weltwärts* – The BMZ's Development Volunteers Service

Many young people are interested in volunteering in a developing country. In the past, the number of enquiries received by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and De­velop­ment (BMZ) far exceeded the number of opportunities available.

The BMZ has therefore created a new, publicly funded volunteers service. Since the beginning of 2008, weltwärts has been helping young people aged between 18 and 28 to find placements as volunteers. In the long term it aims to place about 10,000 young volunteers a year in German development cooperation projects. For practical implementation, it will draw on existing structures: German aid agencies and municipal authorities which are actively engaged in development cooperation work and already have flexible, uncomplicated procedures in place for assigning young volunteers to work in their projects. The participation of new, smaller organisations in the scheme is a welcome addition.

Promoting intercultural understanding and nurturing the next generation in the field of development

The projects and programmes implemented in Germany's partner countries will benefit directly from the contributions of these highly motivated and dedicated young volunteers. With public funds being made available to support this volunteers service, resources will be freed up within the participating aid organisations, which they can then use to support their partners in the developing countries.

Here in Germany, the volunteer service will be an element in the work of development information and education. It will help improve intercultural understanding and nurture the next generation in the field of development. Young people will have the chance to actively explore development issues for the future. In addition to improving their knowledge of foreign languages, the volunteers will acquire intercultural skills, which are very valuable assets in an increasingly globalised working environment.

Since the volunteers service will cost the volunteers themselves nothing, young people from low-income families will also have a chance to work abroad. The volunteering opportunities currently offered by private organisations frequently prove very expensive for the volunteers.

The BMZ is particularly keen to ensure that young women are given a fair chance when volunteer posts are being filled. In the Ministry's experience, a large proportion of the young people enquiring about working in development projects are women. However, women are not eligible for the financial support available to young men who choose to opt out of military service and do some form of alternative service.

Who is eligible to apply to the new service?

The new volunteer service is to be open to as wide a cross-section of young adults as possible. However, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• They must be between 18 and 28 years of age and in good enough health to be able to work abroad.

• They must show an interest in the culture and way of life practised in the developing countries.

• They must be prepared to work hard on a project supported by the sending organisation and to participate in the in-service programme of specialised training.

• They must either have completed a vocational training course after graduating from school at 15 or 16; or have graduated from secondary school at 18 or 19 having passed the school-leaving examination qualifying them to enter higher education; or have passed a similar school-leaving examination.

• They must either be German citizens or must have the right of permanent residence in Germany.

• They must have a good basic knowledge of one of the languages spoken in the host country.

Who is responsible for organising the assignments?

Overall responsibility for the success of the volunteer service lies with what are termed the sending organisations. Such organisations include municipal authorities and all non-profit aid organisations that have the technical know-how, staff and organisational capacity to meet the quality standards laid down for the new service. The sending organisations are the link between the volunteers and the project executing agencies in the developing countries, with which they cooperate closely in a spirit of partnership.

Their tasks include, in particular:

• Selecting, advertising and providing support for the volunteer posts in the developing countries,

• Selecting applicants,

• Supporting and mentoring the volunteers,

• Paying the expenses and insurance of the volunteers, and

• Providing a comprehensive in-service training programme.

The sending organisations must present annual business and financial reports. They must also submit a report about the work done by the volunteers. Together with umbrella advisory institutions and the partner organisations, they must work continuously on quality development within their own organisations.

What is the timetable for the assignments?

The assignment may last from 6 to 24 months; the usual duration will be 12 to 18 months. Volunteers may be assigned to any of the countries on the OECD list of developing countries, where the security situation on the ground permits. There will be a special emphasis on African countries. Volunteers will work in projects covering the entire spectrum of ongoing German development cooperation, e.g. the priority areas of poverty reduction, education, health, food security, emergency and transitional aid, environmental protection and natural resources management, and human rights.

An in-service programme of specialised training will be provided during the assignment. First of all, in an orientation and selection phase, the sending organisation will help applicants get an idea of what they need to do to make their assignment a success. The project executing agencies in the developing countries will be included in the process of selecting the volunteers.

Preparatory seminars will be held to give the volunteers a clear idea of what to expect on their assignment. They will be given a full picture of the living and working conditions in the host country and they will also receive language training if necessary. The sending organisations will help them with all organisational matters that they need to take care of before going abroad (visa, immunisation).

During their time abroad, the volunteers will prepare a short written report about their assignments every three months. No later than half-way through the assignment, a mid-term seminar will be held lasting several days, which will give the volunteers the opportunity to reflect on the assignment so far and develop strategies for their further work.

Once back in Germany, the volunteers will be required to take part in a seminar for returnees, so that the assignment can be evaluated. Support will be offered for building up networks of former and current volunteers and local project executing agencies.

What support is there for the volunteers in the developing country?

Volunteers will only be placed with project executing agencies that register an express need for volunteer support. The agencies must be able to provide an appropriate introduction, employment and mentoring. Volunteers must not be used as a substitute for paid employees. There must also be a reasonable ratio of employed staff to volunteers in a project.

The partner organisations will assign a mentor to the volunteers. The mentor will collect the volunteers from the airport, show them their accommodation and place of work, provide technical and educational support throughout the assignment, offer an open ear if there are any problems, and keep in touch with former volunteers. In order to avoid any conflicts of interest, the mentor should not be a member of staff who will be working directly with the volunteer.

In case there should be a crisis or emergency, the sending organisations will provide a personal contact person for the volunteers and their families who is available around the clock.

To back up this work, the BMZ has set up an interactive Internet portal which the participants can use to exchange experiences online with current and former volunteers and with the sending organisations.

What kind of financial and legal support is available?

The assignments will not cost the volunteers anything; they will not be charged any registration or processing fees. They will receive at least 100 euros a month pocket money from their sending organisation plus adequate board, lodging and travel expenses. The chosen volunteers will be expected to help the organisations with their information and education activities and with raising donations for the volunteer programme. However, applicants are not required to raise funds as a condition of participating in the scheme and fundraising activities have no influence on the selection of the applicants or on what shape their assignments may take.

The volunteers will be insured for the duration of their stay abroad. This insurance cover includes international health insurance, accident and invalidity insurance, third party liability, and repatriation. The volunteers will be responsible themselves for keeping up their health insurance contributions in Germany during their stay abroad.

The financial support provided by the BMZ will cover up to 75 per cent of the expenses incurred per volunteer assignment, with the sending organisations being required to cover at least 25 per cent from their own resources. Sending agencies that do not meet the criteria and standards of the volunteer service will be disqualified from the scheme.

Will the service be officially recognised?

The volunteer service will qualify as alternative service undertaken in place of military service in accordance with paragraph 14b of the Civilian Service Act, provided that the criteria for the volunteer service and the criteria outlined in paragraph 14b of the Civilian Service Act are met. It is also planned that the legal entitlement to child benefit will continue to apply during the assignment abroad. The assignment will be recognised by the central allocation system for university places as part of the period applicants may be required to wait for a place in higher education.

Where can interested young people find out more and apply?

A weltwärts secretariat has been set up within the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to support the sending organisations. The staff will be happy to answer any questions volunteers may have about any aspect of their assignment.

• www.weltwaerts.de (in German only)

* The German name "weltwärts" translates as "world-wards"