups come from Berlin and Brandenburg, but also from other federal states and the Netherlands and Poland.
The children´s recreation centre is run in a non-profit making way by the non-profit making organisation 'g. Kinder- und Jugenderholung Dubrow-Dahmetal e.V.'. The organisation has leased the centre. The owner is the administrative district Dahme-Spreewald.
As well as accommodation and food the centre offers an extensive programme of educational projects and varied recreational activities for the children and young people. These range from culture, sport and environmental themes to historical topics, health and tolerance.

Location:
The KIEZ Hölzerner See is located in 165.000 square metre grounds, in a wooded area, at the Hölzerner lake , between Gräbendorf and Prieros - about 4km to both of these places in the Dahme-Heideseen national park, about 15km south east of Königs Wusterhausen in south east Berlin (about 50km to the centre of Berlin).
Nearby places:
Gräbendorf - about 500 inhabitants without any large business concerns. Points of interest: Haus des Waldes (a forestry education centre).
Prieros - about 1000 inhabitants. A place marked by tourism and local recreation. Points of interest: Organisac garden, botanical teaching garden, museum of local culture and history, horse breeding.
Klein Köris - about 500 inhabitants, without any largs business concerns. This plce is marked by water sport and local recreation.

Region:
federal state = Brandenburg. Very strongly connected to Berlin due to the close vicinity.
administartive district = Dahme-Spreewald (Dahmeland is a local recreation area with woods and many water features between Berlina nd Spree forest. It is an area for travel.)
main town = Königs Wusterhausen - There is a train connection to Berlin and also a castle and a telecommunications museum.

Responsibilities of the volunteer:

- support and cooperation in the planning and arrangement of new free time and project offers for children (the development of recreation ideas, educational and info boards, handicraft ideas etc).
- preparation and organisation of natural and environmental measures with children and youth groups in the framework of the project offers for school classes.
- help and support in the environment and planning measures in the children´s recreational village (willow huts, planting, small log road for the backpack trail etc).
- collaboration in the educational centre in the content of the educational care of the children´s group (play and cultural work with children, handicrafts, sport etc).

working times / description of a normal week day:

- 40 hours a week, depending on the guests possibly Saturdays and Sundays, and then free time in the week; breakfast and lunch break, flexible daily division of the working hours depending on need and prior arrangement, division of working hours between morning - afternoon, afternoon - evening, or morning and evening

- approx. 7.00 get up
- approx 8.00 breakfast with colleagues and volunteers from the national voluntary service
- 9.00 - 12.00 working outside (e.g. making the educational trail), looking after groups or free time
- 12.00 lunch
- 13.00 - approx. 18.00 partly involved in the care of the groups (hiking, handicrafts etc) or free time
- 18.00 dinner
- 19.00 - approx 22.00 the evening care of groups (helping with camp fire, night hikes etc) or free time

In the framework of the employment we plan visits to and exchanges of experience with other children´s recreation centres, and with our partners in the recreation area.

On days off it is possible to visit places in the area such as Berlin, Potsdam, the Spree forest, go on bike trips and borrow the boats.

The above mentioned activities do not involve administration or profit making activities and do not replace the work of a normal worker. This is :

- The tasks are extra and complement the educational offer. This is not paid for by the groups. They only pay for materials.
- The accommodation and food is taken care of by permanent or seasonal staff.
- The children´s groups travel with their own leader or in the holiday camp group leaders are employed.
- For the offer regarding content there are also permanent pedagogical staff who should be supported by the volunteer.

In the children´s recreation centre full board is available all year round for the guests, employees and volunteers. When the village is closed for holidays (such as christmas) it is possible to take holiday or to be cared for at a partner institution.

Language training will be guaranteed in several ways:

- guidance and tuiuion by the pedagogical colleague or tutor
- constant contact through work with colleagues and therefore 'learning by doing'
- contact in free time with colleagues and volunteers from the national voluntary service who live there
- if possible, necessary or relevant in local evening classes

other training and support of the volunteer:

- guidance and tuition by the pedagogical colleague/tutor and the director.
- constant contact through work with colleagues, national voluntary service volunteers and therefore 'learning by doing'
- involvement of the volunteer in experience exchanges and further training with our partners (Märkischer Wald e.V., national park administration, other children´s recreational centres).
- involvement in the activities of the board of governors, the life of the organisation and recreation offers

Target group
- interest in work with children
- creativity, independence, friendliness, reliability
- ability to work in a team
- natural linkage
- The volunteer should be able to live in an isolated place in aforest outside villages or towns.