Förderverein Ökologische Freiwilligendienste (FÖF) e. V.

The Förderverein Ökologische Freiwilligendienste e.V. is the umbrella organization for more than 50 providers of the Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) in Germany. As the central office for the Ecological Federal Volunteer Service (ÖBFD), we play a central role in promoting and coordinating ecological volunteer services.

• Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ): We offer around 3,300 places in the FÖJ, provided by various organizations across Germany. These placements include nature conservation associations, environmental education institutions, school farms, animal care stations, and nature park centers[3][4].
• Ecological Federal Volunteer Service (ÖBFD): Additionally, we enable another 600 places for the ÖBFD, which also focuses on ecological engagement and education[3].

Our main mission is to empower young people between the ages of 16 and 27 for ecological and socio-political engagement and to impart important skills in the sense of "Education for Sustainable Development" (BNE). We promote political education and the active democratic participation of volunteers through a unique speaker system that extends to the federal level[5].

• Environmental and nature conservation: We are committed to the preservation, expansion, and quality assurance of ecological volunteer services. The placements offer participants diverse and varied fields of activity in practical environmental and nature conservation[4].
• Education and independence: Through individual coaching and practical seminars, we enable participants to develop and competently implement their own ideas. We promote independence and the testing of new skills among young people[5].
• Inclusion and diversity: We place special emphasis on ensuring that minors and young people with limitations and disabilities also have the opportunity to work at the placements. This contributes to diversity and inclusion within the program[4].
• Regional strengthening: Our placements form a nationwide network that also includes remote rural areas, thereby making an important contribution to strengthening structurally weak regions[3].

The Förderverein Ökologische Freiwilligendienste e.V. is a central actor in the field of ecological volunteer services in Germany. Through our work, we not only promote environmental and nature conservation but also the personal and professional development of young people. Our mission is to strengthen a sustainable and democratic society by empowering young people for active engagement and responsible action.

• 1 - https://foej.de/einsatzstellen/
• 2 - https://foej.net/ehemalige/was-machen-ehemalige/
• 3 - https://foej.de
• 4 - https://www.foej-bw.de/einsatzstellen-bewerbung
• 5 - https://foej.de/foej-2/