Weltwärts

Do you wish you could get to know the kids and life at Hope Home and become part of our family? Are you interested in an indescribable life experience and would like to realise a project with your own hands? We offer you two options: private voluntary service and the weltwärts volunteer service. weltwärts is a joint programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and civil society.

Since 11.09.2012, Children's Hope Home e.V. has been recognised as a sending organisation in accordance with the funding guidelines for the implementation of the development volunteer service ‘weltwärts’. You can now apply for our projects. The deadline for applications for assignments in the months of July - September of the following year is 30 November. The duration of an assignment is 12 months (longer if desired).

Requirements

Voluntary service should be open to as many young adults as possible. However, the following requirements must be met:

  • Age of 18 to 28 years (at the time the contract is concluded, approximately in March/April of the year of departure) and medical suitability for the assignment abroad
  • Interest in the cultures and living conditions in developing countries
  • Willingness to actively and enthusiastically participate in a project of the sending organisation and to take part in the accompanying educational programme
  • Secondary school leaving certificate (Hauptschul- oder Realschulabschluss) with completed vocational training, entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences or general higher education entrance qualification (Fachhochschulreife oder Allgemeine Hochschulreife) or comparable requirements
  • German citizenship or a corresponding right of residence
  • Good basic knowledge of one of the host country's languages (English, Swahili)

Volunteers undertake to take part in all accompanying events, to write regular reports and a final project description and to build up a private circle of donors. The willingness to get involved in development policy is desired both before and after the assignment abroad and is supported by us to the best of our ability, e.g. by presenting a project to the public, writing project reports for regional newspapers or organising an information stand at an event.
If you have any questions, please contact us at volunteers@childrens-hope-home.org.

We look forward to meeting you!
If you are interested in volunteering, then apply directly to our

First answers to important questions

What can you expect at Hope Home?

First of all, of course, the kids are at the centre of your stay. But you will also experience the day-to-day challenges of running a children's home. Your own creative commitment will also come into play. Last but not least, you will be a guest in Kenya, an impressive country on Africa's east coast with an indescribable number of facets and numerous wonderful places.

What is the story of the kids at the Hope Home?

Many of the kids have had traumatic experiences and often suffered abuse before they came to the Hope Home. The children's dignity, rights and souls were often violated by the adults who were supposed to protect them. In addition to material support, these children therefore need positive role models in their lives to help them regain confidence. They need attention and affection. Although they no longer live on the streets or in violent households, everyday life in the home is not always easy. Sharing ‘home’ with many other children often results in a lack of individual care and recognition.

What can you do for the children on site?

Teaching them reading, writing and maths, encouraging them in arts and crafts, painting, playing and doing handicrafts with them ... there are many ways to make the children's day very special. Maybe you organise a football tournament on the school grounds or a trip to Nairobi's city park? The children will also love it if you tell them about your life and how and where you live. Read to them or let them guide you through Gathiga. Take a child by the hand and let them guide you!

What do I need to consider before applying?

Before applying, you should consider the following questions carefully:

  • In our projects, volunteers take on a major commitment: they must be prepared to make a strong commitment to their project and to immerse themselves in a foreign culture
  • What personal motives justify my interest?
  • What expectations do I have of the work and the environment during my voluntary service?
  • Why do I want to do voluntary service abroad?
  • Am I prepared to significantly lower my standards - especially my standard of living - for my time with weltwärts?
  • What do I want to achieve in the host country and after my return?
How does the selection process work?

Once your application has been received and evaluated, a decision will be made as to which applicants will be invited to a selection process. Only the fulfilment of the formal criteria will be checked. This is followed by a selection meeting, where your skills are matched with the requirements of the vacant position, with particular attention paid to your language skills. Funding for the selection meeting is not part of the weltwärts programme. You will therefore have to cover your own travelling expenses and pay an allowance for board and lodging. A contract is concluded with the selected applicants. This regulates the tasks, rights and obligations of all parties involved. Once the contract has been signed, we will register you with Engagement Global.

How will I be prepared for the assignment?

