The Young Workers Volunteer Program is aimed at young adults who want to clarify career goals and gain intercultural knowledge. People that want to grow personally and gain work experience.
This 12-months program provides you with an easily accessible opportunity for effecting positive societal change through volunteering, while improving your skills and competences for personal, educational, and professional development. Non-formal and formal learning opportunities during the program will enable you to acquire essential competences for personal growth in order to become an Active Global Citizen, thereby improving your employment prospects and facilitating your transition into the labor market.
AFS has many projects that care for and work with people with special needs. And they are looking for volunteers in their team to support disabled people on a daily basis. They learn how to support and respect others for who they are. Most of our volunteers think that these projects are the most challenging because they take you out of your own comfort zone but they are by far the most rewarding volunteer projects. It is important for AFS that you have the chance to develop your personality and that you learn for live. As a volunteer, you will help the experienced staff to care for disabled people every day. Thereby you help them gain confidence and independence. Projects with disabled people often offer additional vocational trainings. Our volunteers assist trained staff in kindergartens, schools, workshops, rehabilitation centers and many more.
In workshops, adults with disabilities (mental and/or physical) get a chance to experience the “work life”. The volunteers will accompany and assist them during their manual work. Volunteers can also help creating free-time activities and propose own projects like sports or music.
In special schools and kindergartens for kids with physical and/or mental disabilities, the volunteers accompany children, between 1 and 18 years old, and assist them in whatever they need like changing clothes, supporting those in wheelchairs, helping them eat or by changing their diapers. But also playing with and teaching them. Going on excursions and doing sports or music with them.
In residencies or centers the volunteers help its inhabitants to develop general life skills so they can gain more independence. They support them in their daily routine including occasional help with bodily hygiene, food preparation and leisure activities.
Volunteer’s Report
“I thought I could make a difference in the lives of these kids I work with, but instead, to my surprise I am leaving Germany much more impacted and transformed. I am placed in a school with kids who have different kind of disabilities. This is where I was taught what patience is.
This was my first time working with kids who has disabilities. I have seen many kids smile on days when they experienced so much pain. This learning experience has indeed molded me. They have inspired me and given me so much more hope for life.
I had so much fun during this year helping the kids, whether it was helping them get dress, feeding them or just giving them water to drink. Going to the shop with the kids has been a blast. They have taught me that life is short lived on earth and that one should live life to its fullest. On the saddest days, without knowing it, they have brighten up my days with great laughter. They gave me the courage when I felt like giving up. This year has been full of good learning experiences I’ll be able to take them with me for the rest of my life. These experiences will help me to go and impact my community by volunteering.”
Keegan, 2018
