Frequently Asked Questions
All volunteers start their placement with Turbina Pomerania on September 6th 2023. After a few weeks, you will attend an orientational seminar together with all the other volunteers in the region. You shouldn't miss it! A later start of the volunteering programme is therefore possible only in very limited, exceptional cases.
A voluntary service in one of Turbina Pomerania's hosting organisations lasts 12 months and begins in September.
The minimum age for the German Federal Voluntary Service (Bundesfreiwilligendienst) is 16 years. For the European Voluntary Service the minimum age is 18 years.
For participation in the European Solidarity Corps the maximum age is 30 years. For participation in the German Federal Voluntary Service (Bundesfreiwilligendienst) there is no age limitation.
All volunteers take part in 4 seminars, which take place at different locations in Western Pomerania. This way you also get to know the region in a very special way. In addition, four individual seminar days will take place.
International volunteers in the European Solidarity Corps also take part in two other seminars: the on-arrival seminar and the mid-term evaluation. These seminars do not take place in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but at educational centres somewhere in Germany. In each case, together with other, international volunteers.
All seminars are mandatory. It is not possible to take holiday during the seminar times. In case of illness, we need a doctor's certificate of incapacity.
Seminardays 2023/2024
- Welcome day on Tuesday, 12 September in Greifswald
- Kick-off seminar: 25.09. - 29.09.23 at Ramin Manor House
Individual seminar day I: 20.11.23, place we decide together
Seminar in Barth (all in BFD under 27 years, NOT ESC): 27.11. - 01.12.23 (will not be hosted by Turbina)
Single seminar day II : 05.12.23
Seminar I film workshop: 30.1. - 1.2.24 , location to be decided
Seminar II film workshop: 19. - 22.03.24 , place to be decided
Individual seminar day III: 7.5.24, place to be decided together
Individual seminar day IV: 12.6. 24, place to be decided together
Final seminar: 02.07. - 05.07.24 in the manor house Glashagen
For all ESC volunteers there are two additional seminars (organized by the German National Agency):
- on arrival training: 23.-29.10.2023 in Hamburg
- midterm evaluation: 05.-09.02.2024 in Hamburg or 17.-21.02.2024 in Bremen
Seminar dates 2021/22:
- Kick-Off: 27.09.-02.10.2021
- U27 Seminar BFD: 22.-26.11.2021
- Reflexion Seminar for all: 21.-25.02.2022
- U27 Seminar Barth: 14.-18.03.2022
- Final Seminar for all: 14.-17.06.2022
International volunteers in the European Solidarity Corps receive 6€/day pocket money and 9,60€/day for meals.
The pocket money for BFD volunteers is determined by the hosting organisation and amounts to 180-450€/month.
All vacancies can be found on the page our hosting organisation. Applications can be sent directly to the hosting organisations and to applications[at]turbina-pomerania[dot]org.
The general rule for the application and organisation of your voluntary service is: the sooner, the better! Positions are filled on an ongoing basis as soon as a suitable candidate has applied.
Agreements for the Federal Volunteer Service (Bundesfreiwilligendienst) must be ready by July at the latest in order to be able to start the voluntary service in September. The paperwork process takes several weeks and should therefore be started no later than May.
International volunteers who need a visa for entry should apply at least one year in advance, as there can be very long waiting times at the respective embassies.