The main element supporting this work are the thirty bilateral country circles each run by honorary officials. Thanks to their workshops, talks, forums, concerts and exhibitions, they facilitate encounters and convey knowledge about life in other countries in Europe and throughout the world. Native Dortmundians and members of the ethnic communities are actively committed here.
The individual volunteer would support the leader of the country circle in the planning and organising of intercultural events. Events which would convey information and demonstrate just how valuable the diversity of cultures is. At the same time, the volunteers would be expected to implement their own project focused on the concept of "We in Europe". By interacting with the country circle leaders, citizens, migrants and guests, they would convey a new form of voluntary commitment within the sphere of cultural exchange and help bring the young people of Europe closer together. One result would be cultural input for both the Foreign Institute and the local community.
The Institute pursues public-benefit non-profit-making aims - and that applies to voluntary work as well. It pursues aims which are for the good of the community but these aims and activities do not replace a part-time or full-time job.
Within the framework of their country circle involvement, the volunteers will be able to gather practical knowledge and intercultural experience with German society and other ways of life.
She will learn how to prepare and present slideshows, discussion forums, talks, readings, country theme weeks, dances and musical soirées.
Thanks to ongoing supervision via a full-time colleague at the Institute, all the tasks and learning experiences can be adapted to the volunteer's individual needs and wants. The exact level of work can be agreed in consultation with the tutor, work which could stretch from straightforward manual and technical tasks through to flexible organisational responsibilities. The area of work is varied so that the volunteers can opt to focus on organisation, media support or technology and bring their own skills and competences to bear on their chosen field.
In their encounters with the honorary officials from different ethnic backgrounds, the individual volunteers will get to know, on the one hand, cultural similarities and differences. On the other hand, they will profit from the political, geographical and cultural knowledge dealt with at the various events.
The country circle leaders and the Foreign Institute management would also want the volunteers to put forward their own ideas for events which they could subsequently organise under supervision. Such events in the past have been: a reading from the volunteers' land of origin; the volunteer giving a talk about the political situation or about the situation for young people in that country; a musical evening; the compilation of reports about similar events; and meetings with young Dortmundians to discuss the "We in Europe" agenda.

Examples:
Volunteers will assist the country circle leaders with the preparation of evening programmes, exhibitions, concerts, museum evenings, country and/or cultural weeks (based on China or the Baltic or Czechia, for instance), and, not least, the International Christmas Festival.
Examples of preparation
Volunteers will assist with
o organisational planning (rooms, technics, programme)
o compiling and distributing info material and readers
o producing flyers and posters
o decorating and setting up the room(s)
o schedule management
o etc.
Examples of implementation
o acting as and supervisor for guests
o setting up and supervising sound, lighting and stage equipment under supervision
o providing support for catering activities
o acting as a contact person for younger helpers.
Following the induction period, there is a possibility of taking on tasks with greater content responsibility - e.g. the planning and coordination of programmes, writing up event reviews, co-supervising country circles and much more.
Volunteers are expected to contribute own special skills and interests and to choose a focus activity (35%).
2 Organising an own project on the theme of "We In Europe"
Examples here might be: carrying out a simple practical project; giving a talk about the situation in their native country; the organisation of reading evenings; writing articles for the AG NRW magazine; planning and implementing EVS info events; meetings with German and ethic minority school students et cetera, the aim being for the volunteers to develop and express their own ideas on the theme of "learning from one another".
3 Acting as contact person for guests of different nationalities and for visitors at the meeting points (5%)
4 Under supervision, preparing and accompanying seminar excursions to Berlin and Brussels centred on the theme of "European integration" - e.g. locate interesting places for outings and organise the travel, compile material, assist the team manager where necessary. (10%)
5 Supporting office work, telephone service, getting invitations ready etc. (5%)
6 Attending a further education course at the AG NRW (5%)
7 Preparing and organising EVS info events (5%)
The target group in all areas are people committed to a Europe without borders and wishing to work on a voluntary basis.
It goes without saying that the volunteers will be given an induction course and invited to attend the team meetings.
The volunteers will be supervised by a full-time colleague and a tutor who will be on hand to provide support on any issue. The tutor has the office next door, therefore all questions, problems and ideas can be discussed at any time.
Since all activities are designed on a project-oriented basis, there is no conventional homogenous workday.
Week 1:
9.00 - 13.00: Programme planning, project organisation, team meetings (see above)
13.00: Lunch
13.30 - 16.00: Continuation, own project, language course
Week 2:
15.00 - 18.00 Preparation of evening activates with honorary and full-time officials
18.30 - 22.00 Realisation of the event with honorary officials
Contact with visitors, guests and school students etc, further education
The number of working hours per week is 30 to 35.
Some weekend events to be the subject of agreement - with time off during the week in lieu.
Thirty days vacation a year
Scope of work
The volunteers will not be left to their own devices but work face-to-face with employees from the AG NRW. However, some work under own management will gradually be eased in.
The volunteer takes part in a language course adapted to her abilities, from once a week up to an intensive language course.

