About the local hosting organization
ICJA - one of the ICYE founding members – was established in 1949. It is an independent organisation with links to different networks of volunteering and civil society organisations. There is a strong regional structure with 15 support groups all over the country. Most volunteers and co-workers have participated in the exchange program themselves. The national office is located in Berlin.
Presentation of the programme
Youth centres or youth organisations are places where young people can meet in their spare time. They are places where young people can meet in their spare time. What they offer can vary a lot. For example, they organise events, they might have a café, they offer workshops or advice for different problems.
Big Tipi is an example of a project where volunteers work at a youth center. The project is part of a youth development program organized by the youth welfare office. They are organizing motional, creative and educational activities for kids, families and adolescents. The project is considered an exceptional place for different cultural contributions and events.
Big Tipi is an adventure playground including different floor spaces: a forest, grassland for different activities. There are also animals, fireplaces, a “tepee village”, a barrier-free playground, a mountain bike route, a beach with a little pod, an open class room, a garden, a basket ball court, the Big Tipi (the world´s biggest tepee), a six meters high ropes course as well as ropes course elements in the forest. It offers children and juveniles possibilities to explore their capacities, get self confidence and to be looked after.
Main Activities:
Open educational offerings and workshops, guided programmes for school classes and organised events.
Volunteer tasks:
Assisting in every day activities, feeding the animals, taking care of the fire pit, doing activities with the children.
Local accommodation
The volunteer who works with youth and children may be placed with a host family or live at the project.
Requirements
The volunteer should enjoy the work with children and also be willing to work with children from all social and cultural backgrounds. The volunteer should enjoy sports activities and craftsmanship, be open minded and cooperative. Basic knowledge of German language is helpful.
Extra info about the project
We offer some residential projects that deal with children and young adults and their families. Some of them are in institutions for adolescents with a difficult social background and others are organisations that provide leisure time activities. We can also offer some volunteer placements in boarding schools. Every kind of project requires other abilities.
In most cases, the tasks of the volunteers are to organise events and spend time with the adolescents. It is very important that you clearly know your role as a volunteer in this kind of project. There is a difference between you and the young people that come to the youth centre, although you might be of the same age. You work there, so you have to act accordingly and take responsibility.