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weltwärts

What is weltwärts South-North?

The weltwärts South-North development volunteer service gives you the opportunity to get involved in civic engagement in Germany by spending six to 18 months volunteering in the areas of education, healthcare, environmentalism, culture or human rights. The focus is on learning from each other and developing global awareness.

Be it a housing project for people with disabilities, an association that promotes community-supported agriculture or a nursery school - there are many different ways to play an active role in society and learn with weltwärts. Irrespective of the project you choose to support, the weltwärts volunteer service is all about working together for the community, creating change and learning from and with one another in the process.

No matter whether you’ve just finished vocational training or secondary school or whether you’re already in higher education or have already completed an internship or a different volunteering programme: with weltwärts you’ll gain experience in an international context as well as expanding your German language skills and getting a hands-on taste of non-profit work and everyday life in Germany.

What can I expect?

During your time in Germany, you’ll support a local, non-profit project working for the community as part of a team. You’ll meet lots of new people whom you would probably never have met if it weren’t for weltwärts. You’ll hear their stories and start to see the world from a completely different perspective. You’ll make lots of new friends and you’re bound to re-discover yourself too. In new surroundings, with new tasks to perform, you’ll amass significant experience that will be valuable for you personally and for your future work and civic engagement.

  • There will be many new acquaintances and you’ll be able to talk to them about their lifestyle, work, attitudes and view of the world.
  • You’ll see the world and perhaps your own behaviour through different eyes.
  • You’ll give the people you meet an insight into your own views.
  • You’ll develop global awareness and learn to overcome your prejudices.
  • But you won’t do it all on your own. You’ll be given thorough preparation for your assignment and there will always be designated people to help you at the place of assignment too.
  • You’ll share your experiences with lots of other volunteers and with your friends and family, leading to really interesting conversations and often to ideas about how you can get involved in civic engagement after your voluntary service with weltwärts..

What are the requirements for participation?

So you want to take part in weltwärts or are at least very keen to learn more and want to know what the requirements are?