International Volunteer Programme – PR and Projects
About Democracy International
Democracy International believes in the power of direct democracy and citizen participation to better our lives and the societies in which we live. Together we can bring about change. Our aim is to strengthen direct democracy and citizen participation at all political levels in the nation states, in the EU and on the global level. Supporting democracy activists from all over the world, organising knowledge-sharing events and campaigning at the EU and UN for more citizen participation - these are Democracy International's core activities.
More info at: https://www.democracy-international.org
The weltwärts volunteering programme is a joint operation between the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the service for developmental initiatives Engagement Global and civil society. If you require more information on the weltwärts volunteering programme, please visit the programme webpage at https://www.weltwaerts.de/en/volunteers.html.
Tasks & Responsibilities during the Volunteering Programme
The tasks in the PR ad Projects position include but are not limited to the following:
- Supporting the daily communications work of Democracy International including content creation for our social media channels, fitting the content for different social media channels, video editing, the newsletter or press releases, and researching and communicating about international developments around direct and participatory democracy.
- Coordinating our platform International Democracy Community, a “LinkedIn” for those active on democracy and citizen participation. Mapping and contacting activists working on issues of direct democracy and participation around the world. Managing the platform’s backend, e.g. supporting democracy activists in creating their profile. Sending out regular newsletters, collecting and editing journalistic inputs for the platform from activists. Organising webinars on topics related to democracy activism everywhere.
- Team assistance: A smaller part of your work will go towards supporting Democracy International’s European, international and local project or general work wherever help is needed. This includes:
- Project implementation & assistance: Assisting in the implementation of projects focused on citizen participation and democracy processes by supporting daily operations, coordinating activities with project partners, and ensuring alignment on deadlines and deliverables across all stakeholders.
- Partner coordination: Help manage and maintain relationships with project partners, ensuring smooth and effective collaboration. This includes regular communication with partners to address project needs and foster long-term relationships.
- Continuous evaluation & reporting: Support the ongoing evaluation of project performance by assisting in the monitoring progress and compiling data. Help prepare and submit accurate reports to the EU and other bodies, ensuring compliance with project guidelines and standards.
- You will provide general assistance to the team. This includes preparing documents, coordinating meetings, contributing to administrative tasks and other ongoing projects.
- Every volunteer has to attend a workshop series of at least 25 days during their stay in Germany. Approx. 12 seminar days will be allotted to an introductory, intermediate and evaluation seminar with us and our partners where you will also meet other volunteers in Germany. Added to this is a German language course at the beginning of your stay, a 5-day compulsory political seminar organised by the Federal Volunteering Service, i.e. the federal umbrella of volunteering services in Germany.
- To support your language acquisition of German, you are entitled to a leave of absence of 2 hours per week to take up further voluntary local activities in Cologne.
Duration: 12 months starting in March 2025
Allowances:
Each volunteer will receive 500€ to cover food and personal expenses. All other costs – accommodation, flights, insurance etc. – will be covered directly via Democracy International.
In addition, you will receive a monthly pass for public transport valid all across Germany.
Accommodation: Your accommodation will be in a shared household with another volunteer from South Africa and two European Solidarity Corps volunteers, who will arrive and leave around the same time. Two apartments with two or three rooms, a shared kitchen and bathroom per apartment are provided. Each volunteer will have a private bedroom.
How to Apply
The closing deadline for applications is on the 09th October 2025 at 11:59 SAST.
Your application should comprise of:
- A full CV, including educational and professional qualifications, a full employment history showing the more significant positions, responsibilities held, and relevant achievements
- A cover note of not more than one page outlining your motivation for applying for the role.
Short listed candidates will be contacted 2 weeks after the closing date to schedule interviews.
We appreciate and consider each application submitted. However, given the large volume of applications received, we find it impossible to respond to each applicant immediately. You will hear from us within three weeks only if you’re shortlisted for the next steps. We will update all applicants once the position has been filled.