VOLUNTARY SERVICE IN LEIPZIG
As part of the “European Solidarity Corps” program of the European Union, FAIRbund coordinates project placements for European volunteers in Leipzig.
The volunteers from European countries or from partner countries usually work 30 to a maximum of 38 hours a week in social, cultural or ecological areas and are given the opportunity to realize their own small projects. They are supported by the employees at the locations and by the EU project office as the coordinating body.
In the European Week - mostly on May 9, the volunteers organize a large event in Leipzig to show additional opportunities in Europe and to exchange ideas with people from Leipzig.
We support our volunteers in completing a German course according to their respective language level. The young people are housed in shared apartments. This ensures that each volunteer has their own room. The kitchen and bathroom are shared. The volunteers do not pay rent and receive money for meals, travel expenses and pocket money.
Coordinated by FAIRbund employment places in Leipzig.
CONTACT
EU-Projects
Rückertstrasse 10, 04157 Leipzig
Tel .: 0341 - 2 316 122
Fax: 0341 - 2 316 120
euprojekte@fairbund-leipzig.de
Dörte Dietrich (team leader)
Mobile: 0177 - 4 123 172
doerte-dietrich@fairbund-leipzig.de
Andrea Proniewicz
andrea-proniewicz@fairbund-leipzig.de
Iryna Svistunova
iryna-svistunova@fairbund-leipzig.de
Silvia Verdu (European volunteers)
silvia-verdu@fairbund-leipzig.de
Silvia from Spain has been doing her voluntary service in Leipzig since September 2023 and reports about it:
"I am very, very grateful for this experience and can recommend everyone to become an ESC volunteer. You will not regret it! 😊. "
Hello there! ¡Hola, hola!
I am Silvia Verdú, 22 years old and I come from Madrid, Spain.
My voluntary service lasts one year, from October 2023 to September 2024 and takes place in the EU project office of FAIRbund e.V. This team consists of Dörte, Andrea and Iryna and I feel very comfortable. They are not only super nice, but also extremely helpful - just like all the other FAIRbund employees.
Because the FAIRbund acts as a sending and hosting organization, this year gives me important insights into European projects and the entire work process behind them. My tasks are very diverse: sending emails and letters, translating texts, office administration, PR activities, social media management and supporting the other volunteers. I really like administrative work, so I'm particularly excited about this project.
By the way, during our volunteer year we have the opportunity to implement our own projects. Because I love Leipzig, enjoy spending time with other volunteers and creating videos, I decided to combine everything. I am currently producing a YouTube series called “ESCploring Leipzig 2024”. Feel free to take a look! : (https://www.youtube.com/@FAIRbunde.V)
Leipzig is a charming city. I fell in love with it and find it fascinating that it has a rich coffee culture and many cozy cafes. Interesting fact: Leipzig cafes have played a role in inspiring some of the greatest literary works in history. Johann Sebastian Bach composed parts of his famous coffee cantata because of Leipzig's lively coffee scene.
I am very, very grateful for this experience and can recommend everyone to become an ESC volunteer. You will not regret it! 😊
Alexis from France completed his voluntary service with FAIRbund's EU exchange projects in 2022. In the office he mostly worked on communication and supported the European projects carried out by FAIRbund. He also helped other volunteers so that they could have a nice, carefree time in Leipzig.
"There is no better way to discover a country so vividly and authentically than with an ESC volunteer service. "
Madalina from Romania completed her voluntary service in Leipzig until October 2020 and reports about it:
"I advise young people not to miss the opportunity to do an ESC volunteer service abroad. If you choose a project that suits you, you will have such a great year! I'm experiencing that now. "
Hi! I am Mădălina, I am 22 years old and I come from a small town that was built by German settlers in Transylvania, Romania.
I have been in Leipzig for more than 5 months now and I have the feeling that time has passed so quickly. Although some people say Leipzig isn't a big city, I think it's big enough to find everything you need. There are many parks, cafes, shops, flea markets, concerts, cultural events and more, so there is always something to do. The districts of Leipzig are each unique, there is the inner city, which is the hotspot for tourists, family districts like Gohlis, where the office is located, and also alternative, hip districts like Connewitz or Plagwitz, where the canals are located.
This is my first time living abroad and although I thought it could be a little scary and lonely, I was glad to see that it wasn't. The other volunteers, especially my roommates, as well as my host organization have made the transition to a new country and a new lifestyle so much easier and that I feel that this is my second home. I'm glad I met so many nice people and that we get along so well. I still have some problems with the German language, but everyone is patient and understanding, and I feel like I've improved so much since I arrived here.
As for my work as a volunteer, I work at FAIRbund eV in the EU projects office, with Dörte, who is our team leader, and Iryna and Francesca, who are both former volunteers. Francesca, last year's volunteer, represents Andrea (also a former volunteer) because she is on the sabbatical. The organization functions both as a sending organization and as a host organization and here I learn so much about European projects and all the work behind a project.
The working day is 6 hours and I usually start work at 9:00 a.m. and have a 30 minute lunch break. I like that my tasks are not the same every day and include the following: sending emails and letters, working with some project-related online tools, translating certain texts from German into English or vice versa, doing some administrative office work , PR activities, social media publishing, meeting help and general team support for ongoing projects. When new volunteers arrive, I sometimes help them register in the library or take them around town a little.
I advise young people not to miss the opportunity to do an ESC volunteer service abroad. If you choose a project that suits you, you will have such a great year! I'm experiencing that now!