ICYE Switzerland National Profile 2018/2019

Willkommen in der Schweiz Bienvenue en Suisse Benvenuti in Svizzera Beinvegni en Svizra

Contents

Contents ...... 2 1. General information about the country ...... 4 Geography...... 4 Culture ...... 4 Swiss history - a brief survey ...... 5 Beginnings ...... 5 Conversion to Christianity ...... 5 The Confederation’s Foundation ...... 5 Completion of the Territory ...... 5 Battle of Marignano ...... 6 Beginning of Neutrality ...... 6 Napoleonic period ...... 6 The Swiss Constitution ...... 6 Humanitarian tradition ...... 7 Government ...... 7 Politics ...... 7 Current issues ...... 7 Economy ...... 7 Religion ...... 8 Sex Roles ...... 8 Good to know for future volunteers in Switzerland:...... 8 Swiss girls: ...... 8 Swiss boys: ...... 8 Recommended literature ...... 9

2. ICYE Switzerland ...... 10 General Remarks ...... 10 General Assembly ...... 10 The National Executive Board ...... 10 The Importance of our voluntary Swiss co-workers ...... 10 The Office ...... 10

3. Program ...... 11 General remarks ...... 11 Age Limits ...... 11 Important information ...... 11 The meaning of voluntary work ...... 11 Expectations towards volunteers and employers ...... 11 Pocket Money Pool ...... 12 Priority list ...... 12 Application procedure ...... 12

4. Camps and other activities during the year...... 13 Arrival / Introduction camp ...... 13 Introduction- and language courses ...... 13 Other program parts ...... 13 Information about public transportation ...... 13 5. Hosting situations ...... 14 2

Host families ...... 14 Living in the work situation ...... 14 City/country side ...... 15 Regional placements: Swiss-German or French speaking part? ...... 15

6. Visa and registration ...... 16 General remarks ...... 16 Visa application procedure ...... 16 Residence permit ...... 16 7. Insurance ...... 17 9. Some practical information ...... 18 10. Value of your pocket money in Switzerland (at least Sfr. 200.- monthly) ...... 19

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1. General information about the country

Geography Located almost in the heart of Europe, landlocked between Austria, Germany, France, Italy and Lichtenstein, Switzerland covers an area of 41'288km2. The country is divided into three main regions. The southern two thirds of the total area are covered by the Alps, a wide mountain range with altitudes of up to 4'634 m. Although the Alps are the major attraction for millions of tourists who visit Switzerland each year, they are scarcely populated and little industrialised. North of the Alps we find the midlands of Switzerland, with rolling hills, lakes and meadows. Here you find the main concentration of industry and population. The Jura Mountains run in a semicircle around the midlands and can reach an altitude of 1'600 m. Forming more or less our northern border; they cover about 1/6 of our country.

Island

Schweden Finnland Switzerland Norwegen

Estland

Lettland D_nemark Litauen Irland Niederlande Gro_ - britannien Wei_ ru _land

Polen Belgien Deutschland Ukraine Luxemburg Tschechische Republik Slowakei Moldawien

_ sterreich Ungarn Frankreich Slowenien Rum _nien Kroatie n Bosnien Serbien Italien Bulgarien Portugal Spanien Montenegro Make - donien Albanien

Griechen - land

Culture The total population of Switzerland is of about 8.3 millions. Swiss citizens belong to 4 linguistic groups:

 (Swiss-) German speaking (63.5 %)*  French speaking (22.5 %)  Italian speaking (8.1 %)  Raeto romantsch speaking (0.5 %)  Other linguistic minority groups (5.4%)

All national bodies converse officially in three languages: German, French and Italian. * Please note that the spoken language in the German part of Switzerland are German dialects called «Swiss-German». It differs in grammar and vocabulary from the «Standard-German» language spoken in Germany. The written language however corresponds to the Standard- German. The difference between the written language and the spoken dialect is therefore one of the main problems a volunteer in the German part will face.

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The Swiss dialects have a high social prestige among Swiss Germans regardless of education level or social class because they differentiate Swiss Germans from Germans. Swiss Germans often do not feel comfortable speaking standard German; they often prefer to speak French when interacting with members of the French-speaking minority.

Swiss history - a brief survey

Beginnings Archaeological finds show that already 100,000 years BC, individual nomad hunters and collectors lived in caves. Almost 100,000 years later, the Romans also became interested in Swiss territory. Under Roman rule, the Swiss midlands reached its cultural peak. Today, well- preserved finds such as houses, thermal baths, amphitheatres (Augusta Raurica; Augst/BL; Avenches FR) still show the affluence of that time. The disintegration of the Roman Empire opened the doors to Germanic immigration. Burgundians, Alemannians, Franks and Longobards populated Switzerland alongside and with each other until about 800 AD when Charlemagne the Great brought the whole territory of Switzerland – including the Ticino – under his rule.

Conversion to Christianity About 600 AD, Irish monks (Columban and Gallus) rang in the period of Switzerland’s conversion to Christianity. Numerous monasteries (St. Gall, Disentis, Lucerne, Einsiedeln) came into existence at this time.

The Confederation’s Foundation At the end of the 9th century, the Kingdom of Charlemagne the Great finally split up and offered room for Swiss dynasties. The Habsburgers prevailed with a single-minded expansion policy everywhere in the territory of the German Kingdom. However since they always wanted to take possession of the important Gotthard Pass entrance, the people of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden defended themselves. The result of this defensive action was a federation based on the principle of a free political system (1273). Rudolf of Habsburg was able to extend his power further and was even crowned King of Germany. He died on the 15th July 1291 and did not leave behind any successor; this offered the oppressed Inner Swiss a good opportunity to assert their rights and freedom. According to tradition, the “Ruetli Oath” is considered the founding of Switzerland (celebrated today on the 1st August as the National Holiday).

Completion of the Territory The Inner Swiss farmers fell as a result of a series of wars (the Battle at Morgarten, 1315) to force upon the Midland feudal lords their new order and to extend the alliance to other Swiss inhabitants of the valleys and towns; thus, first of all the “Eight Towns” (1332–1353) which included the additional Cantons of Lucerne, Zurich, Glarus, Zug and Berne, and later (1583) the “Thirteen Towns” Confederation. First of all this loose confederacy served the common

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defence of independence which each member claimed for itself, then – in a second phase – the conquering and subjugation of new territories.

Battle of Marignano This expansion policy of the hot-headed Swiss was stopped at the Battle of Marignano in the Po plain/Italy (1515). A common policy was long thwarted by disagreement in the Confederation. This had different reasons: for one, there were links with European courts which above all were based on Swiss mercenaries hired for service in foreign armies; others included the religious separation of the Swiss (Swiss reformators are Zwingli and Calvin) in the wake of the Reformation; especially noteworthy in addition to all these was the contrast between the aristocratically ruled cities and the democratic country Cantons.

Beginning of Neutrality The first step towards neutrality was taken in the following century when the Swiss no longer engaged themselves in European conflicts. In 1648, Switzerland was formally dismissed from the German Federation and was recognized as a state independent of European powers. The most important event of this period, however, was the destruction of the old Confederation. Paradoxically it was the storm of the French Revolution which did away with the appearance of decadence.

Napoleonic period After the occupation of Switzerland by troops of the French Directory in 1798, a centralist state was created: Switzerland, a country abolishing all privileges and granting cultural and press freedom. In 1803, Napoleon decided to end the then existing conflict between Federalists and Centralists by introducing the new constitution (Mediation Act) which created a Constitution of the Vienna Congress (1814) – a loose confederation of 22 Cantons. People’s rights were limited in many places again to the advantage of the states and aristocrats. The neutrality of Switzerland was finally internationally recognized in 1815 at the 2nd Paris Peace Conference. The first self-made Federal Constitution – the Confederate Pact (1814–1815) – contained among others, the rights of the Cantons and individual citizens, the continued existence of the monasteries, as well as basic military questions but was, however, by all means far more outdated than the Constitution at the time of the Mediation.

The Swiss Constitution After 1830, popular movements in 12 Cantons forced a liberal constitution. The decisive step of the Confederacy towards a Federal State followed in 1848 directly after the Special Federal War of 1847 where the liberal cantons have triumphed over the seven conservative Catholic Cantons, which together had themselves concluded a Special Alliance as protection for their cantonal sovereignty. In the middle of Europe with its restored monarchies, a nation emerged which incorporated advanced republican ideas. The new Federal Constitution was accepted by vote in 1848. It was totally revised in 1874 to fit the altered relationships which had occurred from time to time. In 1967, the preparatory work for a total revision of the Federal Constitution was again taken up. In 1999 the people and Cantons accepted the completely new edition of the Federal Constitution.

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Humanitarian tradition Switzerland has a long tradition in humanitarian issues and, though being a small country, has produced many outstanding personalities in this field (Dunant, Pestalozzi a.o.). Today, it hosts numerous international organisations like the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Organisation a.o. It is also the seat of the International Red Cross and the World Council of Churches.

Government Switzerland is a federative, democratic, constitutional state. The form of government specified in the Constitution for Confederation and cantons is that of a democratic republic, in the form of either direct or representative democracy. In its foreign policy Switzerland is neutral. The legislative body is the Federal Assembly, with two Chambers possessing equal rights: the Council of States (46 representatives of the cantons) and the National Council (200 representatives of the people). The Federal Assembly elects the seven Federal Councillors (the executive) and each year, from this group, the President of the Confederation. The highest judicial authority is vested in the Federal Court, which sits in Lausanne; the Federal Insurance Court in Lucerne is responsible for dealing with questions related to the Confederation's social Insurance. The cantons have their own constitutions, parliaments, governments and courts. The Federal Constitution grants only restricted precisely defined powers to the Confederation. Within the cantons, the approximately 2'800 communes also have a fairly large measure of autonomy. There are about 30 countries in the world with a federal structure. Switzerland is the smallest federal state. However, its 26 cantons and four different languages make it one of the most complex. Politics Switzerland has always been proud of its neutrality. In its international relations, it officially tries to be as objective as possible. Swiss politics are very cautious, not to say conservative. Women received the right to vote as late as 1971. Within the last years, the right-wing populist party (SVP) has made huge gains within the Swiss National Council. Current issues Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU). Many Swiss citizens being afraid of loosing the "Swiss independence" are against an approximation to the EU. On the other hand an increasing number of citizens insist in becoming a member of the EU in order to prevent the risk of a "Swiss isolation" within Europe. However, with the crisis within the EU in the past years, the amount of swisspeople in favor of the accidence to the EU is declining. Economy

For a very long time Switzerland has been able to steadily develop its economical possibilities. Today, it is a rich country thanks to a high degree of industrialisation, a favourable trade situation and, last but not least, the banks and insurances. The most important income sources are the machine

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industries, the fabrication of (S)watches and precision instruments, chemical industry, tourism and banking, whereas agriculture is decreasing. Of course, at the present the situation is getting more difficult. Like most countries, Switzerland as well is touched by the international economy crisis. Religion Christianism is the State Religion of Switzerland; there are both Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. Various other denominations exist in small minorities. There is for example quite a strong Muslim minority living in the bigger towns of Switzerland. As a result of the right-wing populists. the federal popular initiative "against the construction of minarets" was successful in 2009. Since November 2009, the construction of new minarets is forbidden in Switzerland.

Please note that Swiss people want Religion to remain a private affair. Normally, Religion is not showed beyond the four walls, unless you meet up in communities.

Sex Roles The Swiss Constitution proclaims the equality of rights between women and men. As Swiss society is based on a patriarchal system, reality sometimes is less advanced than Legislation. Swiss women are therefore still fighting for equal salaries (especially in the private sector), equal opportunities in profession, career and politics etc. Beyond that, more and more young people are calling in question the «classical» division of labour between women and men, which is supposed to be one of the most essential precondition for true equality.

Good to know for future volunteers in Switzerland: Swiss girls:  Expect to be treated on an equal basis as boys  Pay for themselves when invited out to eat, to a movie,...  Can easily live on their own, with friends or with their boyfriend once they are around twenty (you don't have to be married to live together!)  Hollywood may believe that all “western women” care about is men, weddings and shopping, but be aware that this image is very much disconnected from reality. Swiss boys:  Don’t (or shouldn’t…) act like machos  Don’t dominate their female friends or girlfriends  Can also easily live alone, with friends or with their girlfriend once they are around twenty

In general, it is expected from girls as well as from boys that they help in the household. Admittedly, it is especially in the younger generation that equality has developed more. In many households of the older generation (over 50), women still do "traditionally" female work, but times are changing and especially in our host families it is expected that girls AND boys help in the household; they have duties like dish washing, cleaning, cooking etc!!!! Please be prepared!

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Recommended literature - How Switzerland is governed, by Hans Huber - A pocket history of Switzerland, by Bradfield - Neutrality as the principle of Swiss foreign policy, by W. Hofer - The making of Switzerland from Ice Age to Common Market, published by Schweizer Spiegel Verlag, Zurich - Once upon an alp (humoristic, V. Epstein, editor unknown)

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2. ICYE Switzerland

General Remarks Switzerland joined the Federation of ICYE in 1960. ICYE Switzerland is an association accepted by Swiss Law, is non confessional and acts independently. It knows no constitutional links to other organisations on national and regional level. It is an active member of the Swiss Youth Council and the Swiss Council for Youth Exchange. ICYE in Switzerland has four parts in its structure:

 General Assembly  National Board  Swiss volunteers  Office General Assembly The General Assembly is the annual convention of all members of ICYE in Switzerland. It approves or disapproves actions taken by the National Board, sets guidelines for further developments, elects the National Board and decides on financial reports, budget and statutes. It is the legislative body of ICYE Switzerland. Membership, and therefore participation in the decision-making process of ICYE, is open to all those who are interested in or fascinated by the prospects of our specific exchange program. A membership fee is the only qualification needed. At present, ICYE Switzerland has about 200 active members. The National Executive Board The executive body of ICYE Switzerland is the national board. All matters of national importance, such as the planning and coordination of activities, finances and publicity belong to the responsibilities of the national board. Its members are elected by the General Assembly, to which they are responsible. All National Board members are volunteers working in a honorary capacity. The Importance of our voluntary Swiss co-workers Every volunteer in Switzerland has a mentor who is responsible for keeping up the contact with the volunteer and who can be approached in case of problems. The mentor reports their information back to the coordinator of the mentors and to the ICYE-office. All regional co- workers work on a honorary basis and receive no salary. We are very grateful for this great help, since without them, we couldn’t realise our programs in Switzerland! The Office ICYE Switzerland has an office in Bern with two part-time co-directors (Regina Zürcher being responsible for Swiss participants volunteering abroad and Florence Savioz for short term program and the European Voluntary Service) as well as one administration officer/coordinator for Swiss volunteers (for finances) and a program coordinator for the incomming program. One to two interns support the office. The office is responsible for:

 Coordination and Organisation of our programs  Administrative matters  Steady development and expansion of the program offered in Switzerland.

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3. The Program

General remarks The program offered by ICYE Switzerland is a voluntary work program for volunteers (about 25 participants per year).

Age Limits Volunteers who want to participate in the voluntary work program of ICYE Switzerland have to be between 18 and 30 years old. Candidates older than 30 years are free to ask us if we could find a placement although they do not match with our regular age limit range.

Important information Because of the complicated procedure of getting the necessary work permits, it is not possible to change the work placement during the year! Once the volunteer has been placed in a project, it is compulsory for him or her to follow the job. There can be no exception to this, because the permit enabling a volunteer to stay in Switzerland is linked to the fact that he/ she works in the placement for which the permit was asked. For this reason it is very important to study the project possibilities in our Work Profile and make a good choice of your work project/ work area. The meaning of voluntary work The life as a volunteer is not just an experience of fun and having a good time, it is also hard work. Our volunteers normally work 80% (about 32-35 hours a week). Even though they get no salary, they are expected to be as responsible as paid staff. A volunteer has his duties, but also his rights. For example, he/ she has the right to ask for 4 weeks vacation during the 10 months of work. He/ she has also the right to get a precise job description as well as a weekly timetable from the employer. The volunteer has the duty to be punctual and reliable. It is not easy to find work projects in Switzerland, because the employers normally accept only qualified co-workers with at least basic knowledge of German. Generally, volunteers cannot replace professionals. They are mostly occupied as all-rounder in different domains (care work, kitchen, garden, household, office work etc.) Hierarchy is not as pronounced in Switzerland as in other countries. As all other employees, all volunteers are expected to help in cleaning tasks. Expectations towards volunteers and employers After an introductory period, the volunteer is expected to integrate him/ herself into working life. This means that he or she is expected to respect the way things are done at work, show interest and initiative, try to integrate into the work and assist the other staff, try to meet with people and learn the language etc. Volunteers should try as much as possible to familiarise with tasks that might be culturally difficult for hin/her. On the other hand, ICYE expects from an employer to show interest in the cultural background of "his/her" volunteer and to be prepared to let the volunteer experience as many different tasks as possible in the work placement. Please read carefully our rules and regulations. They are very important in order to guarantee a good cooperation between you and ICYE Switzerland. With your signature, you

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acknowledge that you have read, understood and accepted them. Please send the document back to us with the rest of your application. Pocket Money Pool Volunteers participating in the voluntary work program receive a small monthly pocket money. Please note that, due to visa regulations, it is not possible for volunteers coming to Switzerland to earn any money. Since your pocket money will be very small and Switzerland is an expensive country, you will have a simple life. Don’t expect to be able to buy many things or to make any savings.If you want to travel around Europe during your stay, you will have to bring extra money from home. Your pocket money is not high enough to cover travels! It is important to know that some work placements offered to ICYE volunteers are not paid. If an employer is in a position to pay something, he does not give that money directly to the volunteer, but is obliged to pay it into a special pool, called “Pocket Money Pool”. Every volunteer gets exactly the same amount of pocket money every month from this pool. If there is some remaining money in the pool at the end of the year, it is distributed at the end of the programm year. Participation in the “pocket money pool” regulation is compulsory for all volunteers. That is why every volunteer has to sign the Pocket Money Regulation (see annexe of this National Profile). Priority list ICYE tries to get work placements which correspond to the volunteers’ interests and the goals of ICYE. Attached to this National Profile, you will find a priority list allowing you to tick your preferences. This list will be presented to your future project as a work-application form. The priority list is not binding for ICYE Switzerland, but we will try to consider your wishes when choosing a work placement for you. Before filling in the priority list, please study carefully the Swiss work profile where some projects available are described. You are more than welcome to add a curriculum vitae so we can present it together with the other documents to your future employer! Application procedure As the number of participants is limited, and the work permit process linked to the visa process takes a long time, it is unavoidable for all participants interested to apply for a place as soon as possible. Please refer to our work profile in order to have an idea of the available work placements in Switzerland. Then fill in the priority list, sign the rules and the pocket money pool regulation (you find these documents attached to this National Profile) and send them back together with the application, a motivation letter, a copy of your passport and the health certificate. Please don’t forget that all papers have to be filled in in English! For volunteers participating in this program, documents that arrive in Switzerland after the 20st of March cannot be considered.

th Deadline of application: 18 of March 2018

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4. Camps and other activities during the year

Arrival / Introduction camp ICYE organises an introduction camp that lasts 5 days right after the volunteers’ arrival, at the beginning of August. During this camp, volunteers have the opportunity to meet each other and to get to know ICYE Switzerland and its program. Every volunteer will be welcomed at

the airport by an ICYE co-worker. Introduction- and language courses At the beginning of each exchange year, ICYE organises a language course. The course lasts three weeks during which most volunteers will stay with temporary host families in or around Berne, the capital city of Switzerland. It is a big advantage if you have a basic knowledge of German. We advise you to start studying German already before you come to Switzerland. It makes your start much easier. As the French speaking ICYE-branch is for the moment not able to receive any volunteers, everybody will be placed in the German speaking part. Other program parts The following national or regional activities will be organised by ICYE throughout the exchange year:

 Mid-term Evaluation camp in December (mandatory)  National ski camp (not mandatory and therefore not included in participation fee)  Evaluation camp in June (mandatory)  Other activities organised by Swiss volunteers

Information about public transportation Public transport in Switzerland is very expensive. ICYE Switzerland provides you with a half price subscription (which means you only have to pay half of the normal ticket price with it), but even with this a round ticket from Zurich to Bern (130km, 1h) costs 25 US$. Transport costs to the language course (during the introduction month) and to the work place are covered by ICYE. You have the possibility to buy a General Abonnement (GA) valid for 1 year to the whole Swiss train, bus and ship net. However, this is rather expensive too, it costs about:

 Around 2’700 US$ for volunteers less than 25 years old

 Up to 3’900 US$ for volunteers more than 25 years old.

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5. Hosting situations

Host families The majority of volunteers will be living with host families who come up for room and board. Living in a host family can be a great experience and a good opportunity to learn about another culture. In many cases, the friendship between the host families and volunteers lasts a long time after the exchange year. On the other hand, living in a host family also means to make some effort to contribute to a good family life. A Swiss host family generally does not want to give the volunteer just a place to sleep and eat. A volunteer should be willing to become part of her/ his host family with the same rights but also the same duties! That means not only that she/ he should be prepared to help with the daily household chores (clean his/ her room, help to prepare meals or to clean the dishes, etc.) as the other family members do. Most families don’t have a housemaid. We also expect all volunteers to make an honest effort to share the daily life of the group she/ he is living with (show interest for their hobbies, participate in family activities). Especially volunteers used to very extensive or even complete independence will create a miserable year for everybody involved, unless she/ he is willing to sacrifice some liberties for the sake of the exchange experience. The host families don’t receive any money from ICYE Switzerland. Please note that neither the host family nor ICYE will pay costs such as hygiene articles (like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, clothes, telephone bills, etc.) Therefore, bring some money (see also the enclosed price list) with you in order to be able to cover these personal expenses! ICYE Switzerland will pay the pocket money and transport costs from your home to the language course (in the introduction month) or to your work placement. Please keep also in mind that Switzerland can be very cold in winter, so bring appropriate clothes and shoes with you. Volunteers coming to Switzerland should be aware that most host families live outside big cities in small towns or villages. Further, also singles, couples without children (or whose children are already grown up and out of the house) and living communities are accepted as host families! As a matter of fact, there are very few families with children who have enough room to host a volunteer. Besides, host families in Switzerland come from different social and economical backgrounds! Therefore, be also prepared to live with a family who has a modest living standard (p.e. no car or no TV). Also, do not expect that your host family will take you on a sightseeing tour through Switzerland or European countries: many people don't have the time or the money to do so! However, if they do offer to join them for certain activities and excursions take the offer and be grateful towards your family. Living in the work situation ICYE Switzerland does only offer very few residential projects (for instance: room in the institution where the volunteer is working, independent room in a student's or nurses’ hostel, etc.). This means all volunteers coming to Switzerland should be prepared to live in a host family. However, if you stay in a residential project you have to be aware that you need to be much more independent and you have to take care of many daily issues yourself.

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Last but not least, every host situation is different with its advantages and its disadvantages. Please try to see the positive aspects of your situation even if it differs a lot from what you have expected! Is an exchange year not the best opportunity to experience new ways of living? City/country side Volunteers cannot expect to be placed in cities. Most volunteers will live in small towns or villages. Nevertheless, as Switzerland is a small country, almost every destination can be reached from any place by train within 4 - 5 hours (but transport costs are high; the problem is not time but money!) Regional placements: Swiss-German or French speaking part? Due to a chronicle lack of co-workers, the French speaking ICYE region cannot host any volunteers for the moment. All volunteers are going to live in the German part. Be aware of this fact when you choose Switzerland as a possible exchange destination! Concluding remarks In general, the more effort you give to learn the language, to get in contact with people and the more initiative you take in your project the more you will gain from your experience here in Switzerland.

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6. Visa and registration

General remarks Volunteers from the following continents or countries need a visa to enter Switzerland: Africa, Latin America, Asia (exception: Japan) and USA. Volunteers not needing a visa just need a passport which is valid up to the end of the volunteer year. Visa application procedure Application: The volunteer has to apply for his/her visa as soon as possible, but not later than May. In the application he/she has to indicate the address of the future working place; if he/she doesn’t know it yet, please contact the ICYE Office in Bern. The volunteers’ visa application will be sent by the Embassy to the Swiss authorities; it is needed to obtain a visa/residence permit. At the same time, ICYE Switzerland sends an application for a work permit to the authorities in Switzerland. Swiss authorities will only issue this permit once ICYE Switzerland has found a work placement for the volunteer and has gone through a long application procedure involving different authorities. Once the migration authorities in Switzerland have approved the working permit, you receive from ICYE Switzerland a confirmation for the visa. With this confirmation it is easier to get the visa at the Swiss embassy in your country approved. As it often takes a long time to find the adequate work placement and to get the permit, it may happen that the visa can only be issued in the last week before departure! Transit visa: volunteers not arriving with a direct flight to Switzerland may need a transit visa for the country where they make a stopover. Please inform yourself before leaving your country about the regulations and make sure that you have all transit visas you need. As Switzerland is part of the Schengen agreement, you will have no problems within countries which are part of Schengen agreement. Visa costs: have to be paid by the volunteer or by the sending committee. Please note: the visa issued by the Swiss embassy is just an entrance visa. It is needed to enter Switzerland and is valid for only 1-3 months normally. Once the volunteer has reached Switzerland, the visa looses its importance. He/she will go to register in the town hall in order to get a residence permit valid for one year. Residence permit After his/her arrival in Switzerland the volunteer will register in the immigration office at the place of his/her host family. After the registration he/she will get a residence permit valid for one year. For the registration/residence permit he/she has to pay about 250 CHF (it depends on the canton). These costs are covered by the volunteer him/herself or eventually by the sending committee depending on the contract the volunteer has. In any case, they are NOT covered by ICYE Switzerland.

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7. Insurance

Please read the following information carefully as it is essential for your stay in Switzerland. Make sure that you sign the document “Additional insurance” which you’ll find attached to this National Profile. Please send it together with your completed application to ICYE Switzerland.

Insurance is compulsory If you live or work in Switzerland, you have to take out health insurance, as basic health insurance is compulsory, no matter what your nationality is. It is also compulsory if you are from an EU or EFTA state and work in Switzerland but are not resident here. This is why all ICYE- Volunteers are insured by Dr.Walter/ AGA (worldwide travel insurance) during your exchange year in Switzerland. In the past, the Swiss cantons accepted that kind of insurance. But lately it happened that some Swiss cantons in Switzerland declared that the health care coverage of Dr.Walter/AGA does not fully comply with the Swiss insurance law: in regard to a regular pregnancy/birth- giving, pre-existing conditions, cure at a health resort, etc. This is why ICYE Switzerland was forced to take out an additional insurance for the affected volunteers. The same could happen again for the volunteers in 2017/18. After ICYE Switzerland has shared its experience with similar youth mobility organisations, it is the overall impression that the cantonal decisions of rejection are made at random, depending on how thoroughly a community or canton looks into the matter. This implies that in the worst case scenario, an additional monthly insurance will have to be paid, per volunteer, up to a maximum of 8 months.

Possible additional costs for Volunteers The possible additional insurance costs for 2017/2018 per volunteer will amount to CHF 65 (€ 59,25) per month. It would be just a nominal insurance for the Swiss authorities and the volunteers will keep the AGA/Dr Walter insurance as usual. The reason for that “double insurance” is because the additional SwissCare insurance requires a deductible of CHF 1’000 (~ € 920). By keeping the Dr. Walter/AGA insurance we can avoid that the volunteers will have to cover medical bills up to CHF 1’000.- by themselves. It is hard to say whether your canton will be affected in 2017-18, if any at all. In any case, you have to be prepared for additional insurance costs if travelling to Switzerland.

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9. Some practical information

Things to bring along:

 sleeping bag (compulsory for all ICYE camps)

 warm clothes and good shoes (streets can be slippery in winter and it gets cold)

 Typical things of your country to be shown at the “International Evening” (such as music, a typical dress, food, accessoris etc.). The “International Evening” is a party organised by ICYE Switzerland at the end of the language course. On this occasion you will present your home country and meet your host family.

 photos, information about your country to show to your host family or to other Swiss people

Welcome to Switzerland!

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8. Value of your pocket money in Switzerland (at least Sfr. 180.- monthly)

Restaurant value in Swiss Francs Mineral water/Coke 4.00 Beer 6.00 Fast Food (Mc Donald’s Menu) 13.00 Full meal 23.00 Coffee 4.00 Shop Bread, 500g 3.00 Milk, 1l 1.80 Chocolate 2.00 Fruit (1kg) 3.20 Cheese (100g) 3.50 Tooth paste 3.00 Shampoo 4.00 Cigarettes 7.00 Newspaper (swiss) 3.50 Newspaper (foreign) 4.50 Public tranports Bus ticket (City) 1.80-4.00 Return train ticket Zurich-Bern (130 25.00 km) with reduction 1/2 Leisure time Concert 80.00 Cinema 18.00 Theatre 15.00-50.00 Disco 10.00-40.00 CD 15.00-40.00 Clothes/Shoes Jeans from 50.00 T-Shirt from 15.00 Pullover from 40.00 Sweat shirt from 30.00 Shoes from 40.00 Various Sleeping bag from 80.00 Stamps until 20g 0.85 Europe non prioritaire 1.10 Europe prioritaire 1.30 Rest of world n.p. 1.40 Rest of world p. 1.80 one night in a youth hostel from 25.00

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Priority list for participants in the voluntary work program

Name of volunteer: birthday: ...... country: ...... educational background: (studies you're doing and ...... you have done) ...... Interests, hobbies, skills: ...... Work experience (voluntary and professional ...... work), please describe as ...... detailed as possible ...... Describe your reasons and expectations for ...... volunteering ...... Work field preferences:

1 for your first priority, 2 for your second priority, etc. If there are fields in which you don't want to work in at all leave them empty. You have to choose at least two work fields. The choice of work fields is more important for the placement process than the choice of specific projects.

