Open Door International
Open Door International eV (ODI) is a German association based in Cologne , which has been organizing intercultural encounters since 1983 and is recognized as a non-profit organization.
Nationwide, around 350 volunteers and over 200 association members support the work of ODI. The focus of the association is on student exchange programs for young people from and to Germany as well as on volunteer work for young adults. Furthermore, ODI is recognized as a sending organization for the European Solidarity Corps (ESK) and the development volunteer service weltwärts .
history
ODI was founded in 1983 under the name Nacel Open Door eV as an independent and independent partner of Nacel Open Door USA. The first chairwoman and founding member was Joyce Ann-Scheuch (born Dickinson), wife of the Cologne sociologist Erwin Scheuch . Since 1988 ODI has been recognized as a non-profit association and later also as a carrier of free youth welfare through the special promotion of international understanding and youth welfare. In 2008 the association was renamed Open Door International eV. In 2018 Open Door International eV celebrated its 35th anniversary.
activity
Open Door International eV promotes international understanding and intercultural education with exchange programs . Particular emphasis is placed on intensive preparation, accompaniment and follow-up to the exchange experience. The association promotes social commitment and for this reason awards several full and partial scholarships for young people every year. In addition, ODI is a member of the working group of non-profit exchange organizations (AJA) and is guided by the quality criteria in youth exchanges. The association has been a signatory of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative since 2014 . Open Door International eV has also been certified by Quifd (Quality in Voluntary Services) since 2018.
Cooperation partner
Cooperation partners include a. the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US Embassy, the German Bundestag and the Kreuzberg Children's Foundation. ODI is a member of the working group for non-profit youth exchanges (AJA). The aim of this umbrella organization is to guarantee and improve proven quality standards for international youth exchange programs through the exchange of experiences and close cooperation between the seven member organizations.
Programs
Open Door International eV organizes stays abroad in various programs worldwide:
- School attendance abroad and accommodation with a host family in: Argentina , Australia , Chile , Costa Rica , France , Great Britain , Ireland , Italy , Canada , New Zealand , Spain , South Africa and the USA
- Individual volunteer programs for a period of three to twelve weeks in over 30 projects worldwide.
- ODI has been accredited as a sending organization for the European Solidarity Corps (ESK) since 2013 and enables young Europeans to participate in non-profit projects in other European countries for a period of between six and twelve months.
- ODI is also the sending organization for the development volunteer service weltwärts, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). ODI offers young people the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of work areas in the program countries Ecuador , South Africa and Tanzania .
At the same time, the association looks after foreign schoolchildren in Germany, among other things as a hosting organization within the framework of the Parliamentary Sponsorship Program (PPP) on behalf of the German Bundestag.