Another focus of our projects is to bring young adults (18 to 25 years old) from our culture into contact with people from other cultures and to support them as mentors, for example as part of their voluntary social year (“VSY”). We are convinced that this will have a positive impact on the lifes of these young people. In many cases, this creates a lasting bond with the host families, friends and institutions in the host country, in which one year has been spent. Some of the young people even initiate follow-up projects from Germany after completing the “VSY”.
The „weltwärts“ program launched by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) together with a German sending organization and its partner organization in the host country enables young people to spend up to one year abroad.
Due to COVID-19 the international volunteering assignments usually starting to the end of the summer have unfortunately to be suspended in the year 2020.
Here are some examples from recent years: