At a glance
- Support the work of local teachers and caregivers and teach young children in kindergartens, daycare centers, or special needs centers.
- Focus on Early Childhood Development and give kids the skills they need to thrive and hit development milestones.
- Gain practical childcare experience and learn new skills to help your future studies or career.
- Live and work in Brasov, and experience true Romanian hospitality by staying with a local host family.
Is volunteer work with children in Romania right for me?
If you want to support children in need through education, this project is for you. It’s also a great option for those who want to work with special needs children.
You’ll gain practical experience, which will benefit your future career. You’ll also learn and develop skills like teamwork, leadership, and planning.
If you have loads of energy and love spending time playing games with children, working with children in Romania is definitely for you. You’ll support local teachers and caregivers, and our Projects Abroad staff members will be available to help you whenever you need it.
If you have any experience working with physically or mentally disabled people, your skills will help a great deal. Local staff are often overstretched in their duties and would welcome your dedication and enthusiasm. They are always available to assist if you need any advice or guidance.
Anyone over 18 will need to do a basic medical check and get a Police Clearance Certificate. This is used to demonstrate that you're fit to work with children. Please note that it can take up to 40 days to receive clearance.
Our Childcare Project in Romania runs year-round. We encourage you to stay longer to make a bigger impact on the people you work with.
What will I be doing as a Childcare Volunteer in Romania?
As a Childcare volunteer in Romania, you'll work in a kindergarten, daycare center, or special needs center. You won’t be working alone. You’ll support local in these types of activities:
- Run educational activities to improve literacy, English, and support early childhood development
- Work with adults and children who have mental or physical disabilities
- Work with other volunteers and local staff
- Assess and identify specific placement needs
Your work will focus on the following:
Improve literacy and English levels
English has become an important global language for business and tourism. So, English speaking ability from an early age will make many more opportunities available to children, especially in education or for employment.
As a Childcare volunteer working with children in Romania, you will offer invaluable help in introducing them to English. You’ll do this by improving their phonetics, pronunciation and grammar, through fun and stimulating games and activities. Come up to exciting ways to help children learn through play.
Work with adults and children who have mental or physical handicaps
The special needs centers we work with in Romania are often understaffed and low on resources. As a volunteer, you’ll be of great support with activities like reading to, playing games, and offering general care to the residents. This will free up local staff to do other crucial work that they never get to at the placement.
Work with international volunteers and local staff
One of the best things about volunteering abroad is that you get to meet other volunteers from all over the world. Make the most of this opportunity by sharing ideas for activities, lessons, and games at the regular workshops that we organize for you. Share these ideas with the staff at your placement to give them more ideas for improving the lives of those in need.
Assess and identify specific placement needs
To make sure we keep track of specific needs at our placements, we use checklists. We’ll show you exactly how to use them. You’ll assess the status of each child on a daily basis in areas like:
- Numeracy
- Literacy
- Fine motor skills
- Emotional abilities
- Social skills
- Hygiene
This information will be uploaded onto our Global Impact Database. This database helps us keep track of the development at our placements so that we continue to improve.
Where will I be working as a Childcare Volunteer in Romania?
Brasov
We’re based in the ancient city of Brasov. It’ll feel like a fairy tale come to life, with its terracotta roofs, gothic spires, medieval gateways, baroque buildings, and pedestrian-friendly streets. It might seem small and old-fashioned at first sight, but the city has the modern hustle and bustle of any other.
As a childcare volunteer in Romania, you can work at one of these placements:
- Daycare center
- Kindergarten
- Elementary school
- Center for mentally or physically disabled
Which placement you work at will depend on what type of care work you would like to do. These facilities are often overcrowded, and local teachers and caregivers desperately need more support.
You’ll have free time to explore during some evenings and on weekends. There’s plenty to see in Brasov and the Transylvania region.
A typical day as a Childcare volunteer in Romania
A typical day will run from about 8am to 5pm.
Every day at work will be different. On some days you can do arts and crafts with the children, and on another you can play sports or teach English.
If you’re working with children, you’ll assist local teachers in the start of the morning. Later on, you can work on improving the English and literacy of the children.
If you work with disabled children and adults, your morning will start by helping serve breakfast. This will be followed by engaging in mentally stimulating activities, like reading, building puzzles, or playing simple games.
Lunch will take place between 12pm and 1:30pm. If your host family lives close to your placement, you can head home for lunch and a short rest. Alternatively, you’ll enjoy a packed lunch at your placement.
Your afternoons at work will mostly be spent doing more relaxed activities, like arts and crafts or some outdoor sports and games.
Throughout your visit, there will be plenty of time to explore and get to know your fellow volunteers. You’ll get to bond over breakfasts and dinners at your host family. Together, you’ll share this amazing culturally immersive experience.
What are the goals and impacts of childcare volunteering in Romania?
The main goal of this project is to support early childhood development at kindergartens and daycare centers that are in need. Projects Abroad has elected not to work with children in orphanages in Romania, but rather focus on community-based programs that allow children to remain within their families.
Kindergartens and daycare centers are often being overcrowded, and local teachers and caregivers therefore struggle to divide their attention equally. Because of this, some children may have trouble learning certain skills with these areas being neglected in the classroom.
There is also a great need for children to learn English from a young age. Being able to speak English well opens doors for further education and better jobs later in life. With your help, we can make sure more children learn important early childhood skills, and get more practice speaking English.
Our Childcare Project in Romania also extends to children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. Many of these care centers are understaffed and under-resourced. You can help local staff with daily tasks and offer much needed kindness and attention to residents.
We have identified five sustainable, long-term goals which guide our work and which are in our Childcare Management Plan for Romania :
- Increase literacy
- Improve English
- Promote early childhood development
- Improve levels of stimulation for each child
- Increase emotional care and support to each child
Help us achieve these long-term goals by joining us as a Childcare volunteer in Romania.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family or in shared volunteer apartments in Brasov. Your host will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture.
We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Romania and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your program fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Volunteering in Romania will give you a unique taste of life in Eastern Europe. With a diverse range of activities, you’ll find plenty to do during your free time.
This is the ideal destination for architecture lovers, with stunning, old buildings lining the streets. The Biserica Neagră is one example of haunting gothic architecture, with its stone walls blackened by a fire that raged through the area in the 17th century.
It’s not just the buildings that are worth checking out, but the streets as well. More specifically, you can squeeze your way through one of the narrowest streets in Europe!
It’s worth taking a weekend trip to Transylvania to visit Bran Castle, the home of legendary Count Dracula. While you’re there, you can tour ASTRA Museum and delve into the magical world of Romanian folklore.
You’ll likely be amongst many other volunteers during your trip. This gives you the option to explore either on your own or in a group.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Romania
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