ICJA volunteer exchange worldwide
ICJA Volunteer Exchange Worldwide is a non-profit organization that runs a worldwide exchange program for volunteers ( International Voluntary Service ). The volunteers live for half a year or a full year in a host country of their choice and support a local project there on a voluntary basis. International volunteers come to Germany every year, who live and work there and are looked after by the ICJA.
The aim of the work of the ICJA is expressed in its mission statement: "ICJA volunteer exchange worldwide provides practical peace work through international encounters and intercultural education and promotes socio-political engagement."
history
The ICJA (then: International Christian Youth Exchange) was founded in 1949 by the North American pastor John Eberly . As a bilateral peace operation between Germany and the United States of America, it was intended to contribute to reconciliation between peoples after the Second World War.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the German-American school exchange turned into a global youth exchange with partner committees in around 30 countries on all five continents. The country committees are united in the international network ICYE ( International Cultural Youth Exchange ). The north-south exchange, the voluntary service in charitable projects, intercultural education, development policy and social justice became the main topics.
The 1990s and 2000s were characterized by the expansion and diversification of the range of programs ( other service abroad , European voluntary service , international voluntary services for all phases of life , Weltwärts ). The international Christian youth exchange has been called ICJA Volunteer Exchange Worldwide since 2002
structure
A large part of the association's work is done by volunteers. These are organized across Germany in regional groups that take care of the international volunteers on site. The seminars for the preparation and follow-up of the volunteers who are going or were abroad may include a. prepared and carried out by volunteers. The association is organized democratically and is led by a four-person, honorary board.
The work of the ICJA is coordinated nationwide by the office in Berlin with around 40 full-time employees.
Publications
As an association, ICJA Volunteer Exchange worldwide publishes magazines, brochures and books under educational and historical aspects. The publications deal with general socially relevant issues as well as association political issues. They are created in cooperation with the association and various co-authors. Regular publications include, for example, eyewitness reports, in which former volunteers report on their lives and experiences during their stays abroad. A currently important topic is dealt with in publications such as “Spende gut, alles gut?” And prepared for teaching using didactic material in the form of method manuals.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Homepage of the page "Voluntary Service of All Generations" [1]
- ^ ICJA - publications and downloads. Retrieved January 17, 2018 .