We hold preparatory seminars with you that last at least 12 days in total. Participation is compulsory. The seminars deal with topics such as intercultural learning, intercultural communication, conflict management, project management and regional studies and focus on global learning in terms of sustainability and global responsibility. They give you a realistic picture of the living and working conditions you can expect. They make it clear how important it is to open up to people in other situations carefully and with respect. The seminars introduce you to development policy issues. And they are accompanied by former volunteers, which gives the future volunteers a direct impression of the work in the projects. In addition to attending the preparatory seminars, you will have to complete many tasks on your own until you leave. However, we are happy to help with this. Among other things, volunteers are responsible for the following: Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

  • Visa: As soon as you know your departure date, you should apply for a visa. In some cases, it may take longer to issue the visa. The fees for the visa are paid by the volunteers.
  • Vaccinations: For Kenya, the existing immunisation recommendations and regulations must be observed. We will inform you in good time about the necessary vaccinations.
  • Language: You should improve or refresh your language skills before you leave. Volunteers can only be deployed effectively in a foreign country if they have good language skills.
What happens on site?

You will spend 12 months working with our project partner in Kenya, usually around 40 hours per week. During your stay, the focus is on working together, learning from each other on a daily basis and cultural exchange. The local partner organisation provides training, employment and support. You will also be provided with appropriate accommodation and meals free of charge for the entire duration of the project. You will also be entitled to the holiday time customary in the country. During your service, you will be expected to take a high degree of personal responsibility. The assignment is both educational time and active cooperation with a high level of commitment. Your period of service could overlap with that of your successor. This means that the project can be handed over responsibly. You will also write a quarterly interim report for Engagement Global and the sending organisation. You will also prepare a final report, which can be used by Engagement Global for public relations purposes. The final report must also be handed over to the project partner in a locally customary colloquial language.

How will I be supported on site?

The project partner will provide you with a supervisor who is usually not working in the same project. They will pick up the volunteers from the airport, familiarise them with their accommodation and workplace, provide technical and educational support during their assignment, act as a point of contact in the event of problems and keep in touch with former volunteers. After a third of the project period, you will take part in an interim seminar organised by us on site.

What about a follow-up?

After returning home, follow-up seminars offer the opportunity to share experiences with other volunteers. An important topic here is also how the volunteers can continue their involvement in the field of development cooperation.

What costs will I incur?

As part of the weltwärts programme, all essential costs are covered for you. We do not charge any placement fees or expense allowances for the volunteer service. However, you are expected to do your bit for the partner project before you leave, e.g. by organising information events, collecting donations, setting up private support groups or other activities. However, the selection of volunteers must not be made dependent on the amount of donations raised and is based solely on personal qualifications.

What about insurance?

We will take out the following insurance policies for you:

  • Accident insurance including disability (sum insured 200,000 euros with 225 per cent progression)
  • Liability insurance
  • International health insurance
  • Repatriation insurance (usually included in the international health insurance)

We cover the cost of insurance as part of the BMZ subsidy. We choose an insurance policy that meets the minimum standards defined in the weltwärts guideline. Since 1 January 2009, weltwärts volunteers have been covered by accident insurance through the Federal Accident Insurance Fund (UK-Bund) during their time on the project. As before, their time off must be covered by their own accident insurance. During their time in Germany, for example during the preparatory seminars, volunteers are responsible for their own insurance (e.g. health and long-term care insurance).

How does the donor circle work?

In addition to participating in our public relations work, another way to get involved is to build up a circle of private donors. With our support, you can raise donations from friends and relatives or from foundations and companies. However, we will not make your participation in weltwärts dependent on the amount of donations collected and may accept a maximum of 150 euros in donations per month of voluntary service. Donations help us to cover part of our costs. By collecting donations, you will also learn how to present and represent the project. It is also customary that you undertake to send regular project reports to the donors. On the one hand, these project reports promote a broader awareness of the situation in the projects. They also encourage you to regularly reflect on your activities. Donors receive a donation receipt from our association, which is recognised as a non-profit organisation.

weltwärts and ADiA?

According to § 5 of the Federal Voluntary Service Act, the Other Service Abroad (ADiA) will continue to exist after the suspension of civilian service on 1 July 2011. As before, it will therefore still be possible to perform weltwärts service in conjunction with recognition as other service abroad.

Unsere Freiwilligenstellen findest du außerdem auch auf http://www.rausvonzuhaus.de

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