For a European Civil Society

We promote the dialog between Germany, countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in particular Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of Eastern partnership that plays a key part in the development of a European civil society and societies beyond the European Union. Europe is more than the European Union. We promote permeable borders surrounding the European Union. We oppose any ‘fortress mentality’ on either side.

A dialogue of people and societies

Meeting, dialogue and equal cooperation between the people of Germany, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Russia and other countries within Europe are means that we build upon. Our foundation is the people and their willingness to engage. Although official relationships are important, the real and sustainable changes start as a democratic process with and within people themselves.

Learning with and from each other

Intensive contacts, joint work and a pluralistic exchange of opinions enable mutual learning, German-Russian understanding and lasting relationships based on principles of reciprocity. We as well as our partners undergo changes. Critique and self-criticism go hand in hand. This learning process is one of our goals and never complete.

For a transparent, historically-aware picture of each other

The wars of the 20th and 21st centuries created too many distortions and divisions in the region, throwing up barriers to communication and hiding the image of other groups behind the clichés of propaganda. We work to build dialog between conflicting groups and facilitate exchange of knowledge and research on the topics of memory and history to combat inaccurate preconceptions, discuss difficult episodes in the joint past and contribute to building a sustainable, peaceful future for the region

For public participation as the rule, not the exception

The peaceful intervention into domestic affairs of both, the own and the other country is typical for intergovernmental relations in the civil society field.  We are therefore active in all matters related to civil, political, social as well as cultural freedoms and rights, defending them at home and abroad.  Independent media, a pluralistic society and democratic institutions are our universal orientation points.

Information, education, networking as instruments for change

Dialogue, learning, social transformation: we work towards the implementation of these goals encompassing the areas of social and environmental protection; the media; democracy and human rights; European integration and memory; conflict resolution and antidiscrimination; inter-generational dialogue and support for disadvantaged groups. Our instruments for change are: civil society cooperation and non-governmental diplomacy; nation and sector-wide networking; education and exchange projects; advice from foundations, political figures and other relevant bodies as well as the participation in public debates.

Members and sponsors as our foundation

The idealistic participation and financial support of our sponsors and members is the basis of our organization. Our work is exclusively funded through donations and project-grants that guarantee our independence.

How can we strengthen the relationships between Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other Eastern European Countries? How can we improve their dialogue and cooperation? Share you own vision with us and become a member of the German-Russian Exchange! We are pleased to welcome new members interested in supporting and shaping our work.

We are a membership-based organization. As a member you are able to:

• Be directly involved in relevant decisions discussed during our biannual meeting
• Contribute to our working groups
• Receive direct contact to our partners and experts in Russia, Germany and other countries
• Organize your own activities with our support covering our topics around Eastern Europe or others in consultation with our board or manager
• Get to know new colleagues and friends while profiting from our and our partners network.

Additionally our members receive:

• A regular update of our internal information and activities as well as general topics
• Direct invitation to events hosted by us or our partners

BECOME A MEMBER

If you want to lend us particular support you can also become a sponsoring member. You are free to choose your own annual contribution amount.

The annual membership fee is €60 or €30 for students, trainees, apprentices, unemployed or other low-income earners.

We kindly ask you to provide us with a direct credit authorization to reduce our administrative expenses. You can revoke the authorization at any time.

Depending on the time of admission, the fee is collected pro rata.

100% in the first quarter
75% in the second quarter
50% in the third quarter
25% in the fourth quarter


If possible, use your new SEPA account details. Otherwise, use your regular account details (account number and bank code).

Please consult us if you want to transfer the fee on your own or split it individually.

We are looking forward to meeting you and further develop our work with your support!

Our complete list of publications is available here (German).

The job announcement is also available in PDF format in Ukrainian. 

DRA is looking for a Finance and Compliance Manager for the DRA Resource Center in Slоviansk (Donetsk oblast), opening in September 2019. The appointment will be from 1 September 2019 until 31 August 2020 with a possibility of multi-year extension, depending on available further project funding. A full-time commitment (40h/week) is preferred.  

Background: The civil society in Eastern Ukraine is in a state of flux since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in this region in 2014. DRA sees active grass-roots networks and well-working horizontal structures in communities as a prerequisite for building a sustainable and democratic society. The DRA Resource Center received funding from the German Federal Foreign office to support active citizens – and particularly young people – in Sloviansk and other cities in the conflict region by providing them with educational and development opportunities, supporting grass-roots initiatives aimed at community development, and by providing international exchange. The Center will facilitate local civil society development by strengthening active citizens and civic initiatives with capacity building, communication and exchanges with activists from EU countries and other regions of Ukraine. 

