is the internet portal of workcamp-organisations in Germany that have joined together in the Trägerkonferenz der Internationalen Jugendgemeinschafts- und Jugendsozialdienste (website in German). Nearly 20 member organisations are providers of international workcamps and to some extent of middle- or long-term voluntary services (following websites are mainly in German):

Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste e.V.

Internationale Jugendgemeinschaftsdienste e.V.

Norddeutsche Jugend im Internationalen Gemeinschaftsdienst e.V.

Youth Action for Peace Deutschland - Christlicher Friedensdienst e.V.

Internationaler Bauorden e.V.

Nothelfergemeinschaft der Freunde e.V.

pro international e.V.

Friedenskreis Halle e.V.

Ökumenische Jugenddienste

Service Civil International e.V.

IBG Internationale Begegnung in Gemeinschaftsdiensten e.V.

Kolping Jugendgemeinschaftsdienste (JGD)

Offene Häuser e.V.

Vereinigung Junger Freiwilliger e.V.

The voluntary service programme weltwärts ('into the world') provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) addresses itself to 18 to 28 year-old people willing to spend 6 up to 24 months abroad to do a voluntary service in a developing country. Participants will be carefully brought up to their tasks and attended by their placement organisation during the whole duration of their voluntary service.

For further information on application requirements, placement organisations, fields of activity, developing countries participating in the programme etc. please consult: www.weltwaerts.de (in German)

Going to Belarus and Ukraine with ‘weltärts’ (website in German) is a scholarship programme run by the German-Russian-Exchange organisation in line with the ‘weltwärts’ voluntary service programme for young people. The Programme addresses itself to 18 to 28 year-old people willing to gain practical experience in NGO’s work or who have already been involved with NGO’s work. The scholarship amongst others covers travel expenses to the place of location as well as board and lodging costs during the voluntary service. The voluntary service will be accompanied by a seminar programme.

Minimum requirements for application are basic knowledge of the Russian language and a general interest in and openness for the host NGO’s work.

The internet portal FSJ-ADiA Volunteers (in German) addresses itself to 16 to 27 year-old people willing to do a voluntary gap year, an alternative civilian service or another voluntary service abroad. The internet portal amongst others provides a list of information centers specialised in voluntary services and a place board for voluntary services abroad

A „Working Holiday”-Visa is a travel visa which has got 12months of validity and includes a work permit for the host country issuing the visa. The visa especially addresses 18 to 30 year-old young people willing to get an insight in the culture and everyday life of another country while doing a holiday job. Backbone of the programme are bilateral Visa agreements between the Federal Republic of Germany and Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

For further information on the duration of the application procedure, the documents to be presented, fees etc. please consult the websites of the agencies abroad of the above mentioned countries in Germany.

IBG e.V. places 18 to 30 year-old young people, volunteers above the age of 30 and families to workcamps and middle- and long-term voluntary services (websites in German) abroad. Main target group are pupils, students and trainees who want to get to know about everyday life and the people of their host country and improve their foreign language skills. Moreover living together in an international group forms an integral part of the workcamp experience. Fields of work feasible as a workcamp-project comprise the protection of the environment and nature, projects of social work, renovation activities, child care, assistance at archaeological excavations, working with the disabled, artisanry and crafts projects.