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 got 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 the 60ties - 70ties, exists a big problem of unemployment, that couses social tension and other social problems. In the last years the number of students at Magdeburgs universities 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 galleries as well as different cultural activities, that you can visit.

Working at the "Offene Kanal" ("OK") is very multifaceted. A volunteer interested in movies and television has great possibilities to incorporate his/her interests. He/She can and is supposed to develop and shoot own motion pictures (movies, documentary or animation).
He/She will work together with other young people: Four young employees between 18 and 25 years old work at the "OK" and they realize and aid each other in film-projects and broadcasts.
Furthermore, the volunteer will have direct contact to pupils and students who realize their projects with the equipment of the "OK".
The volunteer will work in the following areas:
- assisting the production of different broadcasts and movies especially the parts storyboard, camera and editing suite, work at and with the intercultural youth magazine "Jugendstil"
- supporting the recording and live recordings (theatres, concerts, talks/discussions)
- supporting users in shooting and editing
- accomplishing video-workshops in schools and youth centres
- assisting in the generally workflow (provide the equipment, archive, copy and program the contributions, update the electronic domestic news service and the website)
- assisting the preparation and realization of the youth video prize Saxony-Anhalt, which is the Magdeburg local film-contest each October.

We are looking for a volunteer who is interested and talented in media design, culture and journalism. He /She should work independently and creative, be able to communicate and be prepared to get involved with many different people.
Ideally we can find a sending organisation with an emphasis on media design (video, internet, radio) not at least for further co-operation.In this case we could imagine to develop a co-operation in other projects too which can be moved also with participation of the volunteer during or after his voluntary service.
A description of the project is available in the database of the program "youth in action" ("Jugend in Aktion"). Next to this we inform interested people on the web page www.youthnetworks.eu as well as on our homepage (www.ok-magdeburg.de)
The interested young people can get in contact directly with us our with our supporting organisation AGSA.
During the selection we try to adjust the motivation for the voluntary service, his/her expectations towards the project with the aims and real possibilities of the hosting project and therefore develop a common duties and resposibilities.
In the selection process we prefer youngsters who were already active in common international youth projects with the partner.

To guarantee the integration of the volunteers in work aa well as everyday life, the following measures are planned for the preparation and support of the volunteer. All measures are based on the Charta of the European Volunteer service.
A written arrangement is signed between the involved organisations and the volunteers to fix purposes and contents as well as organizational basic conditions of the project and to regulate rights and duties as well as responsibilities for all partners and to avoid misunderstandings.
The respective sending organisation prepares the stay of the volunteer in collaboration with the admission organisation. Between the sending organisation and the admission organisation a continuous information exchange with concrete contacts during the whole stay will exist.
The volunteer takes part in the training cycle of the EFD, organised by the national agency of the program YOUTH IN ACTION, to prepare for the stay in Germany and to be able to reflect their experiences together with other European volunteers.
The volunteer will regulary take part in a German language course to develop his/her linguistic proficiency and to improve German. The language course will be free for the volunteer and a component of the regular working hours. The volunteer will learn together with other European volunteers from different projects in Magdeburg and surrounding area.
A personal care of the volunteer is guaranteed. He/she will be examined in her work by a mentor and continuously trained and supported by a tutor.
The volunteerwill live in an existing flat-sharing community together with other European or national volunteers of our or other organisations. The volunteer disposes of own living space, with common use of kitchen and bathroom.
Living together with other volunteers and having varied work relations, advances mutual learning and allows mutual support. This support is also guaranteed apart from working hours.
The Auslandsgesellschaft organises regular meetings of former, actual and futuere european or national volunteers. Using this opportunity, we want to help integration by taking part in these meetings and establishing contact to those volunteers.
Additionally the Auslandsgesellschaft and other organisations organise a regional meeting twice a year. Here European Volunteers come into contact, that work in the whole of Saxony-Anhalt. These meetings are a great opportunity, to establish contacts.