Seminars
During more than 20 seminar days, all volunteers have the opportunity to benefit from the kulturweit educational programme.
All kulturweit volunteers benefit from a wide range of seminar programmes offered during their service time, during which the kulturweit trainers accompany the volunteer through the learning process and offer support. The goal of the pedagogical consultancy by kulturweit is to jointly develop an attitude that is open to the world and to learn the importance of communication within a globalised world.
During this pedagogical consultancy, the participants are made aware of forms of societal discrimination as well as the structural characteristics of racism. This includes discussing the balance of global power, a critical reflection of one’s own privileges, the personal role as a volunteer and the tasks involved, as well understanding of post-colonial perspectives and correlations.
The capability to ask questions and accept and appreciate differences will allow the volunteer to consciously experience the encounter with other people during their voluntary service year and beyond.
During its numerous workshops the preparatory seminar also conveys practical competences to implement during the voluntary service.
As an open-minded education programme, kulturweit is creating learning environments that do justice to the volunteer’s cultural imprints and realities of life. Participation is the focus during these kulturweit seminars. The volunteers actively participate with their reflection, exchange of thoughts, discussions and dialogue. The learning environments come to life with their perspectives and enquiries, while the trainers stand by with their support during it all.
During three seminars before, during and after the voluntary service the participants prepare for their upcoming experience and then reflect their impressions.
Preparatory seminar
The preparatory seminar rings in the voluntary service year either on the 1st of March or the 1st of September respectively. During the 10-day event all participants of the programme prepare themselves for their time as volunteers.
Volunteers at the preparatory seminar will
- get to know other volunteers who will start their kulturweit voluntary service with them
- meet the kulturweit team of the German Commission for UNESCO
- exchange their thoughts about sustainable development strategies, foreign cultural relations and educational policy, post-colonialism, transculturality, questions regarding culture and associated stereotypes and clichés
- reflect their role as a volunteer and the associated privileges, societal discrimination patterns and power structures such as racism, sexism and classicism
- learn about the meaning of the importance of fair reporting
- learn how to tackle challenges
- have space to make their anxieties and fears, hopes and expectations a subject of discussion
- contribute their questions and perspectives
- exchange information on historical and societal conditions in their host countries
- get in touch with representatives of their partner organisation and receive information about their tasks and assignment location
- get a glimpse of the diversity of pedagogical jobs
- receive information related to health and safety
-
get a taste of and try out some methods implemented in the project work.
The preparatory seminar takes place on Lake Werbellin not far from Berlin.
The participants are responsible to organise and pay for their own travel to the preparatory seminar. kulturweit provides room and board.
10-day preparatory seminar
at the beginning of the voluntary service
Intermediate seminar
About three months after starting the voluntary service, all kulturweit volunteers must visit a 5-day intermediate seminar in the region of their assignment.
They are released from their services at their assignment location for the time of the seminar. The seminar days count as workdays.
Volunteers at the intermediate seminar will
- again meet with other kulturweit volunteers from their assignment region
- reflect their first impressions and experiences from their assignment location
- plan projects for the remaining time
- exchange their experiences and possible problems with kulturweit trainers
-
take a look at their experience as a volunteer in new social contexts.
The participants are responsible to organise their own travel to the intermediate seminar. The costs for the travel to and from the seminar will be paid by kulturweit as long as the booking was economical and sustainable. kulturweit provides room and board.
The intermediate seminar is organised by kulturweit, partly in cooperation with other local partners, and is executed by kulturweit trainers.
5-day intermediate seminar in the assignment region after 3 months of voluntary service
Follow up seminar
Immediately following your return to Germany a 5-day follow up seminar will be held for all participants at Lake Werbellin.
Volunteers at the follow up seminar will
- reunite with their co-volunteers
- have the opportunity to exchange their experiences and adventures with other volunteers
- reflect on their experiences in a global context
- assess their voluntary service together with the kulturweit team
- present their voluntary service projects
- have the opportunity to discuss their plans for the future with the kulturweit trainers
- reflect their personal development and gained competence
- look ahead to their return to home
- talk about a way of presenting images from their country of assignment in Germany that is discrimination-sensitive
-
look ahead: now begins their time as kulturweit alumni during which they can make plans together with other alumni, the kulturweit team and trainers.
The follow up seminar, just as the preparatory seminar, takes place on Lake Werbellin not far from Berlin.
The participants are responsible to organise and pay for their own travel to the follow up seminar. kulturweit provides room and board.
5-day follow up seminar
at Lake Werbellin not far from Berlin