Is volunteering in Germany right for you? Would you like to volunteer in Germany, but you are wondering if Germany is the right choice? Why is Germany a good place to do volunteer work: Could it be because Germany hosts numerous refugees? Is meeting the refugees and helping them to acclimate to their new home surroundings a motivating factor for you? And would you like to become acquainted with German culture? If your answers to all these questions are positive, let us tell you more about a great opportunity awaiting you.
Why volunteer in Germany?
German culture offers the opportunity to learn new traditions and customs. What is more interesting than learning another’s language that expresses that culture and a whole new worldview? By volunteering in Germany you will interact with local citizens and residents as they live their daily lives, as well as participating in social and community activities arranged by the Excellence Center, thereby giving you a firsthand experience. The Excellence Center in Europe provides volunteer and internship opportunities that will immerse you into German culture.
Almost one million refugees have fled their war-torn homes to find safe harbor, peace, and a new life and future in Germany. Many refugees originate from the Middle East, Africa, and Western Europe too. The Excellence Center provides a unique opportunity to experience, not only German
Your volunteering or interning will give you direct knowledge and understanding of the plights of these refugees, their immersion and integration into a new way of life in Germany, and the challenges and difficulties they face on a daily basis as they attempt to forge new lives and new futures.
Many refugees are from Arabic speaking countries, especially Syria and Iraq. Your volunteering or interning with refugees who are native speakers of Arabic will provide you with the opportunity to practice the Arabic you learn in Excellence Center-provided Arabic instruction.
For the duration of your volunteer or internship program, you will live with a host family. This family experience will further immerse you in new customs, habits, and traditions, besides creating new friendships. The Excellence Center in Europe, Halle/Salle, will assist you in sightseeing historical venues in the city, and other sites of interest, as well as helping you to arrange visits to parks, lakes, night clubs, and the like.
The Excellence Center will do its utmost to meet your interests and needs. Germany has a low crime rate; the country is in the “top ten safe” countries of the world. Traveling solo to Germany and in Germany is safe. Living expenses are low as compared to other countries in Europe.
If you are coming from a European country that has signed the Schengen agreement, then you don’t need a visa to Germany. For those who come from countries which are part of a visa free program, you are allowed to stay in Germany up to three months.
If you need a visa to Germany, you need to apply for a Schengen visa. This visa will allow you to enter and stay in Germany for a maximum period of 3 months (90 days). Having this visa does not means that you are allowed to get a job (not even as a freelancer). Please check German government websites to determine the rules and regulations that govern your specific situation for visas or work permits.
How do I apply for an internship or volunteer program at the Excellence Center?
All you need to do is send an email to info@eceurope.org Please type “Volunteer in Germany” in the subject line. The Center’s staff will be in contact with you shortly and will send you the application form.
For a unique and valuable experience helping others, apply now to a volunteer or internship program with the Excellence Center in Europe!