The main areas of activity of the Resource Center in Sloviansk will be 

• Supporting the efficient and sustainable development of local civic initiatives, their networks and collaborative projects; 
• Strengthening the engagement of international civil society actors with the region, including conflict management efforts; 
• Organising educational/ volunteer and professional exchanges between civil society and youth from different regions in Ukraine; 
• Encouraging public debates on local democracy, and other topics of importance for the local population; 
• Contributing to the process of reconciliation; 
• Dealing with local history and culture; 
• Fostering local human rights work. 

The Finance and Compliance Officer has a key role to play within the small team in delivering and supporting high-quality financial assurance and compliance of DRA Resource Center’s programmes and projects in East Ukraine. S/he will be responsible for the office’s economy, and compliance with DRA’s and donors’ financial and admin procedures and policies. 

Tasks  

• Support the Director of the Office with financial planning, management and control of expenditures in full compliance with the Ukrainian law, and with DRA’s and donors’ financial and administrative procedures; 
• Communication with project partners and external service providers; 
• Design and review contracts in line with DRA’s and donors’ financial and administrative procedures; 
• Contribute to managing financial relationships with Implementing Partners (e.g. regarding compliance and audit aspects); 
• Contribute to compiling, and checking project-related financial, logistics, administrative, Human Resources, and programme information; 
• Review documentation for compliance with DRA’s and donors’ financial and administrative procedures; 
• Undertake accounting, record keeping, monitoring and tracking of funding resources, transactions and project expenditure; 
• Assist in reviewing/completing reports for donors according to donor guidelines; 
• Minimize risk of fraud and corruption by ensuring compliance to Ukrainian law; developing related practices for the Resource Center, 
• Overall responsibility for accurate, punctual and complete accounting data, and ensuring that accounting practices, financial procedures and processes are in place; 
• Working closely with Program teams on project financial management and other related financial issues; 
• Perform other related activities as assigned by the Director. 

Requirements 

• Experience in financial administration of projects, in particular budget planning, management and documentation; 
• 2-4 years previous work experience in a relevant position; 
• Good familiarity with relevant Ukrainian law and regulations; 
• Experience in project work (preferably in the civil society sector and with public funds) and in event management (seminars, conferences, panel discussions, etc.); 
• Motivation and joy in working with complex budgets; 
• Profound Microsoft Office – particularly Excel – skills, experience with accounting software; 
• Experience with finance management of international donors; working with German donors is a competitive advantage.  

Skills 

• Strong accounting and financial management skills; 
• Good communication, social and team-work skills; 
• Diligence, independence, initiative, punctuality; 
• Reliable and careful handling of numbers, receipts, and documents, documentation; 
• Ability to work well and under pressure. 

Knowledge 

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree/ diploma in a relevant field; 
• A proven interest in supporting civil society and in fostering international cooperation; 
• Advanced level of English language skills, fluent written and spoken Russian and Ukrainian, German language skills would be an advantage; 
• Experience or knowledge in subject areas of the project (development, conflict management, civil society, human rights monitoring) are welcome. 

About the organisation: DRA is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Berlin, working since 1992 with the aim of promoting democratic developments in East European countries through cooperation with Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and and other European NGOs, with independent mass media and in cross-sectoral cooperation. The DRA offers youth and other exchange programs in the field of political education, democracy and active citizenship and works to establish links with Western partners. Moreover, the DRA acts as an agency for volunteers between Eastern and Western Europe.  

The DRA offers a multi-faceted, flexible and international working environment in a young and dynamic team, a competitive salary, and a lot of space for your own ideas. For more information, see: www.austausch.org  

Please send your applications (cover letter and CV) as a single PDF document (no larger than 2MB) by 11 August 2019 to igor.mitchnik@austausch.org 

Interviews will take place in Slоviansk, Ukraine, in the week from 19 August to 23 August 2019.  

Contact details:  

DRA e.V. 
Badstraße 44 
D-13357 Berlin  
Tel: +49(0)30/44 66 80 00 
Fax: +49(0)30/44 66 80 10 
www.facebook.com/draberlin 

The job announcement is also available in PDF format in Ukrainian. 

DRA is looking for a Project Manager leading on environmental projects for the DRA Resource Center in Slоviansk (Donetsk oblast, Ukraine), opening in September 2019. The appointment will be from 1 September 2019 until 31 August 2020 with a possibility of multi-year extension, depending on available further project funding. 

Background: The civil society in Eastern Ukraine is in a state of flux since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in this region in 2014. DRA sees active grass-roots networks and well-working horizontal structures in communities as a prerequisite for building a sustainable and democratic society. The DRA Resource Center received funding from the German Federal Foreign office to support active citizens – and particularly young people – in Sloviansk and other cities in the conflict region by providing them with educational and development opportunities, supporting grass-roots initiatives aimed at community development, and by providing international exchange. The Resource Center will facilitate local civil society development by strengthening active citizens and civic initiatives with capacity building, communication and exchanges with experts, professionals, and activists from EU countries and other regions of Ukraine. 

