ESC Volunteering with NaturKultur and KulturHaus in Bremen, Germany

***For residents from Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. ****

Have you ever dreamt about working in a garden and organising sustainability projects? Or have you ever had the desire to work in a fun, outgoing, creative and multinational team with lots of experience in the field of international youth work? If any of the above is true for you, then we might have the perfect opportunity for you!

Dates: May 2025 until August or September 2025 (ending date can be adapted)

Location: Bremen, Germany

Hosting Organisation: NaturKultur Bremen e.V. and KulturHaus

We are looking for one motivated volunteer to join our team!

About your hosting organization and the tasks

We are a youth organisation that is focused on international youth work. In 2023 we organized 15 Youth Exchanges and training courses, and we are sending young people on many international projects abroad. Above that we are provider of the On-Arrival and Midterm-Seminars for volunteers in Germany, we host 7-8 of these trainings per year. We are also the coordinating organization for volunteering opportunities – that means that we are organising voluntary services in Bremen and also send German youngsters abroad.

Our office is located in Bremen, but we organize our projects in our KulturHaus in Garlstedt, which is close to Osterholz-Scharmbeck and 30 min by car from Bremen.

Our local and international projects aim to encourage and support young people through non-formal learning opportunities, especially focusing on the topics of interculturalism, tolerance, diversity and understanding among the different cultures in Europe. We are also organizing local events in Bremen and extending our network in the area by cooperating with other organizations and institutions.

So, who’s on our team? You can find out here!

And what have we been up to in the past 10 years? That’s what you can read here.

Social Media is more interesting? Here’s our Instagram and YouTube Channel!

KulturHaus & Sustainability Volunteer

Our KulturHaus opens its doors to more than 400 participants of youth exchanges and trainings per year. As a Sustainability volunteer, you will have an opportunity to facilitate a learning process for these young people creating a learning environment that will encourage them to engage with nature and learn more about gardening and sustainability. Your tasks will include:

Together with a Sustainability intern (if position is filled), planning the space surrounding KulturHaus, designing various areas and strategies for nature-related activities;
Maintaining the garden and house (taking care of the plants, compost, bird houses, beehive);
Working with youth exchange and training groups, supporting them in exploring the space and their own potential while implementing local solidarity actions and immersing in gardening, especially on our ESC Team activity in May;
Implementing new ideas to make the space around the house even more welcoming and engaging;
Working together with the team members in all areas of NaturKultur e.V. and especially with our other three volunteers in Social Media, Content Creation and Local Connections.
Organizing small local projects for the community of Bremen together with the other 16 ESC volunteers in Bremen.

To get a better idea of what this position entails, you can read Nina’s final report about her voluntary service with us.

Who are we looking for? A person who who is passionate about nature and DIY – you do not need to have previous experience, just be open and motivated to try new things! Please be aware that this project involves working in the garden in KulturHaus not only but also on your own. You will be asked to work there two days of the week at least.

We work 3 days together in the office per week, otherwise remotely. Our team does not only live in Bremen but also in other parts of Germany or abroad. This is why we have a very special working culture, being very different from many other organisations and we are looking for someone who likes to work independently. This is a project where self-initiative and implementation of own ideas is encouraged and developed and we will help you to learn everything you need, to become even more independent throughout the project.

Logistics

You will be accommodated in a house just for ESC volunteers in Bremen, where you will have your own room.

Bremen is a city in North-West Germany (around 500.000 inhabitants), not far from Hamburg and the North Sea coast. Bremen is a vibrant, multi-cultural city with a lot of young people and both a historical centre and newer areas of towns.

As an ESC volunteer, you will receive health insurance, monthly pocket money for food and other expenses (290€ + 210€). Travel costs will be reimbursed depending on the travel distance (normally between 211-395€).

You will be supported by a Coordinator and a Mentor to help you get settled in your work place and the city of Bremen. You can also attend our German conversation class of at least 1 hour per week.

But – how is it to volunteer in Bremen?

And if you’d rather watch a video – here you can check out some stories from our volunteers.

Or find out more about Maria, who was volunteering in a school in Bremen.

You can apply, if you…

… are between 18-30 years old (on the day you start your ESC)
… can communicate in English (A2-B1) OR German (A2) and are willing to improve your language skills in German and English. Our NaturKultur team in Bremen speaks English, German, Macedonian, and Slovenian
… are interested in gardening, hands-on work, and love both teamwork and doing your own thing
… love to be creative and are passionate about making a positive change in society
… have patience and care about helping other people grow
… are an open-minded person, motivated to work in a team and with people from different religious, cultural and social backgrounds

The European Solidarity Corps is financing the voluntary service. The mission of the ESC is to bring people from different backgrounds together to form a society based on mutual acceptance, solidarity and cohesion.

Sounds like your dream project?

How to apply

Reach out to the sending organisation in your country via mail and apply with the documents requested by them.
Application Deadline is the: 20.10.2024
If you are pre-selected by the sending organisation, we will ask furthermore for a CV and…
A Motivation Letter answering the following questions:
- Why are you applying?
- What would you like to learn/develop?
- What kind of relevant experience do you already have?
- How will working on this position will help your future goals/plans and/or professional development?
- What are your biggest strengths and challenges?
If your application is successful, we will invite you for an interview.