The social service is defined by different projects around the world. Within the international cooperation of development social servants can do their civil service abroad for 12 months. The areas of responsibility are adapted to the circumstances of the deployment site and they differ in many aspects. Social servants operate in following departments.
Educational projects: Support of schoolchildren, help at learning, preparation and performing of teaching, organization of leisure- and break activities as well as administrative tasks. An example of an educational project is “ASOL, Asociación S Solidaridad para la Educación y la Cultura – Casa Hogar“ in Guatemala.
Environmental projects: Contribution to the awareness of environmental problems by the organization of events, the creation of leaflets, coordination of Mass-Clean-Ups, contacting and cooperating with local NGOs and fundraising. The “Tibetan Settlement Office” in India is an environmental project for example.
Medical care: Organisation of advanced training courses, service at infirmaries and administrative tasks. The “Albert Schweitzer Hospital“ in Gabun is a medical project and appropriate expertise is needed.
Of course, all the deployment sites of the social service can be divided into these areas. Many projects contain a combination of different tasks in different areas of work. Apart from some exceptions, the social service focuses on deployment sites in emerging countries in Central- and South America, Africa and Asia. Since October 1998 hundreds of social servants have done their service abroad in this way.
