Work: Project Description:In 2011, Germany remembers the Berlin Wall, which was built 40 years (August, 13th) ago with a lot of different programs and places. Last year there was the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall (November, 9th), so the Chapel of Reconciliation plays more than usually an important and frequent role during this period. Every year at these dates you can find arrangements in Berlin, which return you to mind those incidents.The volunteers we are looking for will be touristic guides at the chapel, showing the visitors around and explaining the architecture, history and ecology of the building. The atmosphere inside the chapel is intimate and private. For this reason it is very important that the volunteers are aware of the significance of that historical site. Furthermore, they support the visitors if they need advice as well as administrate the guest book.Every noon there is a remembrance for one person killed at the Berlin wall. Every Sunday a service is held.On August 28th there will take place the community celebration of the parish, which is a nice event each year. The volunteers will help with the organisation and enjoy that day with the local people and the other volunteers that work at the chapel during a Building Week.Schedule:The volunteers will work five days per week with seven hours a day. They will have two days off per week. However, this does not necessarily mean during the weekends or on two consecutive days.There will be two international young people volunteering in the chapel at the same time. Their working schedule will be alternating during the days.Before the volunteers start working in the Chapel of Reconciliation in Berlin they will stay two weeks at Wehlen Rectory for a workcamp in order to get to know our association Open Houses. During summer time a lot of different workcamps and seminars will set the old house into an international atmosphere - please have a look in our camp description for OH-W01. The volunteers will participate the workcamp, to understand what Open Houses stands for and how the system works. Also the time in the camp will be used to prepare for the work in the chapel. They will not be left alone with this and will receive material about the Chapel of Reconciliation as well as active support by our staff. Furthermore, it is important for us to get to know and assess the volunteers and their individual motivation.After arriving in Berlin the two volunteers will get to know the chapel. The staff will introduce the volunteers to their tasks and assess their individual motivation.The last week of the volunteers' time in Germany will be free for the participants, which can be used for exploring Berlin and the country (on her / his own cost). You can also spend this leisure time in one of our houses free of cost. Location: Terminal Wehlen:Next railway station: Pirna (12 km)Next airports: Dresden (DRS, 30 km),Leipzig / Halle (LEJ, 160 km),Berlin (TXL / SXF, 240 km) Requirements: Note: Motivation letter, CV with a photo requiredPer month the Volunteers get €250 pocket money which includes also money for food. Accomodation and food: The Chapel of Reconciliation, an impressive neo gothic brick building, was built in Berlin in 1894. When the town was split into occupational zones in 1945 the parish got divided - the church itself was located in the Soviet sector while most of the parishioners lived in the neighbouring French sector. When the Berlin Wall was set up in 1961, it passed directly in front of the church. Consequently, the church was no longer accessible from either East or West Berlin and fell into disrepair.In 1985, the church was blown up by the government of the German Democratic Republic in order to "increase security, order and cleanliness at the state border of West Berlin" - as officially declared. The Berlin came down less than five years later and the destruction of the border facilities began in summer 1990. At this point of time, it was aimed to remove the traces of the German division as quickly as possible, which also applies for the grounds of the Church of Reconciliation, laying waste. The site was returned back into the hands of the community and it quickly got clear that the Reconciliation parish carries a large responsibility for the historical questions in Berlin. The parish decided to build a chapel on the foundations of the old church. It was contemplated, that this chapel should be a modern building, meeting the requirements of both the present and the future. It would be set up with simple means and protect preserved traces without reconstructing the old church. Furthermore, the parish intended to set ecological high standards, using resources sparingly.Finally, the chapel has been designed as two concentric oval buildings with offset axes. The outer oval, made of wooden slats, adapts to the alignment of the former Church of Reconciliation, whereas the inner oval of rammed-loam is directed towards the usual East-West axis.The rammed-earth body was set up in 1999. Thereby, moist clay was poured into a form-work in 30 centimetre thick layers and compacted to about eight centimetres. Open Houses volunteers from fourteen different East and West European countries supported the project with their man power and lots of idealistic enthusiasm. Their volunteering has symbolically shown the growing together of East and West after the European continent has been separated for too long.On November 9th 2000 the Chapel of Reconciliation was inaugurated. It is the first public clay building in Germany built since more than 150 years and at the same time the first German church made of rammed-earth.The place unites and combines innovative approaches to architecture, ecology, culture of remembrance and European communication. Open Houses is particularly concerned with shaping the Chapel of Reconciliation as a meeting place for young people from different nations.To meet the special requirements of this place, Open Houses is looking for persons who are highly motivated, open minded and willing to take responsibility for their own work inside this historically important place. They should be able to work independently and to cope with living in a big city like Berlin. Altough the parish is protestant the volunteers do not have to be religious or Christian. However, they should be tolerant and open minded.Accommodation:Furnished room in a shared flat, where mostly students and young people from Berlin are living in. The flat has an equipped kitchen and a bathroom, which must be shared. It is located relatively close to the chapel. For travelling to work and for leisure time the volunteers can borrow a bicycle.! the projects start and end in different places !
