Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) - apply now
The Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ) offers the opportunity to work in environmental, climate and nature conservation and to gain practical experience.
It provides career guidance and promotes personal development.
The choice between the various Areas of work is very wide.
For example, it is possible to work in the following areas
- in organic agriculture, forestry and horticulture
- in environmental education organisations
- in nature and environmental protection organisations
- in nature and environmental protection centres
- in environmentally orientated companies
- at environmental or planning authorities
You can find a list of possible places of assignment in the online offer of the organisations offering the Voluntary Ecological Year.
These are in Baden-Württemberg
- dthe Baden-Württemberg State Centre for Political Education (lpb),
- the Voluntary Services in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart gGmbH (DRS),
- the Diakonisches Werk Württemberg,
- the International Federation (IB) e.V. - Voluntary Services and
- the Friends of Waldorf Education (Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners e.V.).
The FÖJ usually begins on 1 September and ends on 31 August of the following year.
Tip: The organisations offering the Voluntary Ecological Year provide important information on the subject (e.g. pocket money, accommodation, meals) online, in personal or telephone consultationscounselling sessions.
Responsible authority
- state wide: Ministerium für Umwelt, Klima und Energiewirtschaft BW
- Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Baden-Württemberg
- Freiwilligendienste in der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart gGmbH
- Diakonisches Werk Württemberg
- die Freiwilligendienste beim Internationalen Bund (IB) e.V.
- Freunde der Erziehungskunst Rudolf Steiners e.V.
Details
Prerequisite
Prerequisites for participation in the FÖJ are
- Completion of compulsory full-time schooling (usually from the age of 16)
- no more than 27 years old
Procedure
To participate in the FÖJ, you must apply to an organisation.
Landeszentrale für politische Bildung
You should use the lpb list of places of assignment to select a maximum of three places of assignment where you would like to do the FÖJ. You can apply online. To do this, you must fill out the form (ich-will-foej.de) for each selected placement on the lpb website and upload a letter of application or letter of motivation and your CV as a file (without certificates and photo), i.e. three times in total.
You will then be contacted by the desired placement centres.
Voluntary services in the Diözese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart gGmbH
You can submit your application online. You must complete the online form on the DRS website, upload the required documents as an attachment and send everything together.
Once the application documents have been received, you will be invited to an informational interview. Only after a "trial period" at the desired assignment location will you decide together with the assignment location.
Diakonisches Werk Württemberg
The application form (Diakonisches Werk) for the FÖJ can be found on the website of the Diakonisches Werk. You can fill out the form and send it directly to the Diakonisches Werk Württemberg with the required documents.
Internationale Bund (IB) e.V.
You can find out more about the places of work and the next steps in the application process at the respective location.
Friends of Waldorf Education Rudolf Steiner e.V.
Karlsruhe office
Volunteer Services Department
Parzivalstr. 2b
76139 Karlsruhe
E-mail: kontakt@freunde-waldorf.de
Your FÖJ | Friends of Waldorf
Deadlines
You can apply on an ongoing basis. The current application deadlines can be found on the websites of the respective organisations.
Required documents
- Letter of application stating your motivation for taking part in an FÖJ, including details,
- why you have decided in favour of the specified institution and
- what ideas you have about your future work
- Curriculum vitae
- if you are a minor: Declaration of consent from parents (with signature)
Note: The sponsoring organisations may request further documents.
Costs
none
Processing time
varies from organisation to organisation or assignment location to assignment location
Miscellaneous
none
Legal basis
Gesetz zur Förderung von Jugendfreiwilligendiensten (Jugendfreiwilligendienstegesetz- JFDG):
- § 2 Freiwillige
- § 4 Freiwilliges ökologisches Jahr
- § 5 Jugendfreiwilligendienste im Inland
- § 6 Jugendfreiwilligendienst im Ausland
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 27.05.2025