The main areas of activity of the Resource Center in Sloviansk will be 

• Supporting the efficient and sustainable development of local civic initiatives, their networks and collaborative projects; 
• Strengthening the engagement of international civil society actors with the region, including conflict management efforts; 

• Organising educational/ volunteer and professional exchanges between civil society and youth from different regions in Ukraine; 
• Encouraging public debates on local democracy, and other topics of importance for the local population; 
• Contributing to the process of reconciliation; 
• Dealing with local and regional history and culture; 
• Fostering local human rights work. 

The Project Manager has a key role to play within the small team in delivering and supporting high-quality projects with a particular focus on environmental awareness, environmental monitoring and climate education in Eastern Ukraine. S/he will organise jointly with local partners civil-society-supported monitoring mechanism of environmental risks in the Donbas region in order to increase the national and international awareness of environmental protection in Ukraine as a key part of conflict and post-conflict management. 

Tasks 

• Facilitate workshops and trainings for local activists on environmental awareness and protection, climate education, sustainable community development, waste management, renewable energies and the development of environmentally-friendly businesses; 
• Conduct regional awareness-raising campaigns about regional environmental challenges and risks; 
• Support the development of a regional network of climate and environmental activists across East Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast), and provide them with capacity building; 
• Research and analyse environmental data from authoritative sources for monitoring, presentations, and for a comprehensive risk assessment of environmental challenges; 
• Support the development of a climate plan jointly with local authorities for two cities in East Ukraine; 
• Liaise and communicate regularly with international partners involved in this environmental project; 
• Support the Director of the office with input for narrative donor reports on this project and with monitoring and evaluation of outputs; 
• Contribute to the development of programme strategies, based on responsiveness to the dynamic local environment and on in-depth context awareness; 
• Support the Director of the office and Programme Manager with Social Media Output (Facebook, Instagram), and compelling evidence from the field for fundraising and advocacy purposes;  
• Perform other related activities as assigned by the Director. 

Requirements  

• 2-4 years previous work experience in a relevant field; 
• Passion and commitment to work on sustainable development as well as environmental and climate-related issues;
• Experience in programme development, the project management cycle, event management and budget management; 
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects;
• Profound Microsoft Office – particularly Excel – skills; 
• Willingness to travel frequently across the region (Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast); 
• Experience in managing funds from public and private international donors; working with German donors is a competitive advantage. 

Skills 

• Ability to be creative and innovative in generating new ideas and concepts; 
• Excellent communication, social and team-work skills; 
• Diligence, independence, initiative, punctuality; 
• Comprehensive and analytical understanding of environmental topics; 
• Reliable and careful handling of numbers, receipts, and documents, documentation; 
• Ability to manage information with discretion; 
• Excellent organisational and planning skills. 

Knowledge 

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in a relevant field; 
• Advanced level of English language skills, fluent written and spoken Russian and Ukrainian, German language skills would be an advantage; 
• Excellent understanding of local context and culture, of the environmental situation in East Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast), and of relevant civil society stakeholders; 
• Experience or knowledge in subject areas of the project (environmental research and activism, conflict management, civil society, human rights monitoring) are welcome. 

About the organisation: DRA is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Berlin, working since 1992 with the aim of promoting democratic developments in East European countries through cooperation with Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and other European NGOs, with independent mass media and in cross-sectoral cooperation. The DRA offers youth and other exchange programs in the field of political education, democracy and active citizenship and works to establish links with Western partners. Moreover, the DRA acts as an agency for volunteers between Eastern and Western Europe, and has been working in the field of environmental and climate issues for more than ten years. 

The DRA offers a multi-faceted, flexible and international working environment in a young and dynamic team, a competitive salary, and a lot of space for your own ideas. For more information, see: www.austausch.org  

Please send your applications (cover letter and CV) as a single PDF document (no larger than 2MB) by 11 August 2019 to igor.mitchnik@austausch.org 

Interviews will take place in Slоviansk, Ukraine, in the week from 19 August to 23 August 2019.  

Contact details:  

DRA e.V. 
Badstraße 44 
D-13357 Berlin  
Tel: +49(0)30/44 66 80 00 
Fax: +49(0)30/44 66 80 10 
www.facebook.com/draberlin  

The job announcement is also available in PDF format in Ukrainian. 

DRA is looking for a Programme Manager for their DRA Resource Center in Slоviansk (Donetsk oblast), opening in September 2019. The appointment will be from 1 September 2019 until 31 August 2020 with a possibility of multi-year extension, depending on available further project funding. A full-time commitment (40h/week) is preferred.  

