An inclusive international volunteer programme

In 2017, WeltWegWeiser launched the pilot programme together with two Austrian deployment organizations, “Grenzenlos” and “Internationale Freiwilligeneinsatze” specializing in matching volunteers from Austria with NGOs in developing countries. WeltWegWeiser does not offer its own volunteer assignments, but rather acts as an independent service point for people with disabilities interested in volunteering abroad. The organization advises interested people on suitable volunteer jobs based on their individual skills and personal interests – with respect to their disabilities. A voluntary service takes 3 to 12 months. Tasks include teaching, working with the elderly, administration, peer-to-peer-training and building websites, among others.

To help solve organizational barriers, WeltWegWeiser provides financial support in two ways. First, it provides a financial contribution of €70 month to the volunteers to cover costs associated with their foreign assignment. Second, the deployment organizations receive financing to help them become more accessible, such as the production of easy read materials and websites, workplace adaption, or to cover the additional costs for health care insurance. Those measures are decided on the individual needs of the volunteers.