ICJA Workcamps in Deutschland

FEST/ART/KIDS/CULT
Vols: 7
Age: 18-26
Languages: English, German

Project: The „Himmelsfels“ (Heavens rock) in Spangenberg is the territory that occupies 8 hectares. In Himmelsfels there are so-called embassies, i.e. caravans that have been modified artistically to be tiny houses for German and international guests of the Himmelsfels. Every year Himmelsfels hosts events dedicated to art, culture, Christian gospel music and youth Encounter. This summer season, there will be three international youth camps comprising about 70 – 150 young people from various countries.

The volunteers will help to enrich the current youth camps by becoming part of our international staff, by supporting the activities for the youth and the infrastructure of the camps. The program will take place on the “Himmelsfels” itself.

The “Himmelsfels” foundation is a Christian organization, which aims to develop spaces for intercultural and ecumenical exploration, as well as to motivate people for a life characterized by equality and common values. The project targets especially young people who support and are eager to join the community of Christian spirituality. For more information, please visit the website.

Work: Workcamp participants are invited to work in different fields: manual, artistically, pedagogical. During the youth camps, you will communicate with kids from diverse backgrounds and join their activities. You will support the camp in logistic areas and support the construction and decoration of an artistic project. It would be helpful to prepare in advance and offer your own workshop — whether artistic, musical, or athletic—and bring fresh and inspiring ideas. In addition, all volunteers will have the chance to introduce their countries. You should collect ideas at home and bring necessary materials for a creative presentation, including pictures, food, games, or other typical things from your countries. Further details will be provided after the placement in the workcamp. Besides the announced activities, the volunteers will also need to take responsibility by leading groups of young campers in daily works like catering and cleaning. 

Study part: The study part of this workcamp will focus mostly on the question about life between past and future, tradition and modernity, small-town life and global correlations. Working at “Himmelsfels“ always encourages encounters between people from different cultures and diverse background.

Leisure part: Spangenberg is a small village in the valleys south of Kassel. You can explore local sites of interest and visit Kassel, which is famous for the international art festival Documenta.

Remarks: A letter of motivation is required! Basic knowledge of the German language is helpful to communicate with the kids. Volunteers with interest in performing arts are very welcome and it would be great if you are interested in a Christian spirituality. After registration, we will require a self-declaration regarding terms of legal protection for children and vulnerable persons. Please bring a sleeping bag. As some summer nights can get cold in Germany, please bring some warm clothes and raingear!

Accommodation: Spangenberg is a small German village that lies in the Schwalm-Eder district about 35 km southeast of Kassel. Accommodation will be basic and simple. Volunteers will sleep in caravans, sharing rooms with others.

Terminal: Melsungen train station (Melsungen Bahnhof). Nearest airport: Frankfurt/Main. Please note: Airport Frankfurt Hahn is about 150 km distance from Frankfurt.

SOCI/STUDY/REFUGEE

Vol: 12

Age: 18-26

Languages: English, German

Project: Since many years now we offer this successful workcamp together with the protestant community center "Petrusgemeinde". The international volunteers are invited to the Asylum Centre for two weeks to take part in the daily life of the refugees. In the study part of the camp, we want to inform about the situation of refugees in Germany and Europe, as well as the current developments in the area of Asylum-policies. We want you to get in contact with the residents of the Asylum Centre so that we can learn about their stories, issues, difficulties and perspectives.
The Asylum Centres for asylum seekers in Hessen are located at the edge of the city Giessen. There are currently around 2 000 asylum-seekers hosted in former army barracks. The refugees are in Germany because of various reasons, e.g. political, ethnic and religious persecution or poverty. Usually, they stay at the facility for few months until a decision has been made about their application. Sometimes they are sent to other centers or to other “safe countries” where they entered the European Union, or to their countries of origin. Most of the people living in the Asylum Centres in Giessen are from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Eritrea, Ukraine and Balkan countries: young men, women, children and older people. The asylum seekers live in simple conditions and are not allowed to work or leave the district in which they live. Their permission to stay in Germany often is limited and so is their contact with the locals living in the city.