Projects: e.g. work in a home for disabled people, work in a Work with disabled people school for disabled children.

Diabled children Tasks/opportunities: caring or animation tasks, housekeeping, manual work, very rewarding work. Disabled adults

Demands: Interest in disabled persons, patience, good physical condition, and psychological stability, sometimes work on weekends or in the evening. 20

Care for old people Projects: work in a home for elderly people.

Tasks/opportunities: Possibility to get in touch with the older generation, caring tasks, household tasks and animation tasks.

Demands: Basic knowledge of the language (the older people usually don't speak foreign languages), sometimes work on weekends or in the evening, sometimes close physical contact (washing the people).

Projects: work in a kindergarten or day-care centre (age 1-6), Work with children/adolescents in a school (age 6-16) or in a youth centre (age 12-18).

Tasks/opportunities: educational tasks, different activities like games, handicraft, painting, cooking meals etc., learning how to handle children/adolescents, good opportunity to learn the language quickly.

Demands: Ability in handling with children, patience, creativity

Projects: Work in an international or humanitarian Work in an organisation or cultural project organisation. Work in fair trade shops selling goods from African, Latin- ATTENTION! Generally it is very difficult to find American and Asian countries. work placements in this area!! Work in a cultural project like theatre or museum.

Tasks: you work as an all-rounder.

Demands: The applicant should be qualified in the field and/or send an additional motivation letter

Other specialized social work like work with drug addicts, work in a psychiatric clinic or else can be found only if you have a professional background in this field and a basic knowledge of German.

Please indicate 3 projects from our Work Profile in which you are interested to work in: 1. 2. 3. We will try to place you in one of the thee projects selected or at least to a similar project. We cannot guarantee you a placement in your priority project but we will try to find a project in a similar work field.

I agree to follow a work during my exchange year with ICYE according to the regulations that have been described in this National Profile:

Signature: ......

Please send 1. this priority list 2. your application form 3. a motivation letter 4. the signed "pocket-money-pool" form and the signed rules 5. a passport copy 6. your health certificate 7. a nice photograph of you

to ICYE Switzerland (via the ICYE committee in your country) Deadline: 18th of March 2018 at the latest! 21

Pocket-money-pool (PMP) – Regulation

1. Principles

1.1 The goal of the pocket money-pool (PMP) is to equalize volunteers’ salaries.

1.2 All volunteers must participate in the PMP.

1.3 The principles of the PMP provide for an equalization: i. e. the salaries earned by the volunteers will be divided among all volunteers. All volunteers get the same amount.

2. Organisation

2.1 The PMP will be organized on the national level.

2.2 Employers must pay the salaries directly to the PMP account of ICYE. They are not allowed to pay any money directly to the volunteer. Volunteers have to inform ICYE in case they receive salaries directly from the employers and pay this money back to the PMP.

2.3 Each month the volunteers will receive at least the minimum amount of pocket money

based on the list “minimum amount of pocket money” published by the office of the International Federation of ICYE.

2.5 During the exchange year, the National Committee can dispose of up to 10% of the incomes paid into the PMP account. For this a special fund is created, the PMP-fund. This money must be used only concerning the volunteers.

2.5 The final balance will be paid at the end-year-evaluation-camp before the departure of the volunteers. Volunteers who have left before will have no claim to this sum. Volunteers who didn’t participate at the end-year-evaluation-camp without any excuse have no claim to this sum.

2.8 Expenses for account management such as bank charges are covered by the PMP

2.9. Costs that are linked to the earnings of the volunteers are covered by the PMP. This concerns e.g. costs for work permit fees after a change of work placement during the exchange year etc.

3.0 Costs for activities of the incoming volunteers that don’t belong to the official program (such as skicamp, excursions etc.) can be co-financed by the PMP.

Signature of volunteer to Switzerland: ...... Date: ......

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RULES ICYE SWITZERLAND

We hope that you will have a great and unforgettable year in Switzerland. The idea of exchanges organized by ICYE is to experience another way of life by living in a host family and working in a project. This means that you will have to work hard, not only in your project but also in learning a new language and in integrating in the host society. Your exchange year will only be successful if you consider the following rights and duties.

Rights and duties of a volunteer of the ICYE program

Rights of the volunteer o The volunteer has the right to an adequate introduction at the workplace. o The volunteer has to participate in four camps organized by ICYE (Introduction camp, Lake camp, Mid-year-Evaluation and End-year-evaluation) as well as an initial language course and an international evening. To attend these activities the volunteer’s employer must give time off to the volunteer. o The volunteer has the right to receive a language course of a minimum duration of 20 lessons (when on 6 month program) or 30 lessons (when on one year exchange). o The volunteer has the right to have a contact person with whom he/she can meet regularly. o In case of problems, the volunteer has the right to receive support by his/her contact person and the ICYE-Team. o The volunteer has the right to refrain from tasks which are inconsistent with his/her believes (and with those he/she did not agree before starting with his/her work). o The volunteer has the right to receive a small pocket money (minimum amount is determined by the international office of ICYE) and a compensation of the travel expenses for the daily journey between work project and place of residence and of the travel expenses for compulsory ICYE events. o The volunteer has the right to days of rest on a regular basis. During the last month of the exchange year, the volunteer is entitled to travel („travel month“) (if the travel month was not taken earlier).

