FAQ - All you need to know about workcamps

When:

95% of Workcamps take place between june and september, but there are also a few in spring and autmn.

Duration:

Most workcamps last 2-3 weeks.

Age:

For most of our camps abroad you need to be 18 years old. Some partner organisations make exceptions for 17-year-olds and we we always have a certain number of teenage-workcamps for participants from 14/15 years.

The age requirement is written in the camp description. Crucial is the age at the beginning of the camp.

Language:

The language in all workcamps is english. But don't be afraid, in most cases, basic knowledge is enough! In France and Belgium, there are some few french-speaking Camps. Language requirements are written in the Workcamp description.

Costs:

Participation fee for Workcamps outside of Germany:
€ 140 (for your first Workcamp)
€ 120 (for the second (third, fourth..) Workcamp in the same year)

Solidarity surcharge: We want to make participation in workcamps possible for all people, independent from their financial situation. You can support us in that, paying voluntarily 150€ instead of 140€ as patricipation fee.We are very grateful for your support!

ijgd-members get a discount of € 20. 

In some Camps, so called Extra-fees arise (for example in teenagecamps). If there is an Extra-fee required, you can check in your Camp description. Accomodation, food, and a some free-time activities during the Camp are free. 

The journey to your Camp has to be organised and paid by the volunteers themselves..

HIstory

1948 a students initiative from Hannover organised the first Workcamps in Deutschland. The goal of those "camps" was building and keeping peace through living, working and learning together in small groups of international volunteers. Some years later, ijgd "Internationalen Jugendgemeinschaftsdienste"(international youth community services) were created from this initiative. Nowadays, ijgd offer more than 50 workcamps a year

Goals

Primarily, the goal of Workcamps is to promote civil Engagement of young people and to support non-profit projects. Just as important for us is the joint living and workcing in an international group. That is how we want to support intercultural learning of the participants.
Workcamps - as well as every other ijgd-project - are based on the six columns of our work. 

Internationale Kooperationspartner

Also in other european, and non-european countries, there were organisations with the same goals created. Together they formed the „Alliance of European Vountary Service Organisations“ in 1982. This Network was created with the aim of making the cooperation easier and to assure quality standards in the performance of workcamps.

Nowadays, 50 organisations out of 29 countries in Europe, Asia and North America are members of the network. Additionally we work with more than 30 partners in the world.

Application procedure:
As soon as you have found a suitable camp in our search engine, you can drag it in to your "shopping cart" by clicking on "add to basket". Your desired camp or camps will then be moved to your shopping cart. By clicking on "Apply Now" on the left hand side you are then automatically redirected to the online application. Please fill in the application form entirely in English and only submit it once you have checked all your details. 
Important! If you are still a minor, please print the online application, let your legal guardians sign it and send it back to us via post or fax. We will then receive your online application via email and forward it to our respective partner organisation abroad. They will then decide according to criteria of group constellations (nationality, gender, age) whether you can be accepted on your desired camp. If this is not possible for your first choice, we will then enquire with your second choice and so on. It is therefore beneficial for you to state several alternative workcamps on your application. The entire application process may take up to 14 days. We will send you your application confirmation via email. If all your desired camps are already fully booked, we will get in touch with you to suggest alternatives.

Visa:

Depending on your passport and residential status you might need a visa to enter certain countries. As far as possible we will help you with that, if needed.

If you would like to take part in a workcamp in the US or in Russia, you will need a tourist visa (90 days) for your entry into the country. With your application confirmation you will receive from us further information regarding the visa regulations regarding your workcamp country. For a workcamp in Canada you will require a work visa. In this case you should plan for a waiting period and bureaucratic effort.
Regardless of the country, you will have to organise your visa on your own. We are glad to help you out with any questions or problems – provided that we know the answers. More information on visa applications can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.