Frequently asked questions
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Wiesbaden International is a forum which aims to enable all children and adolescents in this city to gain first-hand experience of other countries, regardless of their personal backgrounds.
Support for children and adolescents includes international youth work, which is incorporated in the law of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Social Code book VIII (children and youth welfare act). The support offered by international youth work is oriented to the interests and needs of young people and is designed and assisted by educational specialists. It promotes personality development, participation in society and civic engagement. Children, adolescents and young adults are involved in shaping the activities themselves, contributing their interests and strengths. They learn to handle new situations and to assume responsibility.
International youth encounters are oriented to the interests and needs of young people. They enable adolescents from different countries to get to know each other and promote mutual understanding between young people of different origins and cultures. In international youth work, the focus is on intercultural learning and handling social diversity.
For young people, it’s becoming increasingly important, as citizens of a common Europe and of a world that is growing ever smaller, to learn how to help shape the world themselves and to take on responsibility. They should question prejudices, understand different social models, cultures and religions, and be able to develop a constructive and critical understanding of their own political, cultural and religious roots. Young people should be able to handle living in a society dominated by diversity and internationality in a constructive way. They need international skills for their personal development, social participation and professional prospects for the future.
Most international youth work offers are directed at young people aged between 12 and 30, since the relevant third-party funding programs are tailored to this age group. However, there are an increasing number of offers available for children. In general, international youth work is directed at all adolescents and young adults.
TEENAGERS & PARENTS
YOUTH TRAVEL AND ENCOUNTER WITH AN EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT
You can find out when encounters are planned by going directly to the diary on our website. There, you’ll also see whether the encounter in question is one that you are eligible to register for, or whether the encounter is being offered to a closed group. Please use our e-mail address when making contact.
One introductory format for a first experience abroad can be a youth leisure camp in another country. You will be accompanied by young team members, and will travel abroad together. The city’s youth parish office in Wiesbaden offers sailing and educational leisure activities with young people of the same age.
https://www.stajupfa.de/freizeiten/uebersicht/
INFORMATION ON OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SPEND TIME ABROAD
As well as youth encounters, there are a large number of other formats designed to enable young people to gain experience abroad. They include work camps, voluntary work, work placements and spending a year at a school in another country. Adolescents and young adults can take part either individually or as a group. The formats can last from one week to a whole year.
Every year at the start of November, there is a big trade fair in Wiesbaden, “Hessen total international”, where the wide range of opportunities on offer are presented. www.hessen-total-international.de
The “Eurodesk” federal office in Bonn offers young people direct advice on the various options for spending time abroad:
https://www.wege-ins-ausland.de/
The “Weltweiser” (“world guide”) adviser provides information about a wide range of different programmes, trade fairs and funding opportunities for stays abroad, and give valuable tips.
INTERNSHIP IN YOUR FIELD OF WORK
If you are interested in a work placement abroad in your field of work, the BGHW, the industrial training organisation of the federal state of Hessen, offers advice in this area all year round.
0611 18248 24717
ADVICE CENTRES FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES
Voluntary work abroad
If you are interested in supporting developing countries, voluntary work abroad could be the right option for you. You have the opportunity to work as a volunteer, without remuneration, in social services organisations in Nicaragua, Benin, Ghana, Tanzania or Malawi. Young people aged 18 to 28 are eligible to apply.
EVIM – Abteilung Freiwilligendienste, Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 88
Tel.: 0611 172 170-10
E-Mail: freiwillig@evim.de
European Solidarity Corps
The “European Solidarity Corps”, which was created in 2019, combines volunteer projects with employment projects. The volunteer projects offer young people the opportunity of working in another country on a voluntary basis for between two and twelve months. The offers are directed at young people aged 17 to 30, and offer the chance of working in social and environmental projects.
For advice in Wiesbaden, contact arco e.V., Telefon: 0611 – 971 41 68 . E-Mail: info@arco-wiesbaden.de
International voluntary services
Volunta offers international voluntary services in social or environmental projects. Volunta helps with planning the voluntary service, with advice, preparation and introductory seminars.
https://www.volunta.de/freiwilligendienste/im-ausland.html
0611 95 24 90 00
International youth encounters are supported by educational specialists. They promote personal development, participation in society and civic engagement.
A well-organised youth encounter is characterised by the following:
- detailed preparation of content together with the international partner
- regular, transparent information for adolescents and parents or guardians (depending on the age of the adolescents)
- support with regard to passport and visa issues
- option of contacting the people responsible before and during the encounter
- evaluation meetings
To participate in a youth encounter, you need a valid travel document. You will also need a visa, depending on the destination country or your residential status. If you are an EU citizen, you only need an ID card to travel within the EU. The event organiser or funder will help you apply for the necessary documents.
There is a difference between the participation fee and the overall costs. The participation fee ranges from €50 to €250, depending on the encounter. If the fee is too high, we will make sure we find a way of enabling you to take part. Just let us know!
Overall, a youth encounter is funded by the funder’s own money, third-party funds and participation fees. Third-party funds are funds provided by the German Federal Government from money set aside for the children and youth plan, and European funds from the Erasmus+ youth program. Applications for third-party funds are submitted by the event organizer or funder.
The City of Wiesbaden provides an additional budget on an ongoing basis in order to fund international youth work, so that all children and adolescents can participate in international programs, regardless of their financial situation.
SPECIALIST STAFF
Network members can become educational institutions working in the field of child and adolescent support. Currently, network members include youth work, school social work, youth employment support and parent support organizations.
In addition, education institutions involved in political and social education can also be active in the network.
Local businesses with an interest in social engagement are also welcome to get involved.
There is a wide range of options available for international exchange.
One is for young people to take part in youth encounters organized by network partners.
Another is for young people and team members to participate in a youth encounter that has already been organized, if it is important that the contact person travels with the young participant.
It can be helpful at first to work in tandem with another network partner to organize a youth encounter, or to organize one by yourself.
We will be happy to advise your organization in order to find out more about your interests and aims, and together to develop opportunities for young people to gain experience of other countries.
In our newsletter, “Wiesbaden International”, www.wiesbaden.de/newsletter, we provide information about all current developments.
An international youth encounter is funded by third-party funds, the organization’s own contribution, and participation fees. Third-party funds are funds from the children and youth plan of the German Federal Government and European third-party funds from the ERASMUS+ program. Applications for these third-party funds are submitted in accordance with various deadlines.
The organization’s own contribution is usually the provision of staff, and if required, infrastructure and material contributions. The participation fee covers the gap within the overall costs.
Since the City of Wiesbaden has set itself the goal of enabling all children and teenagers to have first-hand experience of other countries, the city counselors have decided to provide a budget for international youth work. Members of the “Wiesbaden worldwide” network have the opportunity to claim for funds from this budget to reduce the participation fees for children and teenagers in accordance with their individual financial situation.