In Germany, seven sending organisations (agencies) are responsible for the deployment of professional development workers. Placements are advertised individually. Some agencies accept unsolicited applications for particular placements. Others organise introductory gatherings and provide an opportunity for you to inform yourself thoroughly before applying for a specific post. The agencies conduct their personnel selection in various ways. There are often several stages in the selection process, which frequently includes an assessment centre.

The sending agencies plan a period of preparation as part of the development service. Preparation takes place in a variety of formats – seminars, workshops, group discussions, self-study, and specialist consultations. The aim is always to authentically impart the relevant knowledge that you will need to apply in your placement. This includes: information about organising your travel to the placement, health care, and the host country; (basic) knowledge of the national language and culture; and technical and methodological issues related to your field of work. The preparation, which can take several months, includes activities for the whole family.

The actual service begins when you travel to the host country. Your new place of residence is usually wherever your new place of work is – often in the office of a partner organisation. Professionals build up their own social networks, e.g., through contact with neighbours and schools and through leisure activities. From now on, you are living and working in a different culture. Placements can be found in a wide variety of locations. You could be anywhere, from a small town in a largely rural area to a large metropolis.

There is also an initial period of induction at the start of the placement – a phase of getting to know each other. Depending on the project, professionals sometimes work within a larger programme with country offices or coordination centres throughout the region. But a lot of professionals work together with only one partner organisation. While in the field, they are also supported by their sending organisation, which often provides coaching and opportunities for further training.

During your service, you will work on projects and challenges together with your local partners for at least one year, usually for two to three years. But development service is more than just a job: It is a meaningful activity in which you learn and act in solidarity with others.

Development service contracts are always temporary. Because the absence for two or three years and the return to Germany/Europe are unusual circumstances and the return is often a source of mixed feelings and some degree of uncertainty, the sending agencies have always included the “return phase” in their thinking about development service from the very beginning. They provide information and run seminars in which returnees can exchange experiences and reflect on them. The Reintegration Programme run by the Association of German Development Services offers an extensive range of services exclusively for professionals returning from development service. The programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and is part of the package of benefits for professional development workers.

Returning from development service is not only a challenge, though. As a professional development worker, you bring a lot back with you to your home country. The experience, which can be life-changing, makes you an important participant in the public debate about the future of Germany and Europe in a globalised world.