Experiment in International Living

Experiment eV, established in Bonn organized intercultural encounters in more than 70 different countries.

The association is the German branch of the worldwide exchange organization "The Experiment in International Living". Experiment eV was founded in 1952 and has been recognized as charitable. The association has nearly 1,000 members nationwide and over 600 volunteers (as of December 2012). In the office in Bonn 25 full-time employees.

History

The American Donald B. Watt founded 1932, the exchange organization The Experiment in International Living. His motivation was to organize intercultural encounters in families.

First German partner of Donald B. Watt was Alfons Schunter from Saulgau, on behalf of the German Academic Exchange Service in addition to these tasks supervised a German - English exchange student in Southern Germany at that time. By 1936 there were in the cooperation between Germany and America visits in one direction only, namely for participants from the U.S. to Germany. The first German group traveled in 1936 under the direction of Alfonso Schunter in the United States. During the Second World War exchange activities were impossible in Germany. In 1948 Donald B. Watt first groups from the USA to Germany. Since 1952, the club is a member of the International Federation "The Experiment in International Living". In 2012, celebrated "The Experiment in International Living" his eighty year anniversary.

Purpose of the Association

Association's purpose, according to paragraph 2 of the Articles of Association is:

Structure

The Executive Board, consisting of seven members, is responsible for the affairs of the association and represents it to the outside. Important Duties of the Board include the preparation of the annual financial planning, compliance and control, the supervision of the office and the development of guidelines for program design. The Advisory Board acts as permanent members with representation in all major matters of the association. Its mission is to support the Executive Board in its decisions on key matters of the association advice. In order to fulfill its statutory duties, he has comprehensive access to documents and the right of petition.

Awards

The Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance recorded 2011, the " culture of discovery " Scholarship, which largely financed the club from its own resources, as "particularly exemplary" from. The scholarship is aimed at students of primary, junior high and special schools, as they are under-represented in cultural exchange programs.

The voluntary services offered by the club are certified (Quality in Voluntary Service) with the Quifd seal of approval.

Partners

Cooperation partners are, inter alia, Federal Foreign Office, Embassy of the United States, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development ( BMZ), the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth ( BMFSFJ), German Academic Exchange Service, German Bundestag, Fulbright Commission, the Goethe -Institut, Kreuzberg Children's Foundation, Ministry of Education, Mercator Foundation and the ZEIT-Stiftung.

The club is a founding member of the Working Group profit youth exchange organizations ( AJA). The AJA 's goal is to uphold the six -profit member organizations in decades of work, proven quality standards for international youth exchange programs through close cooperation and mutual exchange of experience and continue to improve.

Programs

The club offers placement for people of all cultures, religions and ages. At the same time organized Experiment eV also host family stays in Germany.

The various programs for a stay abroad (4 weeks to 12 months) are:

  • Demi Pair: half-day school, half day child care in a family in Australia, China, Ecuador, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand
  • Voluntary Service: Experiment eV is sending weltwärts, the International Youth Voluntary Service ( IJFD ) and the European Voluntary Service (EVS). There are also individual voluntary services in 24 countries ( 4 weeks to one year)
  • Internship worldwide: Internship, eg in the fields of education, social affairs, environment, economy in one of 14 countries ( 1-6 months)
  • Schooling abroad: school visits in 22 countries, the accommodation is in a host family (3 months to a year )
  • Also: host family stays, group programs, "Cultural Explorers " scholarship, Ranchstay / Farmstay, Courses and Summer Camps

The club offers programs in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Benin, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Ghana, Great Britain, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Canada, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Russia, Zambia, Sweden, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, United States

The following programs cared for the club in Germany:

  • African German teachers: two-week stay with a host family in the summer
  • Family residence for foreign students (FAS ): a two-week stay in a host family over Christmas, Easter and during the summer holidays
  • Road Scholar: Cultural Tourism for Americans aged 55 and over
  • School Visit in Germany: Students stay for a half or a whole year with a host family and go to school in Germany. Experiment eV is recipient organization of the Parliamentary sponsorship program.
  • More short-term and group programs (eg, a Summer School for Renewable Energies )

Others

The Association administers a scholarship fund for financially needy participants. In addition, the club organizes scholarship programs for its partners, for example weltwärts, International Youth Voluntary Service, European Voluntary Service or the Parliamentary Youth Exchange program.

Ambassadors of the United States
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