Host an international workcamp

Why host an international workcamp in your community?

It was really a great experience for the community. All those involved were very enthusiastic about the experience. The group leaders were great people, totally open, responsible and harmonized perfectly with the group. So the cooperation worked wonderfully and it is a real shame that the two weeks went by in a flash.

Elisabeth Reis

Local host in Langenbrettach

In an international workcamp, 10 to 15 young adults are involved in a non-profit project for two to three weeks. For the volunteers, workcamps are an opportunity to get to know other cultures, volunteer abroad and make new friends.

As a project host, you can implement your work project inexpensively through a workcamp and at the same time enable intensive intercultural exchange with the local population: host young people from all over the world in your community for two to three weeks, meet different cultures and enrich everyday life for locals as well.

An international workcamp can also be a great incentive for local youth to get active and learn new things.

What are the conditions for local hosts?

We cooperate with independent organizations, city and municipal administrations, forest and nature conservation offices, youth and cultural centers or other associations or initiatives. A prerequisite for a project partnership is a work task that is meaningful and useful for the general public, participation in the financing of the project, and interest in international encounters on site.

Date and duration:

two to three weeks
free choice of dates from March to October
working hours: 30 hours of work per week

The group:

8 to 16 young adults aged 18 and older (21 years old on average)
5 to 15 different nationalities (maximum two participants from the same country per project)
the group is self-catering and organizes the leisure program independently

The local hosts provide:

the work project (incl. material and work instructions, as well as safety clothing if necessary)
simple accommodation (with sanitary facilities and cooking facilities)
cost sharing according to duration and group size (example: 2 weeks, 12 volunteers: 2,500 EUR)

We provide:

Organization of the participants (call for volunteers, processing registrations, help with visa questions, preparation of the volunteers)
training of 1 to 2 group leaders / instructors per camp
Cost of free time activities and meals
Liability, accident and health insurance for the group

What kind of work projects are suitable?

Basically, all non-profit tasks are suitable, as long as they can be implemented by motivated lay people with appropriate guidance. This includes, for example, projects in the following areas:

Environmental and nature protection: landscape maintenance or forest work, e.g. Planting, water purification, stream restoration, new construction and maintenance of hiking trails or educational trails

Construction and renovation: construction / repair of a children's playground, school yard redesign, renovation of youth facilities

(Cultural) historical projects: help with archaeological excavations, restoration of listed buildings, work in the area of memorials, open-air museums

Social and educational projects: participation in children's holiday games / children's play cities, support or leisure activities for people with disadvantages or for older people

Art and culture: Help with festivals, wall painting campaigns or exhibitions

Environmental Workcamps

Der Klimawandel und seine Auswirkungen sind ein globales Problem und eine Generationenaufgabe. Gerade hier kann ein internationales Workcamp viel leisten.

Die Arbeiten in einem Workcamp haben oft den Effekt, dass die Teilnehmenden für bestimmte Themen sensibilisiert werden. Ein Workcamp im Moor kann den Freiwilligen zum Beispiel lösungsorientiert aufzeigen, welche Möglichkeiten es gibt dem Klimawandel entgegenzuwirken und kann so aktiv Zukunftsängste und ein Ohnmachtsgefühl im Hinblick auf die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels abbauen.

Die internationalen Freiwilligen fungieren oft als Multiplikator*innen des neu erlangten Bewusstseins und geben dieses in vielfältiger Weise weiter.

Unter dem Motto „Lets take action für climate protection – Anpacken für Wälder und Moore“ wollen wir 2022 neben den bereits laufenden, teils langjährigen Projektpartnerschaften zusammen mit unseren Projektpartner*innen realen Wandel voranbringen. Wir freuen uns daher besonders über neue Kooperationspartner*innen im Bereich Wald/Moor, die ein internationales Workcamp mit uns durchführen wollen.

Mehr Infos zum Einsatz internationaler Freiwilliger in Natur- und Klimaschutz finden sich in unserer Broschüre "Naturschutzprojekte mit internationalen Workcamps umsetzen".

Dr. Harald Egidi

Leiter Nationalparkamt Hunsrück-Hochwald

Contact us now

Are you interested becoming a local host and inviting an international workcamp to your community? Do you have further questions about possible projects? Simply contact us by email at projekte@ibg-workcamps.org or by phone at 0711 - 649 02 63.

The contact person for the coordination of all workcamps in Germany is Clémentine Boiffier.

We would also be happy to come to you for a non-binding discussion to discuss cooperation opportunities and possible work assignments in more detail.