Incoming (voluntary service in Germany)
The Incoming program is designed for motivated, dedicated women and men of 18 years and up whose permanent residence is outside Germany.
Are you interested in helping people with special needs? Would you like to spend 12 months living and working in a foreign country, experiencing a new culture and getting to know the mindset, work ethic and social structure of Germany? If so, you are heartily invited to acquaint yourself with Incoming over the next few pages!
Requirements for applying to Incoming
You must
- be at least 18 years old (there is no maximum age).
- have permanent residency outside Germany.
- be socially motivated and show dedication to your work or engagement.
- know at least the basics of the German language. For those working in the fields of curative education (children with disabilities) and senior care (homes for the elderly), a good to excellent knowledge of German is a must. If at all possible, you should provide a certification of your studies or other official proof of your German language skills. It also expected that you be prepared to improve your German during the duration of your voluntary service.
- have already gathered practical experience in working with people with special needs or with the elderly. Should you not have this experience, you will be required to carry out a 2-week internship or training program at a qualifying institution in your home country. The Friends of Waldorf Education will be happy to assist you in making contact with organisations that fulfil these criteria.
- be prepared to work for 12 months in a full-time capacity. Shorter terms of service are not possible.
- be entirely open to living together with the residents and patients of an institution for curative therapy (children with disabilities), social therapy (adults with disabilities) or a home for the elderly.
- be eager for personal development and be ready to integrate yourself fully in a new culture and work environment.
- show initiative and a strong sense of social engagement, as these fields of work will, at least in part, be quite demanding. Additionally, most of the institutions are located in rural agrarian areas.
Areas of service
The majority of our volunteer positions are in anthroposophic communal homes for people who, due to various special needs or disabilities, require special care and attention. The work with children and young people is known as curative education, while similar work with adults is called social therapy. This therapeutic work and care is based upon the principles of anthroposophy and Waldorf education, both founded by Rudolf Steiner.
The cooperative life in these communal homes developed from the basic idea that all people, regardless of their abilities, are full-fledged, worthy personalities with a right to a meaningful, free and dignified existence.
These communities have made it their goal to fully realise these ideas in everyday life. They endeavour to create living conditions in which the residents come to terms with their conditions or disabilities. Opportunities are made available for the full realisation of their talents and skills. As a result, these living communities offer unique educational experiences, work areas and places to live. A social environment is created in which the members treat one another with friendship and respect. Each individual is viewed as a distinct personality, with all his or her respective strengths and weaknesses.
Institutions in Germany
Here you will find more information on our partner institutions in Germany.
Educational support and seminars
Before, during and at the close of the voluntary service, participants are required to attend four seminars with a total of 20 days of training:
Financing
Before and during the period of service, volunteers receive the following benefits:
- Support with visa application (official invitation) prior to service
- An allowance of at least 150 euros per month during the duration of the service
- Free room and board while in Germany
- Free health, accident and liability insurance
- Contractually regulated holidays
- Educational and administrative backing and support through the Friends of Waldorf Education during the voluntary service
- 20 accompanying seminar days, free of charge, at the beginning, during and at the close of the voluntary service, as well as transportation costs to and from the seminars
Travel costs to and from Germany must be covered by the participants themselves!
Applicants from Brazil and South Africa can receive support, advice and preparatory assistance from their local Friends of Waldorf Education.
The volunteers themselves are expected to pay for a possible preparatory seminar in the volunteers’ home country, according to a solidarity cost model.
Contact in Brazil:
Reinaldo Nascimento
Av. Tomás de Souza, 552
Jd. Monte Azul
05836350 Sao Paulo
Brazil
Tel.: +55 (0)11 5853 8080
r.nascimento[at]freunde-waldorf.de
Contact in South Africa:
Tobias Wrona
Centre for Creative Education
McGregor House
4 Victoria Road
Plumstead, Cape Town
South Africa
Tel.: +27 (0)76 378 3042
tobias[at]cfce.org.za
Application deadline and beginning your service
People of all nations are invited to apply for voluntary service in Germany sponsored by the Friends of Waldorf Education.
Most volunteers (approx. 75 people) will begin their service in August/September. A smaller group of 25 volunteers will begin in January.
Deadline for applications for the August/September start date is normally in mid-March. However, more than half the available positions are typically filled by January. Applicants from countries that do not require a visa (European Union, Japan, Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel) may submit their applications until mid-July to the Friends of Waldorf Education.
Deadline for applications for the January start date is the beginning of July of the year preceding the planned volunteer service. Applicants from countries that do not require a visa may submit their applications until the beginning of October to the Friends of Waldorf Education.
PLEASE NOTE: If a volunteer withdraws from the program during the 8 weeks prior to beginning or during the first four weeks of voluntary service, he or she is required to pay 150 euros to cover costs already paid on his or her part by the Friends of Waldorf Education.
Important information for your application
Before submitting your application, please carefully read this detailed information:
Application materials
Please submit the three completed application forms, filled in digitally and with a photo, via e-mail to: incoming@freunde-waldorf.de
We look forward to receiving your application!
Contacts
Your contacts in our office in Karlsruhe are:
Wiebke Gröschler
Tel.: +49 (0)721 354806-17
e-mail: w.groeschler[at]freunde-waldorf.de
Diana Grözinger
Tel.: +49 (0)721 354806-120
e-mail: d.groezinger[at]freunde-waldorf.de
Lena Hasenmaile
Tel.: +49 (0)721 354806-128
e-mail: l.hasenmaile[at]freunde-waldorf.de
Fritz Ritzmann
Tel.: +49 (0)721 354806-23
e-mail: f.ritzmann[at]freunde-waldorf.de
Our postal address:
Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners e.V.
Incoming program
Neisser Str. 10
D- 76139 Karlsruhe
Germany
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