European Solidarity Corps volunteering at Kindergruppe Simsalabim Zwerge 

What is Kindergruppe Simsalabim Zwerge? 

The Kindergruppe Simsalabim Zwerge is a small kindergarten in the 3rd district of Vienna. It’s based in an apartment with a small courtyard with a sandpit and the possibility to plant some vegetables and flowers. The Kindergruppe has a kitchen, a crafting room, a gym with a slide and a room where the kids can do quieter activities like reading books or doing role plays. Our Kindergarten is a non-profit organisation run by the parents. We have a team of 3 teachers. There are maximum 14 kids between 2 and 6 years with 2 teachers taking care of them Monday to Friday from 8 am till 4pm. 

The idea of our organization is based on a humanistic philosophy. We live diversity, are open minded to different cultures, religions, and rainbow families. The main target of the teachers is to build up individual relationships with the kids and to respect and take their individual needs seriously. Our meaning of education is to accompany the children and help if they need it but not lecture them. Each child is accepted as an individual, encouraged to develop self-consciousness and self-confidence. 

Proposed activities 

Our Kindergarten is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm and we would like you to participate in the daily life from about 9am to 3pm. You will support the teachers in their daily work with the kids. 

Your tasks will be the following: 

• play, paint, sing, read, do handcraft etc. with the children 

• bring in your own ideas, plan and realize your own activities supported by the teachers or parents 

• bring in your own cultural background and mother language, food etc. 

• accompany the kids by public transport to outdoor trips 

• help to prepare breakfast, lunch and snacks. 

Your social and pedagogical learning outcomes will be the following: 

You will learn how to: 

• observe the children’s play and not to direct it 

• see the kids as individuals and learn more about their different personalities 

• support to solve conflict situations or problems 

• motivate kids to do things by themselves 

• communicate in a non-violent way. 

You will get to know: 

• Austrian Culture and food 

• Vienna and its surroundings 

• German language 

• different ways of living and thinking. 

The teachers work child-centered, which means, there is a focus on topics which come from the children themselves, like dinosaurs, pirates, sensory material, maths, literatur, circus, theater, nature, environment protection etc.) – the teachers act on the topics that come up. Activities or material that are offered regarding these topics come spontaneously from the teachers’ observations and contact with the children. There will be space and opportunities for the volunteers to bring in their ideas, skills and knowledge. 

Recruitment process and profile of the volunteer 

The volunteer should be interested in working with young children, be open-minded, be interested in getting to know different people, cultures, languages, ways of thinking. The volunteer should respect children, see them as individuals who shall be taken seriously, and approach them respectful, not talk down to them but meet them eye to eye. We invite the volunteer to reflect also on challenges with us and discuss questions and thoughts that will come up during their stay with us. Teachers and parents of the Kindergruppe are open-minded and won’t discriminate any applicant because of her/his gender, religion, ethnic group, social and cultural background or sexual orientation. 

We are looking for a person who really likes to spend time and work with children. It would be nice if you are creative and willing to bring your own ideas, and able to show initiative. You should also be motivated to learn German.

This European Solidarity Corps (ESC) project in Vienna is coordinated by the association Grenzenlos within the MELANGE program. If you want to apply for this project, please fill in the Melange application form and send it together with your CV (curriculum vitae) and motivation letter to application@melange.wien  

Please state the name of the ESC project (Kindergruppe KIRIKU) in the subject of your e-mail. Grenzenlos will forward your documents to the hosting project, where the selection will be made.  

Important! Your application will only be accepted if it is complete and if you already have a supporting (sending) organisation. 

All ESC placements coordinated by Grenzenlos are generally available to everyone between the age of 18 and 30 who is residing in an ESC program or partner country. However, in the selection procedure, a preference is shown for candidates with fewer opportunities. You will be informed about the outcome of the recruitment process a few weeks after the application deadline. For more information, please visit www.melange.wien.