Work: The volunteers will work five days per week with seven hours a day. They will have two days off per week. However, this does not necessarily mean during the weekends or on two consecutive days. There will be two international young people volunteering in the chapel at the same time. Their working schedule will be alternating during the days.Before the volunteers start working in the Chapel of Reconciliation in Berlin they will stay two weeks at Parum Rectory for a workcamp in order to get to know our association Open Houses. During summer time a lot of different workcamps and seminars will set the old house into an international atmosphere - please have a look in our camp description for OH-B07. The volunteers will participate the workcamp, to understand what Open Houses stands for and how the system works. Also the time in the camp will be used to prepare for the work in the chapel. They will not be left alone with this and will receive material about the Chapel of Reconciliation as well as active support by our staff. Furthermore, it is important for us to get to know and assess the volunteers and their individual motivation. For this project we invite three applicants to the preliminary Workcamp but only two out of this three applicants will go to Berlin. For the one left over we can offer to participate in our Workcamps or Building Weeks.After arriving in Berlin the two volunteers will get to know the chapel. The staff will introduce the volunteers to their tasks and assess their individual motivation.There will one free week in October which can be used for exploring Berlin and the country (on her / his own cost). You can also spend this leisure time in one of our houses free of cost. Location: In 2011, Germany remembers the Berlin Wall, which was built 40 years (August, 13th) ago with a lot of different programs and places. Last year there was the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall (November, 9th), so the Chapel of Reconciliation plays more than usually an important and frequent role during this period. Every year at these dates you can find arrangements in Berlin, which return you to mind those incidents.The volunteers we are looking for will be touristic guides at the chapel, showing the visitors around and explaining the architecture, history and ecology of the building. The atmosphere inside the chapel is intimate and private. For this reason it is very important that the volunteers are aware of the significance of that historical site. Furthermore, they support the visitors if they need advice as well as administrate the guest book. Every noon there is a remembrance for one person killed at the Berlin wall. Every Sunday a service is held.On August 28th there will take place the community celebration of the parish, which is a nice event each year. The volunteers will help with the organisation and enjoy that day with the local people and the other volunteers that work at the chapel during a Building Week. Requirements: Language: Either English or German fluently, basics in German; other languages are welcome.Notes: Motivation letter, CV with a photo requiredNotes: The ending date of OH-M06 is not fixed. So if the volunteers have to go back home one or two weeks earlier for studies, this will be no problem. Please tell us your date of departure in advance.Please note: For this project we invite three applicants to the preliminary weeks at Parum Rectory. But only two out of this three applicants will go to Berlin. For the one left over we can offer to participate in our Workcamps or Building Weeks. Specials:No drugs, alcohol or cigarettes allowed during the working time. The volunteer works inside the chapel, which might get a bit cold during October / November. (For environmental sustainability reasons the chapel is not heated.) S/he can borrow a bicycle from us, which would increase their mobility to work and for leisure activities. Per month the Volunteers get €250 pocket money which includes also money for food. Accomodation and food: Furnished room in a shared flat, where mostly students and young people from Berlin are living in. The flat has an equipped kitchen and a bathroom, which must be shared. It is located relatively close to the chapel. For travelling to work and for leisure time the volunteers can borrow a bicycle.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
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