The voluntary ecological year in Austria and Germany is an educational and orientation year for teenagers and young adults of ages 16 through 27. The voluntary ecological year can be attended only once and usually lasts 12 months (from 1 August to 31 July of the following year). Germany History In 1998 the Voluntary Ecological Year (in German: Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr /FÖJ) was introduced as a model project in various states in Germany. In 2002 the legal bill regarding the Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr passed parliamentary procedure and the FÖJ was officially established. By June 1, 2008 a new legislation is regulating youth voluntary services. Until then, the law promoting a voluntary ecological year was in effect. From 2002 until the suspension of conscription and therefore the mandatory alternative service in 2011 as well, it was also possible for recognized conscientious objector to do the Voluntary Ecological Year as an alternative service. Mission and structure Today, the Voluntary Ecological Year can be credited as a so-called "waiting term" or "waiting semester" until getting admission to a university. It is financially supported and implemented by the states and individual agencies respectively. The volunteers organize their positions independently in state and federal agencies. The FÖJ can also be completed abroad, for example in France as the so-called Franco-German Ecological Year. However, the number of positions is very limited and there is a very high demand. FÖJ sponsors are mostly non-profit youth organizations, such as churches or environmental protection associations. These agencies and organisations take on the selection of the operational areas and the support for the volunteers. There are currently around 3,000 FÖJ sites in Germany and in addition about 600 positions of the Federal volunteers service for economic protection. Lists of the FÖJ locations are available from the providers in the respective state. Speaker system The FÖJ has developed a nationally established speaker system. The system is built on a democratic basis. In each state there are different numbers of providers who form the seminar groups with their FÖJ participants. In these seminar groups i. d. As a rule, two group spokespersons are elected, who go to group spokesperson meetings and there elect the state spokespersons (also called federal delegates), who represent the FÖJ in the respective state. Subsequently, all state spokesmen of the 16 federal states of Germany take part in a federal delegates' conference at which five federal spokespersons are