Background: The civil society in Eastern Ukraine is in a state of flux since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict in this region in 2014. DRA sees active grass-roots networks and well-working horizontal structures in communities as a prerequisite for building a sustainable and democratic society. The DRA Resource Center received funding from the German Federal Foreign office to support active citizens – and particularly young people – in Sloviansk and other cities in the conflict region by providing them with educational and development opportunities, supporting grass-roots initiatives aimed at community development, and by providing international exchange. The Center will facilitate local civil society development by strengthening their capacities, communication and professional exchanges with activists from EU countries and other regions of Ukraine. 

The main areas of activity of the Resource Center in Sloviansk will be 

• Supporting the efficient and sustainable development of local civic initiatives, their networks and collaborative projects; 
• Strengthening the engagement of international civil society actors with the region, including conflict management efforts; 
• Organising educational/ volunteer and professional exchanges between civil society and youth from different regions in Ukraine; 
• Encouraging public debates on local democracy, and other topics of importance for the local population; 
• Contributing to the process of reconciliation; 
• Dealing with local and regional history and culture; 
• Fostering local human rights work. 

The Programme Manager has a key role to play within the small team in supporting the Director of the office with developing and implementing the programmes, projects, and activities of DRA’s projects in East Ukraine. Furthermore, s/he will support the development of an outreach/communications strategy for the office. 

Tasks 

• Manage and develop a portfolio of activities and programmes for the Resource Center;  
• Support the Director of the office and in line with DRA’s and donors’ procedures 

       - with identifying opportunities for development of culture-sensitive programmes and projects, based on local needs and potentials, and in line with long-term strategies of the office; 

       - with ensuring effective coordination of local implementing partners; 

       - with programme and activity planning, development, and management; 

       - with input for narrative donor reports, monitoring and evaluation of project outputs, and with tracking progress towards indicators; 

• Facilitate workshops and trainings for local activists; 
• Contribute to the development of programme strategies based on responsiveness to the dynamic local environment and on in-depth context awareness of the participating communities; 
• Contribute to developing the organization’s fundraising strategy: identification of opportunities for funding, donor research, drafting proposals and supporting project design; 
• Communications and Advocacy (10-15%): Pro-actively identify potential media stories, and compelling evidence from the field for fundraising and advocacy purposes; 

• Supporting the management of relevant Social Media Channels (Facebook, Instagram); 
• Perform other related activities as assigned by the Director; 

Requirements  

• 2-4 years previous work experience in a relevant field; 
• Experience in programme development, the project management cycle, and with budget management; 
• Experience in project work (preferably in the civil society sector and with public funds) and in event management and implementation (seminars, conferences, panel discussions, etc.); 
• Profound Microsoft Office – particularly Excel and Power point – skills; 
• Experience with CSM and website editing is an asset,  
• Experience with international donors; working with German donors is a competitive advantage. 

Skills 

• Ability to be creative and innovative in generating new ideas and concepts;  
• An analytical and empathic understanding of local needs; 
• Commitment to democracy, civil society development, nonviolence, and the primacy of local actors; 
• Excellent communication, social and team-work skills; 
• Diligence, independence, initiative, punctuality; 
• Reliable and careful handling of numbers, receipts, and documents, documentation; 
• Ability to critically assess, and to provide constructive recommendations; 
• Ability to manage information with discretion; 
• Excellent organisational and planning skills. 

Knowledge 

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in a relevant field (e.g. social sciences, international development, management); 
• A proven interest in supporting civil society and in fostering international cooperation; 
• Advanced level of English language skills, fluent written and spoken Russian and Ukrainian, German language skills would be an advantage; 
• Excellent understanding of local context and culture in East Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast), as well as of relevant civil society stakeholders; 
• Experience or knowledge in subject areas of the project (conflict management, international civil society, human rights monitoring) are welcome. 

About the organisation: DRA is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Berlin, working since 1992 with the aim of promoting democratic developments in East European countries through cooperation with Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and other European NGOs, with independent mass media and in cross-sectoral cooperation. The DRA offers youth and other exchange programs in the field of political education, democracy and active citizenship and works to establish links with Western partners. Moreover, the DRA acts as an agency for volunteers between Eastern and Western Europe.  

The DRA offers a multi-faceted, flexible and international working environment in a young and dynamic team, a competitive salary, a lot of space for your own ideas. For more information, see: www.austausch.org 

Please send your applications (cover letter and CV) as a single PDF document (no larger than 2MB) by 11 August 2019 to igor.mitchnik@austausch.org 

Interviews will take place in Slоviansk, Ukraine, in the week from 19 August to 23 August 2019.  

Contact details:  

DRA e.V. 
Badstraße 44 
D-13357 Berlin  
Tel: +49(0)30/44 66 80 00 
Fax: +49(0)30/44 66 80 10 
www.facebook.com/draberlin