Environment:  Together with the refugees we want to organize common activities, where the women and children are taken into consideration: playing games, doing sports, playing music together, being creative, in short, to have some fun together… Besides organizing games for the kids and special activities for women and men, there is an option to create some scenes in a puppet theatre.
We want also to focus on several groups with special needs like people with disabilities and people from the queer community. In order to cover the needs of each group, a special collaboration is planned. For this purpose, a safe space should be created where the queer community can take part in a cooking evening and cook one dish or several small ones together in the kitchen. Game evenings are planned in the camp for people with disabilities. These ideas can be easily implemented and offer the greatest scope for getting to know each other better.
In addition, our goal is to get in contact with the young people in Giessen to raise greater awareness for the refugees and to break the isolation of the refugees. We will establish contact with institutions and voluntary and professional supporters (students, social workers, therapists) of the asylum seekers, which will help you to understand their background. In order to work with people, it is also important to know some information about how to deal with them. We therefore plan to prepare a preventative protection measure as an introduction and to attend a workshop on the topic of anti-discrimination.
We especially invite volunteers to participate who can speak Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic or Farsi, as well as volunteers who like to make music like drumming or guitar. We want to create this amazing experience where music offers a universal language for everyone.

Leisure Time: There are plenty of possibilities for leisure time activities: playing football or canoeing as well as possibilities to visit some other cities. (e.g. Marburg, Frankfurt or Heidelberg).

Accommodation: The workcamp will be hosted by a local protestant church that is already involved in working with the refugees for many years. The premises of the church are plentiful, and volunteers will have a lot of space for sleeping, cooking, dining, relaxing, and for indoor and outdoor activities.

Remarks: As this workcamp can only be offered under very special conditions, we unfortunately need a whole list of additional things. We will ask for additional motivation letter in placement process and a self-declaration concerning the children and youth protection. You will need to provide a police record about good conduct as well. We will also need a proof that you are vaccinated against measles. Please bring sleeping bag, a pillow if needed, towels, camping mat, work clothes, bathing suit, music, your talents and something specific from your country.

Terminal: Giessen

AGRI/CONS/ENVI/STUD/MANU

Vols: 12 

Age: 18-26

Languages: English, German

Project: The "Universitas in Farmhouse" is place of education for nature, culture, youth work and sustainability. The aim of this project is to demonstrate different ecological cultivation methods. It is a long-standing partner of successful workcamps and a wonderful place to feel at home. Beside the topic of permaculture, the host likes to offer rooms for musicians.

Work: Volunteers are invited to continue the project GARDEN OF ENVIRONMENT – FIELDS for PLAYING AND LEARNING at our gardening land. It will offer different stations where visitors can learn and experience about nature and sustainability … very creative, surprising and funny! Volunteers will support the host in their Garden-, construction- and landscape design work. There will be physical work, using tools and working with materials like wood, rocks, soil. You will work outdoors most of the time. Last year a pond was created with the help of the volunteers! Volunteers who like to exercise can make firewood. Every year, volunteers are invited to get to know the local Perma Culture Garden and do some gardening there. While looking after the plants, there is the possibility to harvest fruits. Therefore, we are looking for 12 motivated young people who are interested in handicrafts, advanced training and gardening/landscaping.

Study part: Volunteers will get some insight in the principles of Perma Culture: how to create a productive garden which grows plants and feeds animals in a way that only a minimum input of energy and resources are required to achieve maximum sustainability to the environment? Interesting ecological and cultural projects/information from your country is very welcome.

Leisure time: The afternoons, evenings and weekends are free for personal use: sports, fieldtrips in the region and to Freiberg, swimming.

On the last Saturday, volunteers will join concert in the Farmhouse: Musician Frank Kaiser from Dresden will perform his atmospheric music. If you are talented as well, bring an instrument with you – drums and guitars can be provided.

Region: The project will take place in a famous river hill and cultural landscape in the middle of Saxony at the foot of the Erzgebirge (“Ore Mountains”), 35 km from Dresden, 15 km from Freiberg.

Accommodation: The participants are accommodated in the big seminar room. Food will be prepared together in the big kitchen of the seminar house.

Remarks: Please bring a sleeping bag with you and an isolation sheet. Gossberg is situated in a remote area; you can enjoy nature and countryside.

