ESC: Volunteering in a residential group for young queer persons

The ijgd is a non-profit organization for international youth work and is active in the field of international youth exchange and political education. The ijgd was founded after the second world war 1949 as an independent organization, by a group of young teachers and students, political and ecological sector on the national level as well as within the European Solidarity to contribute to the continuing peace.

The ijgd is a member of the DPW - Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband, the IJAP - international youth exchange and “Besucherdienst” of the republic of Germany and of the AdB. Also ijgd is an active member of the “Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations”.

The main goals ijgd approaches are to strengthen young people's awareness for social affairs and social responsibilities and to pursue intercultural and international learning. Further, the organization wants to contribute to the reduction of prejudices and presumptions between people of different nations, social relations, religions and political opinions. Topics ijgd is most active in, apart from international volunteering and intercultural learning, are teenage education, gender equality, sustainable development and social inclusion.

The ijgd organizes international workcamps, youth exchange programmes and voluntary services in Europe and overseas and is one of the oldest organizations, carrying out international workcamps in Germany. Besides workcamps ijgd organizes long term voluntary services in the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) where ijgd operates as a coordinating as well as a supporting and hosting organization.

While ijgd plans, operates and supports all projects, the organization also focuses on preparation/post-processing as well as trainings and seminars for volunteers and youth leaders. The youth leaders, trainers and volunteers are thoroughly prepared and trained by ijgd throughout the year. The trainings and experiences as a leader can also be accepted as an internship for pedagogical studies.