What is weltwärts South-North?

To explain, first a brief look at weltwärts North-South. In recent years, the programme has developed strongly. Meanwhile, 180 organisations send a total of about 3,300 young adults from Germany to the South www.weltwaerts.de

From the beginning, there was criticism of this orientation, both from volunteers and from the implementing sending organisations. weltwärts was seen as a continuation of colonial structures and therefore a breakup of the "one-way street weltwärts" was demanded.

weltwärts South-North is the answer to these demands. Since 2013, the German government has also made it possible for young adults from the Global South to complete a development policy voluntary service in Germany.

Here are the facts: weltwärts is a development policy volunteer service programme. It is implemented by civil society organisations such as KURVE Wustrow with funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

You can find more information about the placements and the application procedure on the next pages.

weltwärts South-North

The reception of volunteers via weltwärts is organised by the Reverse-AG. This is a group of former KURVE volunteers who work on a voluntary basis. It is their concern to break up the one-sidedness of weltwärts. They work with our partner organisations in India, one of which is a sending organisation.

The Reverse-AG has worked out the application procedure and organised the placements in Germany.

The South-North volunteers come to Germany for one year. As with weltwärts North-South, they take part in accompanying seminars, which take place partly in their own country and partly in Germany. The Reverse-AG takes on many tasks, be it accompanying the first visits to the authorities, finding mentors or supporting the accompanying seminars.

  • We want to contribute to a more peaceful and just world and an understanding between cultures through the social, political and cultural engagement of volunteers and the encounter of people from different cultures;
  • We want to promote the development of a common and mutual learning process between the volunteers and the organisations involved, especially on the topic of sustainable development;
  • We want to contribute to the development of civil society engagement in the partner country through the experience gained by the volunteer;
  • We want to work towards reducing the educational privileges of the Global North and towards greater equality of opportunity.

Contact Person

nsimon [at] kurvewustrow [dot] org