Terminal: Freiberg, near Dresden. Nearest airports: Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig

FEST/ART/MANU

Vols: 10

Age: 18-26

Languages: English, German

Project: "RABRYKA" is a unique space for youth culture and social life, situated in an abandoned factory ground. You can see it as an open space for all kinds of youth and social culture. Currently it offers a wide range of possibilities for kids, youth and adults: it unites different projects in one house, e.g. a youth club, a workshop and makerspace, intercultural or cultural education or urban gardening. There is enough inside and outdoor space for gatherings and sports, sharing things and opinions, playing music and partying together and … much more! The biggest event organized by the RABRYKA is the FOKUS Festival, in which you will also participate.

The head organisation of the RABRYKA is the “Second Attempt e.V.”, which highly motivates people to develop the civil society of Goerlitz. Everyone is invited to join meetings that focus on the vision of a society, which respects the values of tolerance, equality and cross-cultural empathy. RABRYKA is a fictional word connecting the Polish word for factory – fabryka and the first letter of red. Red are the bricks of the buildings of the former factory.

Work: Your help is needed to prepare space and facilities for the 18^th Fokus Festival. An alternative 2-day festival (15^th – 16^th August) with several stages, many workshops, a speakers corner, food and drinks! Please watch one of the aftermovies to get an impression of the Festival. You are invited to work together in international teams, composed of employees of RABRYKA and other volunteers from Goerlitz. During working hours you can create fancy furniture for the visitors, colorful decoration for the stages and the festival area, do some gardening or lead through your own ideas. Whether you like painting, crafting, working, gardening, cooking or designing- whatever you like, we’ll find a task for you. It would be great if the group could contribute something special for the Fokus Festival, for example decorating a graffiti wall. During the festival itself volunteers will offer support by filling shifts at the bar, the backstage control or as a runner. For further information of the Festival and the Camp, please visit our Website, Instagram.

Study and leisure time: Goerlitz is situated at the very east of Germany. After WWII, it was divided and the area in the east of the river Neisse is now the autonomous town Zgorzelec and part of Poland. Volunteers will get a guided tour through Goerlitz and will learn about its eventful history. Moreover, you will learn about the current network of initiatives in the city, which offers a wide range of cultural and social work. In addition, there will be free time for a cycling tour to a lake nearby, bonfire evenings, a party and more.

Accommodation: Volunteers will stay near the youth and cultural center. The group of ICJA-volunteers will sleep in a big room with room dividers, there are bathrooms, a shower and a kitchen. Volunteers will need a sleeping bag. It is planned that volunteers will prepare dinner on their own. Breakfast and lunch will be offered at RABRYKA and will be vegan.

Remarks: Volunteers who are skilled in handicraft and creative arts, will enjoy great atmosphere to reveal their talents and abilities. Please be ready to work together in teams. Please bring a sleeping bag, a pillow (if needed), work clothes (for warm, cold and rainy days), a bathing suit, sturdy shoes and whatever you need for yourself. There is no washing mashine at RABRYKA but a laundromat 10 minutes away. After registration, we require a self-declaration concerning the children and youth protection.

Terminal: Goerlitz train station. Nearest Airports: Dresden, Berlin and Prague.

MANU/ENVI/CONS/KIDS

Vols: 12

Age: 18-26

Languages: English, German

Project: Since 2009, we have successfully organized workcamps in Blomberg in cooperation with the town hall. The result has been numerous wonderful projects that have enriched our community. One of the highlights from two years ago was the successful implementation of a nature project at a local kindergarten. With the help of professional support and, of course, the enthusiastic workcamp participants, the children now have a beautiful “experience garden” where they can learn and play in nature.

Blomberg is a charming town located near Detmold in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Known for its warm hospitality and friendly atmosphere, Blomberg welcomes visitors with open arms. The town is beautifully nestled in nature, surrounded by lush landscapes and scenic views, making it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility and outdoor adventures.

Rich in history, Blomberg boasts a variety of historical sites and landmarks that reflect its cultural heritage. Visitors can explore the well-preserved medieval old town, with its picturesque half-timbered houses and the impressive Blomberg Castle. The surrounding areas also offer a wealth of historical attractions, including nearby towns that showcase the region's fascinating past.

Work: This summer, we will launch a project to enhance the outdoor area of the kindergarten in Großenmarpe, a small village close to Blomberg. One of the key features of this project will be the transformation of a construction trailer into a cozy café. With your help, we will create a meeting place for children, parents, and the entire village community. Volunteers will work together with the parents of the children and with professional workers. You will work with woodworking tools and get creative with paint.

