Short Term Volunteer Projects in Germany

The Center is located in the city center, basically, which makes it really easy to get there - either by train or by foot. All the people at the Excellence Center, both the volunteers and the staff/teachers, are very friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere is very nice and you get used to the place really fast. The relationship between teacher and student (both you and your student/students and you and your German/Arabic teacher) are great.
The students are very ambitious too. you get to know them pretty fast which makes it easier for you to prepare your stuff based on that. It’s about being creative yourself!

Regarding the city: Halle is a very beautiful and historical city with so much history and has a lot of interesting and high decorated buildings. Besides, it has many beautiful and huge parks which I will recommend you to experience yourself.

This experience is probably one of the best and memorable things that I’ve ever experienced in life!

I had a wonderful time in Halle! As a tutor/educator in France who considers becoming a full-time language teacher, my experience at the EC has brought me more confidence in teaching English, which is not my mother tongue even though I have achieved complete fluency. I have gained skills in getting students to speak a language they do not master yet, and sometimes are afraid to speak. Making sure that they're not paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes, valuing what they already know, while gently helping them improve their grammar and vocabulary, was a rewarding job. It was great talking with migrants, about their sometimes difficult life stories, but seeing that many of them thrive in Germany, thanks to the help provided by the center. As for my experience with learning German, which I had not studied in 12 years, my teacher at the center has brought me the confidence and motivation to dive back in it. Muaz, a young man from Syria, is a fantastic teacher: he will not harass you with grammar and make you realize that you can communicate in German, albeit with a few mistakes. My two weeks at the center were like a kickstarter for learning this challenging language again. I'll conclude by saying that Halle is a very cute city, human-sized, with some lovely architecture and a pedestrian-friendly center. And since many local people do not speak English, you can expect to practice German there!

With all honesty, and yet genuinely speaking, this experience was the best action I have ever done throughout my life, from my personal perspective, anyone who has that eager of being a better human being, indeed this wouldn't be achieved if you don't propose help to the less fortunate humankind ! Teaching English in the Excellence center to the Syrien refugees was the best option to me to broaden my horizons more about other people's culture, besides this helps me to evaluate my potentialities, hence by the constructive criticism I feel at the end of this fruitful experience ,I have utterly changed to the better !

The Excellence Center was an amazing place for me personally and I had some of the best weeks in my life there. At first, I was nervous and afraid that I was too young to do anything there however as soon as I arrived I realized that all my previous assumptions and worries were false and I fit in very well with all of the staff and other volunteers being very kind to me and even inviting me to hang out and explore the city which I especially enjoyed. I was also given a lot of time to assist teaching in classes and even got a chance to do a class individually, which I am thankful for because I learned a lot from it. My host family was very nice and helpful and assisted me however I needed which was always nice to have and made my time here a lot less stressful. The Arabic classes I took were challenging for me but I enjoyed them and always walked away feeling that I had learned something which was a nice feeling. Covid rules made traveling around a bit more stressful than usual but eventually, I got used to them and it was not that bad in hindsight. I really recommend this program to anyone who wants to experience Arabic culture or wants to learn German or Arabic. Overall it was a fantastic experience and I would love to eventually return to the Excellence Center!

If there is one word that would describe my time at the Excellence Center, it would be Family. From the moment I arrived to the moment I left and even during the organization process I felt like I was part of this bigger family that I didn’t know I had. The Manager Rafat welcomed me with open arms and treated me as a Habibi from the moment we met. Here at the Excellence Center there is such a welcoming feeling because of all the decor but also the people that walk through its doors, and although this was still in the middle of a pandemic, I can only imagine what it would be like when it's filled with people.

I was lucky enough to get to experience not only the school but also the city of Halle which seems to hide many secrets around every turn. My favorite activity was walking through the city and along the Salle and experiencing the wonderful Spring sun which drew out the locals as it did me. My accommodation was also nice as I got to stay with a former student of the Excellence Center which treated me with the utmost kindness, and was even raising kittens which I also got to play and cuddle with.

Overall I can only recommend this experience to anyone who likes to be with people and wants to experience something new. Rafat is one of a few people who wear their Heart on their sleeves and it shows from the way he deals with the volunteers, employees and students to involve them in this great big family. I really wish him and the Excellence Center all the best for the future and look forward to coming back and teaching again. حظا سعيدا في المستقبل

A fun and relaxed place to teach students and to learn a language. I taught English and took German classes for almost 3 months at the Center and had a great time. Great for your CV and getting experience in the sector. The Excellence Center also provides breakfast every morning and tea and coffee are freely available. Everyone here is pleasant and approachable if you have any questions about anything. And the director will always be there to give you advice and guidance should you ever need it.

As a volunteer at The Excellence Center, I experienced hope, empathy, and connections (and more). It amazingly exceeded my expectations. More than a relevant new element for my CV and improved language and teaching skills, Halle and The Excellence Center renewed energies and hopes.

The EC staff is incredibly supportive and welcoming, and you can always count on them! You will feel a part of the EC family. For me, team breakfast was a lovely way to start the day and a chance to exchange life experiences and learn about different cultures.

While teaching English, I could get to know my students and build authentic and meaningful bonds. My German classes as a student were essential to increase my confidence in my skills for conversational German.

In my free time, I could also discover Halle's sweet cafés and friendly Beer Gardens. The museums offer an exciting combination of history and modern art. Besides the city center, parks and the river were an excellent alternative to face (and enjoy) the German summer.

I highly recommend The Excellence Center volunteer experiences to open-minded people eager to learn about new cultures and make memories for a lifetime. I promise you will thank me for the tip and the EC for its fantastic work!

Volunteering in Germany is the least likely thing I would expect to be doing after 5 months of lockdown due to the coronavirus, but I'm so glad I did. I did conversational English lessons with Syrian refugees who told me about migrating and integrating in Germany.

I also studied German at the centre which really helped me with my confidence in conversational German. Although I had studied German at high school, it was great to speak to a local and actually integrate into German culture......