The department of the Intercultural Academy is committed through its programmes to making a contribution towards the understanding between different religions, mentalities and philosophies. For over thirty years now the department has been offering programmes which provide participants with the opportunity of meeting people from other cultural groups. The department goes about this by focussing on two main areas: the first one dealing with devising and running programmes for study trips and seminars for both younger and older people. These trips and seminars are mainly run by experienced voluntary travel guides. The second main area offers youth exchange programmes and projects. For many years now it has been providing opportunities for practical experience abroad, including an annual Highschool exchange with Dortmund’s twin town Buffalo in the USA. The opportunities also include study trips for young people to Brussels and Strasbourg, to Dortmund’s twin town Amiens, to Israel, and more. Over and beyond this the department arranges exchange and encounter programmes for the City of Dortmund, which has for decades maintained close ties with the Intercultural Academy. Our hope is that through our volunteers we can also bring some fresh impulses to other countries. In accordance with the Intercultural Academy charter the department does not follow commercial but charitable objectives which serve the purpose of enhancing cultural encounters.The overriding objective of the project is to promote appreciation for other cultures in Europe which is experienced through culture trips and youth exchange programmes. Indeed encounters themselves and joint activities create an awareness of the similarities and differences that Europeans share. The volunteers have the chance of becoming familiar with the aspects of organising study trips and youth experience programmes which particularly appeal to them – from the initial idea through the planning and preparation and publicity stages up to the event itself and the subsequent assessment. The objective of the project lies in putting to use the experience gained, for example by organising their own youth trip or youth exchange (under supervision) and promoting the volunteer’s personal initiative and independence.“Learning by doing“: In the initial phase the team provides extensive introduction into the different areas and offers guidance. Here it is a question of becoming familiar with the subject of exchanges and taking on first practical organisational responsibilities, with the volunteer getting involved in the preparational aspects of a study trip or youth exchange trip, e.g. USA/Buffalo, Amiens, etc. which has already been planned, in order to gain the first organsational tools of the exchange trade. Here they benefit greatly from project-orientated learning in the department. The second phase of the EVS provides the opportunity to apply the experience gained in the first part. This may involve the planning of a cultural trip or a youth encounter or an excursion or assisting in a youth trip to Strasbourg, Berlin or Brussels. Their contact with other participants and project partners enables them to acquire intercultural experience in encounter work. The volunteers will also be involved in assisting with other tasks in the department . They can also work in the voluntary Country Associations of the Intercultural Academy and assist with events such as the International Christmas Festival, Country Weeks, talks by international experts, etc., depending on their own preferences. Over and beyond this the EVS team in the Intercultural Academy organises EVS information events, supervised by the tutor, for example at schools, at European meetings in the Dortmund City Hall and in the Intercultural Academy, etc. At these events they can present “their EVS”, offering information on their country and the EU, providing peer-to-peer EVS counselling, etc. By demonstrating their own commitment they should inspire other young people in Dortmund to similarly get involved in volunteer and intercultural work in Europe. The abilities and the interests of the volunteers determine the level and content of the project. The volunteers will of course be involved in the team discussions.