All positions with Turbina Pomerania in Germany (BFD & ESC) begin in September. After the first few weeks, there is a joint orientation seminar for everyone. You shouldn’t miss this seminar. For this reason, starting the volunteer program at a later date is only possible in very special, exceptional cases.

A voluntary service in one of Turbina Pomerania's hosting organisations in Germany usually lasts 12 months and begins in September. The end of the volunteering is in August.

The minimum age for spending a year with Turbina Pomerania 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 participate together in four seminars held at various locations in Vorpommern. This gives you a unique opportunity to get to know the region. In addition, there are several individual seminar days. Learn more about the seminars here.

International volunteers also participate in two additional seminars: the on-arrival seminar and the mid-term evaluation. These seminars do not take place in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but at training centers elsewhere in Germany. 

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.

International volunteers in the European Solidarity Corps receive 7,-€/day pocket money and 11,10€/day for meals: approximately 520€/month depending on whether the month has 28, 30 or 31 days. The amount is determined by the ESC Programme guide and the German National Agency.

The pocket money for BFD volunteers is determined by the hosting organisation and amounts to 200-350€/month.

You find the application forms here:

• Bundesfreiwilligendienst
• ESC in Germany (please scroll to the end of the page)
• ESC abroad

As a general rule, when it comes to applying for and organizing volunteer service, the earlier, the better! Positions are filled on an ongoing basis as soon as suitable applications are received by the host organizations.

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.

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.

As a participant in the European Solidarity Corps we or your hosting organisation will provide free accommodation for the time of the voluntary service.

Accommodation in Greifswald can be in one of two volunteers' flats. We have one flat for two people (located in "Max-Planck-Straße") and one flat for three people (located in "Koitenhäger Landstraße"). You will have a private room equipped with basic furniture and bedding. Bathroom, kitchen, a living room and balcony are shared with your flat mates. The flats have good equipment for cooking and internet access. It is your responsibility to clean the room and flat regularly, as well as treating the provided equipment carefully and acting environmentally responsibly.

You may have preferences living with one or two flat mates or only with women - We will ask you for these preferences before arrival and distribute the rooms accordingly.

Accommodation outside of Greifswald in the rural areas (Solawi Stralsund, Kloster Rambin, Haus Wildtierland, Gutshaus Ramin, Kunst & Natur Steinfurth) is organized directly at the hosting places. Your hosting organisation can provide detailed information.

Participants of BFD have to organize accommodation themselves.

Yes. Participants of the European Solidarity Corps receive a monthly Deutschlandticket, organized and paid for by Turbina Pomerania. You can use this ticket all over Germany in all public, regional transport. This means buses, metro etc. in cities (including Greifswald) and all regional trains (= RE). Luckily cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Rostock, Stralsund etc. are easily reachable on these REs. Any long-distance trains (IC, ICE, EC) cannot be used. An extra ticket must be bought for any personal travel plans during the volunteering time, and we cannot refund those.

Participants of BFD have to organize the Deutschlandticket themselves and ask their hosting organisation if it can be refunded.

Yes. Participating in the European Solidarity Corps, you will receive a onetime payment to cover your travel costs from your home country to Germany and back.

The travel refund is done in a lump-sum that depends on the distance between your home town and your hosting organisation:

You can determine the sum using this calculator: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/resources-and-tools/distance-calculator.

We highly recommend researching a green travel option. It is possible to stretch the travel for up to 6 days then (for which you also receive pocket and food money) and fund accommodation with the travel money, too. Some volunteers choose an Interrail ticket. You will receive the lump-sum independently of the ticket prices. If tickets are cheaper, you keep the rest (use it for accommodation on your trip or ice-cream), if they are more expensive, you have to cover the difference. The sum is for travelling to Germany and back, so it makes sense to book also the return ticket well in advance to safe costs.

You can research the best travel option and choose and book yourself.

Since February 2025 Interrail offers a special ticket for ESC participants valid for up to 6 months: https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/erasmus

As a participant of the European Solidarity Corps you perform tasks at the hosting organisation 5 days a week (usually monday - friday), 30-35 hours per week. The working hours can also be in the evenings and on weekends. Seminars and German language learning are working hours. You have the right to 2 days off in a week (usually weekend). If work days are on the weekend, the off days are given in another time during the week.

You also have the right to an additional two days off per month (vacation). The days can be accumulated to longer vacation periods. More vacation days can be agreed upon with the hosting organization. Vacation times must be agreed with the hosting organisation in advance and cannot be taken in the time of seminars

We do not offer positions in the BFD Incoming programme. These are positions in the Federal Volunteer Service for people who currently live abroad. To apply for BFD with us, you must already be living in Germany. Are you coming from abroad? If so, please check to see if you meet the criteria to apply to the ESC: here