Mentoring for international federal volunteers

VISIONEERS places young volunteers from Latin America in workplaces in and around Berlin. Within the framework of weltwärts, they complete a federal voluntary service in Germany and work for up to 18 months in daycare centers, nursing homes or seminar accommodations. VISIONEERS also takes care of the accommodation, the volunteer seminars and a good arrival of the young adults in Germany

Your Tasks

Many things in Germany are unfamiliar to the federal volunteers from Latin America, which is why they need a contact person to help them with uncertainties and everyday problems. This includes, for example, making doctor's appointments, setting up a cell phone contract or buying the right BVG ticket. But there is also a need for support with translating and German texts. It is also important for them to be able to talk to someone outside their placement about their work and any problems they may have there. Especially in the first two months, they need a lot of support.

Once a month, the mentor and mentee meet for two hours to exchange ideas, and more often if necessary, e.g., by phone or WhatsApp.

The volunteers arrive in Germany at different times and usually stay for a year.

What's needed

You should have the following qualifications to become a mentor:

-professional and/or life experience
-familiarity with "unwritten" laws and "rules of the game" in public life and a desire to educate and inform about them
-personal willingness to learn as well as a willingness to provide feedback
-Time and energy - the mentor agrees to be available at least once a month for one year
- good to very good knowledge of written and spoken German, basic knowledge of English and/or Spanish
- every two months update e-mail to VISIONEERS about the current status of the mentoring

Time required

You should dedicate at least 2 hours per week to the mentoring. The first 3 months are usually the most time-consuming.

The VISIONEERS e.V. was founded in April 2015 and is an independent association that supports socially disadvantaged and delinquent young people in Berlin and in developing countries. Since mid 2015, the association has been committed to helping disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, especially unaccompanied minors. As a result, VISIONEERS has increasingly developed offers such as sports, German lessons and tutoring, youth work, sewing and much more for integration and has realised cooperations with refugee accommodations, companies, churches and other organisations. Their programme is aimed at at-risk and delinquent young people and adolescents from difficult life situations.