The Großenmarpe Kindergarten and Family Centre is a facility for children aged 1 to 6 years. Our goal is to create a welcoming and engaging environment where families can come together, enjoy refreshments, and foster a sense of community.

We invite volunteers and participants to join us in this meaningful project, where we will not only beautify the outdoor space but also create a place for social interaction and connection. Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of the children and families in Großenmarpe!

Besides this manual work, volunteers will interact with the kids. Be ready to bring some games you play in your country.

Leisure time: For your free time, we have planned a vibrant program like in previous camps, with excursions to interesting places in the region. Volunteers will participate in a workshop about rhythm in music with Hakim Ludin. He was born and raised in Afghanistan, has lived in Germany for many years, and has developed into a musician with an international reputation. He specializes in rhythms and can explain and play all kinds of global sounds with ease. For more information, see the website.

A small group of young, underage refugees live near the accommodation. They will be happy to meet international volunteers. In the past, these interactions have always been very enriching! We are looking forward to many applicants and an exciting time ahead.

Accommodation: Volunteers will live in a building in the so-called “Nederlandpark.” Accommodation includes rooms with beds and cooking facilities. Adequate sanitation facilities will be available, too. Please bring a warm blanket with you.

Remarks: As you will be in close contact with kids, we will ask you to sign a self-declaration form regarding child and youth protection. Please bring workwear and raincoats, a sleeping bag, a bathing suit, music, your talents, and something special from your country. Please bring along games you enjoyed playing as a child.

Terminal: Schieder train station. Nearest airport: Hannover

RENO/ ENVI/STUDY

Vols: 12

Age: 18-26

Language: English, German

Project: Bedheim castle was first mentioned in the year 1169 and was destroyed and reconstructed several times in its long history. During the last 30 years, the castle became a sociocultural center for this remote region. Currently it offers meeting places for social and cultural initiatives. With historical rooms, the garden café, various types of gardens and being surrounded by beautiful nature, it is a perfect place to meet with friends, to enjoy a good piece of cake or even to celebrate a wedding.

Since 1992, this association has been organizing workcamps. Volunteers enjoy spending their time to meet and work together with the inhabitants. An organic garden, a painter's studio, a goldsmith's workshop and an architect's office are the basis for the existence of the residents. There is even a small castle museum, where you can admire the bones of prehistoric dinosaurs, once living in this region. Last but not least: nice cats and dogs are waiting to be petted by the volunteers!

The aim of this project is to create an atmosphere where people with or without disabilities may come, live and work together without any prejudice against handicap, nationality, or religion.

Work: Volunteers are invited to help with the care and maintenance of this social centre and its various areas. There is work outside and inside: The meadow orchard must be cleared of bushes and, depending on the weather, apples can be collected and processed into apple juice. The work in the organic vegetable garden also depends on the weather, usually the volunteers help with the harvest of fruit and vegetables. In the castle itself, there is painting and cleaning work to be done to maintain the building. Encounters with kids and people of the region are foreseen. Overall, there is a wide variety of tasks - something for everyone!

Study: We may learn more about natural beauty of the environment. We can make excursions to places of cultural and historical interest (e.g. Weimar, the city of Goethe and the concentration camp Buchenwald). We can have discussions and lectures about German history, society, culture and politics (the German East-West border was only 9 km away from Bedheim). There will be the possibility to encounter with young people of the region and getting to know more about the countries of the participants.

Accommodation: Bedheim castle offers a simple group accommodation in a seminar house. Beds will be provided. Meals will be prepared by the group (less meat but a lot of very good vegetables and fruits from the nursery). Warm water is provided from a solar collector.

Region: Bedheim castle is located in the west of Thuringia, close to the Bavarian border. Next bigger town is Coburg (28 km away). Bedheim is surrounded by the extraordinary beautiful Franconian landscape.

Remarks: Some basic knowledge of German or English is recommended. Please bring rain and working clothes as well as swimsuits, a sleeping bag, slippers, towels and warm pullovers with you. You can also bring a map, pictures or special food items from your country.

Terminal: Bedheim is 8 km from the train station of Hildburghausen and 15 km from the train station of Bad Rodach. Nearest airports: Leipzig, Frankfurt/Main, Nuernberg.