The Senior Experts Austria sending program brings together volunteers with professional experience with non-profit organizations and educational institutions in the Global South
Vienna (OTS) – “Thank you for making your expertise available and volunteering in countries in the Global South for our ONE world.”directed Reinhard Heiserer, Managing Director of Jugend Eine Welton the occasion of “Volunteer Day” (December 5th), a big thank you to all senior experts who were, are currently or will be working for the Austrian development organization. “They all contribute to making it possible to transfer know-how across borders, to learn from one another, to share knowledge and experiences – in other words, to look outside the box.”
50 volunteers in 15 countries
As part of the Senior Experts Austria program, Jugend Eine Welt has sent over 50 volunteers with professional experience (aged 35 and over) to 15 countries in the Global South over the past six years. “The locations are primarily in our project countries from South America to Africa to Asia,” explains Heiserer. What is needed are people with experience in, among other things, technology, marketing, agriculture, pedagogy, but also bakers or psychotherapists who want to use their expertise and social skills for a period of several months to a year to serve a good cause free of charge or in specific projects through partnerships Cooperation can make a contribution so that concrete solutions to problems can be developed or living conditions can be improved. The mission is clear: the carefully selected project partners, with whom Jugend Eine Welt has been cooperating for many years, should be supported in their work on site by the senior experts and benefit from their experience. “Collaboration always happens on an equal footing. Contemporary volunteer work is not a north-south patronisation, but rather a joint commitment to solving organizational, educational and economic challenges.”
, emphasizes the native Tyrolean, who before founding Jugend Eine Welt worked as a volunteer in Nigeria for a summer and later as a “development worker” for 4.5 years with former street children in a social and vocational training center in Ecuador.
Special impressions and positive experiences
Henriette and Hubert Sagmeister are currently on assignment in India. The couple from Vienna uses their experience to support the Don Bosco Global Education program at Jugend Eine Welt project partners in Kerala. “Our task is to introduce German students to German and Austrian culture and to point out the most important cultural differences between India and Central Europe. These include, for example, linguistic peculiarities, food, family coexistence, health system, leisure behavior, music, art, etc.”told Henriette Sagmeisterwho worked in human resources and organizational development before retiring.
Together with her husband Hubert (veterinarian and microbiologist), she was carefully prepared for her mission by Jugend Eine Welt before she was sent to India. There were no adjustment difficulties on site, but there were many special impressions and positive experiences. “It is remarkable to observe how much enthusiasm, discipline and thirst for knowledge the young people have to learn here. You can reach the B2 language level in eight months without any prior knowledge of German. This is a great achievement. What is particularly nice is the great friendliness, openness and warmth that the students show us. This is a great gift that we will take home with us after our deployment and that we will always remember.”
, so Hubert Sagmeister.
Thanks to the sponsors
“We bring supply and demand together”Heiserer explains the idea behind Jugend Eine Welt’s Senior Experts program. “My thanks go not only to our senior experts, but also to the funding bodies for this important program. Without them, such international assignments, which often include “train-the-trainer” workshops (e.g. teacher training in India or solar technician training in Uganda), would not be possible. If you are also interested in supporting our Senior Experts program or are interested in working as a Senior Expert, please contact us.”said Heiserer. “We are always happy to welcome qualified and experienced candidates. They are then important bridge builders and networkers in an increasingly globalized ONE world.” On “Volunteer Day” you should be in the spotlight as an example for many volunteers around the world!
Infos: www.jugendeinewelt.at/seniorexpertsaustria
Contact: einsatz@jugendeinewelt.at | +43 1 879 07 07
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Questions & Contact:
Mag. Thomas Zach, MA
Youth One World | Press and public relations
Tel. +43 664 886 325 74 | thomas.zach@jugendeinewelt.at