Application for voluntary service
Dear Sir or Madam,
In this letter I will explain you why I want to do a voluntary service and what requirements I bring along. First, I would like to introduce myself: My name is Franziska, I am eighteen years old and I will graduate from high school in May 2016.
After leaving school and before studying I would like to gain experience abroad and get an early taste of working with children and topics like: music, dance, theatre, arts, textile design and handicrafts etc...
I am cooperative, open-minded, helpful and fond of children. In particular, I am interested in music, theatre and dance. Singing, playing the piano and guitar, dancing and acting are my favourite hobbies. For the past six years I have regularly dance classes (modern jazz dance) and Since 2011 I have singing lessons. I also sang in choirs and music bands and I have taught piano to a ten years old girl for two years. For this reason I would be very pleased to pass on my musical and dancing experience and knowledge which I have collected over many years to adults and children from all over the world. Besides I have good computer skills. But also sewing clothes and acting gives me a great pleasure. 2012 I participated at a political music theatre project of the “Staatstheater Kassel” (state theatre of Kassel) that broached the issue of Arab protests and The Occupy movement. With the help of the director of the play and professional opera singers, we developed our own roles and had a lot of singing, dancing and acting rehearsals. I can therefore image managing or supporting a theatre (or dance and singing) project in my host country. Of cause, I could also give English, German and maybe even French Lessons. Generally I can imagine assisting the teachers during all kinds of lessons, in case I will help in a school or the like.
In the last two years I have participated in two international youth dancing, singing and acting projects with young people from Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany. Both of these projects broached the issue of differing from the social mainstream in different countries. The impressions and new informations we gathered during workshops, role plays and talks were presented in public shows to encourage the audience to reflect on what they experienced. I met a lot of interesting and nice people during these project and I am sure that the experiences I gained will be useful for years to come!
The participation in these projects made clear to me that I want to work and cooperate with people from all over the world (especially with children) because I noticed that it gives not only me great joy and fills me with deep gratitude but also the people I help or work with. I think that everyone should give what they can and I would like to take the chance to help wherever I can. That is, in fact, why I am a volunteer of the “Kasseler Tafel” (food bank) since two years. Once a week I support this organisation in handing out food for the people in need.
But why especially helping children? Unfortunately, I have no siblings but for precisely this reason I have always spent a lot of time with the younger siblings of friends or with the children in the neighbourhood. For a really long time I babysit for the neighbours kids and I am aware that working with children is not always easy and requires much patience but by and by you learn how to deal with children. One of the neighbours children has Down\\\'s syndrome and I must honestly say that it took some time to develop a deep relationship with her but we are now good friends. In addition I think that children most need our support because they are complete defenceless.
My work placement in the “Dharma Primary School” in Brighton (UK) also made me realise that I love children and looking after children and encouraged me to work with them. It is unbelievable how fast I get close to the children and how far we trusted each other. Even though the time in Brighton was very instructive and exciting I cannot imaging providing my voluntary service in Europe. I want to broaden my horizon and I desire greatly to leave my life in Europe for some time and visit, or to be more precise, life in South Africa, Asia, South America etc. I am especially interested in and curious about the lifestyle and culture of South Africa because it contrasts strongly with the German way of life. I would like to find out these differences and learn more about my host country, the food, the people who live there, the language, the landscape.... But honestly, for me, the project is more important than the country. There are many exciting places all over the world I would like to visit!
But why a voluntary service related to develop policy? I think that during a voluntary service it is particularly important to learn from each other to act more effective and innovative in the future. Working together, we can make a real difference. From my own point of view, I think it is important to support and promote intercultural communication and to make a contribution towards development policy.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!
Yours sincerely
Franziska Hoffmann
Antigua und Barbuda 
Bahamas 
Barbados 
Botswana 
Dominica 
Gambia 
Ghana, Republik 
Guyana 
Indien 
Jamaika 
Kamerun 
Kenia 
Kiribati 
Lesotho 
Malawi, Republik 
Malta 
Mauritius, Republik 
Namibia, Republik 
Nigeria 
Papua-Neuguinea 
Philippinen 
Sambia, Republik 
Samoa 
Seychellen, Republik der 
Sierra Leone, Republik 
Simbabwe, Republik 
Singapur 
Südafrika, Republik 
Swasiland 
Tansania, Vereinigte Republik 
Trinidad und Tobago 
Uganda, Republik