C.
We are looking for volunteers who demonstrate obvious interest in intercultural work within a cultural institution and who are willing to put their interests and their abilities to use in the project work. For us it is important that they are able to work well in a team and are committed to getting on responsibly with tasks on their own once the initial training period has been completed. This includes also putting their own ideas into practice to carry out activities. Assistance will be provided by the intensive educational-support measures. Candidates are expected to show an interest in cultural exchange and events. Knowledge of the standard MS-Office programmes is necessary.
Interested persons are asked to submit their CV along with a letter explaining their motivation, from which a pre-selection of candidates will be made.
We will look carefully at the social and intercultural motivation, readiness to fulfil the programme requirements, social disadvantages, compatibility of personal interests with the project concept, etc. We will then deal with further details with the volunteers by telephone and by mail and resolve any issues concerning expectations, wishes and interests on both sides.
We are happy to take on disadvantaged volunteers if they are motivated and show a constructive readiness to get on with the work.
Close coordination with the sending organisation is therefore necessary in order to ensure that the profile of the participant and their interests are compatible with the project requirements.
For us it is important that the sending organisation undertakes adequate preparation measures, involving considering such aspects as role of the volunteer in the project, tasks, problems and concerns, co-operativeness, rights, duties, risks, insurance issues, the Programme JUGEND (Youth-in-Action) and EVS as part of their future personal plans.
We have contact with numerous EVS-Organisations and can pass on information about free EVS-placements. In principle we are happy to enter into co-operations with new EVS-Partners.

D.
The project is open to socially, culturally or economically disadvantaged volunteers. The volunteer will work directly with the full-time member of staff who is in charge and a tutor who is present three days a week (in an office directly opposite) is available at almost any time for tutoring and advice. Support with language problems is given by the in-house language institute which can also offer intensive three-month language courses where necessary. The tutors and the mentors of the Auslandsinstitut and other staff have been accompanying disadvantaged volunteers successfully throughout their EVS since 2003. A decisive role here is played by the awareness of all our members of staff of the high estimation enjoyed by the volunteers and the EVS as they represent the living European experience. The staff described above have many years of experience with EVS and with educational support.

E.
The volunteers can generally meet with their tutor three days a week (however at least once a week). It is the tutor's task to avoid conflict situations, integrate the volunteers and offer them help and support with any worries or problems they may have. The volunteers will never be employed on tasks which could prove dangerous, a risk to health or in which they themselves have had no say. The project is based on their always agreeing to perform the tasks and on the guarantee of safety during their work. The volunteers are integrated into a network which ensures safety in their living and work situation. The mentors guide the volunteers in their work, guarantee training and instruction during the whole project and are ready to assist in all questions. Since further members of staff may be closely involved in the supervision and support of the volunteers they are included in a network of persons who can assist in the event of any mental problems. Minors are under constant supervision here. Furthermore, the central location of the Auslandsgesellschaft in Dortmund offers close proximity to doctors and specialists and hospitals.

Criteria

Procedure