Our Volunteers
The German YMCA runs a volunteer programme that allows young German people to come to London for a year of voluntary service working with different charities as well as the German YMCA itself. The goal of this programme is to give young people the opportunity to spend a year abroad, improve their language skills, and develop their understanding of history and other cultures and societies, whilst experiencing and accepting different patterns of thought and behaviour.
To learn more about our volunteer programme - including the tasks involved, requirements, and application process - please click here.
Meet our Volunteers 2025/26
My name is Luzia but everbody just calls me Luzie. I am 19 years old and live in Frankfurt. I really enjoy my life in Germany - however, I am very excited to spend a year volunteering in London! I have just finished my final exams and while I am looking forward to going to university in the future, I would like to spend my gap year making an actual difference and gaining some more hands-on work experience. Volunteering at the German YMCA as well as St. James & St. John CofE Primary School seems like the perfect opportunity to create loads of exciting, new, and unforgettable memories, have a cultural exchange, learn new and vital skills, and of course meet new people. I am very much looking forward to meeting you all!
My name is Lena, I´m 18 years old and live with my family in the beautiful city of Dresden, located in Eastern Germany. Ever since I graduated from high school, I have dreamed of living abroad, experiencing a different culture and lifestyle, while also making a difference for the society through my work. That´s why I didn´t hesitate as soon as I was offered the opportunity to join the German YMCA for a voluntary service in the vibrant city of London – a place, that captivated me since my first and only visit in 2021. I am strongly convinced this year will have a lasting and meaningful impact on my life, which is why I am looking forward with excitement to starting my voluntary year this September and getting to know all of you very soon.
My name is Mirjam. I’m 18 years old and from Nordhorn, a small city in the northwest of Germany. After finishing high school, I didn’t want to go straight to university - I wanted to gain experience in the ‘real’ world and give something back to the community. The volunteering programme at the German YMCA is the perfect opportunity to do so, as it allows me to volunteer while also exploring London and the UK.
In my free time, I really enjoy running and am currently training for my first marathon. I also like cycling, spending time with my foster horse, and travelling to new places. Starting in September, I will be one of the new volunteers at the German YMCA, and I’m really looking forward to meeting you all.
My name is Laura, I am 18 years old and live in a small village called Denkte in Germany. I just finished school this year and will now be one of the new volunteers at the German YMCA. Since I want to learn more about different people and get to know British culture, I decided that volunteering with the German YMCA is a great way to do that. I’m also excited about the opportunity to make a positive impact on other people’s lives, as helping others has always been very important to me. I look forward to getting to know different communities - and learning more about myself in the process. I’m really excited to meet all of you and to become a part of the German YMCA!