Duties of the volunteer

WORK PLACE o It is NOT possible to change work place. This is why the volunteer has to specify clearly what he/she is interested in when writing his/her application and/or motivation letter. o The volunteer must respect the principles of his employer and has to accept the responsibilities which he was assigned to. o The volunteer is expected a performance on the job of minimal 20 hrs to maximum 40 hrs per week at his/her work project. o The volunteer has to be punctual. Punctuality is a very important issue in Switzerland! 23

o The volunteer will be assigned with challenging and interesting work. At the same time, the volunteer is also expected to execute routine works (which also includes cleaning tasks). ICYE Switzerland expects the volunteer to be flexible regarding the work place, the tasks and the working hours which are assigned to him/her. o In case of illness the volunteer is expected to immediately inform his/her employer. Should the illness exceed the duration of two weeks the volunteer is expected to additionally inform the ICYE office. o Should the volunteer face problems with his/her work project, the volunteer is expected to speak about the problems with his/her contact person and/or informs the ICYE office accordingly. o Due to the visa status of our volunteers, volunteers in Switzerland are not allowed to have any other job or to receive any salary.

THE FAMILY o The volunteer must accept and follow the rules of his/her host family. He/she has to integrate in everyday family life, and not the contrary. o There are no domestic employees. The volunteer has to ask from the beginning on where he/she can help; he/she has to keep his/her room tidy and help wherever he/she can. Men AND women help each other in domestic work. o The volunteer is expected to talk to and exchange experiences with his host family, to show interest in them by asking questions and participating in their everyday life. o The volunteer is expected to seek for a direct dialogue with his/her host family when facing problems with the host family. If the problems continue to exist the volunteer is expected to inform his contact person or the ICYE office instead of acting on one’s own authority.

THE ICYE PROGRAM o The volunteer must comply with the legal regulations (i.e. work permit, stay permit, etc) of the host country. When the year is over, he/she has to return to his/her country. No overstay is permitted. o The volunteer must comply with the law of the host country. Consumption and selling of drugs and other illegal activities are strictly prohibited. o The volunteer is expected to participate in all the compulsory activities by ICYE (introduction camp, midterm evaluation camp in December and evaluation camp in June). If you miss out in those compulsory activities, your pocketmoney will be reduced for 50% in the following month. o The ICYE program is not vacation and it’s not a holiday-trip. The aim is to grow personally and help to construct a better world. This means that it will not always be “nice”, there will be difficult and hard times, but you will learn and grow for your lifetime! o If the volunteer is certified unfit for work by a doctor for more than 4 weeks due to accident, illness, etc., or if he/she is unable to work for more than 4 weeks, the ICYE volunteer will be excluded from the ICYE exchange program and must return home. o The volunteer gets a small pocket money. As life in Switzerland is very expensive, the volunteers 24

will have to live with a small amount of money. ICYE pays the transport costs to the workplace, but private journeys have to be covered by the volunteer. No advanced paying or exceptional surpluses are possible. o The volunteer has to make an effort on learning the language. ICYE Switzerland recommends starting learning German already in your home country. After the obligatory Language course, you will have to continue studying by yourself. ICYE cannot pay any additional language course. o The volunteer has to try to integrate in the community he/she lives (the easiest way to get to know people is by participating in an association or a sports group). o The volunteer has to inform ICYE Switzerland two weeks before going on a trip outside of Switzerland.

Consequences when not complying with the program rules o When not complying with an ICYE internal program rule, the volunteer receives a warning. The repeated non-compliance will end in an exclusion of the program. o When violating the law – depending on how severe the violation is – the consequences will be a warning or an immediate exclusion from the program. o If a volunteer refrains from a compulsory ICYE program event (partly or fully), the pocket money of the following month will be deducted by 50%. It doesn’t matter whether the absence was announced or not (exception: illness, confirmed by host family).

Hereby I confirm that I read and understood the Swiss National Profile. I confirm to have notice about the program rules and its consequences. I’m conscious of the fact that the success of my exchange year depends on my own initiative and my readiness to integrate into my new living situation:

Place and Date: ______

Name: ______

Signature:______

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Insurance (to be signed by Volunteer & Sending Organization)

 I herewith affirm to be aware of the possible additional insurance costs (as explained in Chapter 7, Swiss National Profile, p. 17) which may occur to some volunteers of the program year 2017-18.  I understand that I might have to pay additional insurance costs up CHF 65 (€ 59,25) per month.

ICYE Volunteer Sending Organization

Country:

Name______Name______

Signature______Signature______

Date______Date______

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