The Misereor Voluntary Service is a learning service aimed at young adults with an interest in development policy. The requirements for a Misereor voluntary service are

• Age between 18 and 28 years (applicants must be of legal age at the time of departure)
• Open-mindedness, willingness to learn, ability to work in a team, interest in One World issues
• German citizenship or non-German citizens with permanent residence and right of residence in Germany (a posting to the country of origin is not possible)
• A recognised school-leaving qualification
• Good knowledge of a European lingua franca spoken in the partner country (English, French or Spanish)
• Health suitability for the stay abroad, fitness for tropicalisation
• Willingness to live in simple conditions
• Commitment and motivation to contribute the experience gained during the assignment to development education work in Germany
• Establishment of a circle of supporters

The volunteers are prepared for their assignment by Misereor and have local contact persons at the partner organisations.

The preparation includes a 10-day compulsory seminar in Germany, which is carried out in cooperation with the Agiamondo service and advice centre, and a 7-day seminar in the country of assignment. At these seminars, the volunteers are prepared for their departure and the work at their place of assignment.

There are still many tasks to complete on their own responsibility before their departure. Volunteers are responsible for the following points, among others:

• Language: all volunteers should brush up on their language skills by the time they leave. Only with good language skills can applicants be deployed effectively.
• Visa: As soon as the departure date is known, volunteers should apply for a visa. In some cases, it may take some time for the visa to be issued. The fees for the visa are borne by the volunteers.
• Vaccinations: The existing immunisation requirements for each country must be observed.

Misereor's volunteer service is an international learning service that offers young adults the opportunity to get involved in global issues and gain concrete experience with Misereor partner organisations in the Global South. Over a period of ten months, the volunteers get to know the work of the partner organisations on site.

Our goals

• Global action competence: Participants reflect on economic, ecological, social and political realities in the North and South against the backdrop of their volunteer service experiences.
• Personal development: Volunteers develop new skills and competences that help them to develop both professionally and personally.
• Social commitment: Returned volunteers can contribute different perspectives with their experiences from the Global South and be interesting actors for and with Misereor.

Our goals for the volunteers

• Global learning: Volunteers should gain a deep understanding of global interrelationships and the importance of sustainable development. This is a central component of the volunteer service at Misereor. The aim is to give volunteers the opportunity to experience the complex interrelationships and challenges of our globalised world and thus better understand them. Through their experiences in the Global South, participants reflect on their own role and responsibility in these processes and develop an awareness of global justice and sustainable development.
• Sustainable development, global responsibility: Volunteers should make a contribution to global responsibility in the sense of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the face of global challenges. Misereor is firmly convinced that a socio-ecological transformation is needed to meet current and future challenges. The weltwärts volunteer service contributes to this by encouraging young people to get involved in sustainability and global responsibility in line with the SDGs. Volunteers learn not only in theory but also in practice how they can make a positive contribution to a fairer and more sustainable world.
• Diversity: Volunteers should recognise and respect the diversity of human lifestyles and beliefs. They learn to value and respect the different cultures and perspectives they experience during their assignment. This not only promotes their personal development, but also their understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion in a globalised world.

Weltwärts

Weltwärts is a development policy learning service that offers young people the opportunity to get involved in countries of the Global South and gain valuable learning experiences in the process. Misereor's voluntary service is part of the weltwärts programme and offers participants the opportunity to engage intensively with global issues and challenges. Through their work in local projects and organisations, volunteers develop a deep understanding of the importance of development and cooperation at a global level. Learn more

Quality assurance

To ensure that Misereor's volunteer service fulfils the highest quality standards, a comprehensive quality management system is in place. This includes the educational support of volunteers, safety and crisis management as well as the continuous evaluation and improvement of the programme. The experiences and feedback of the participants are always taken into account in order to further optimise the voluntary service and adapt it to current challenges.

More information on the South-North programme will be available here soon.