- Project Duration:
2 weeks minimum
6 months maximum
- Volunteer Project Focus:
Our volunteering projects are designed to create maximum benefit within the local community.
The main focus is to provide care and support to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Volunteers achieve this by being assigned a care home for children within state care. Their tasks are then:
- To provide care and attention to the children in order to enhance their development.
- To provide a good adult role model for the children to learn from.
- To teach English interactively adopting a "learn through play" approach outside of school hours.
- To help the carers with general house hold duties.
In addition volunteers are asked to assist the English teachers at the local school.
In order to promote inter-cultural learning and active citizenship volunteers will work closely with a variety of local translators. These tend to be local students who; want to improve their English, want to learn about other cultures, want to obtain work experience or just want to help.
- Project structure:
Care2Travel work in 5 different care homes, in 5 different locations.
In each home there are 7-8 children who range from 3–18 years old.
Every home is assigned 4 carers that work on a shift rotation basis with only 1 present at any one time.
After receiving and assessing a volunteer's application a placement will be assigned accordingly.
During term-time volunteers will split their work between the children's home and the local school. It is hoped that by participating in the English lessons at school volunteers will gain an understanding of what is being taught. They will then apply this back in the home via interactive English sessions.
A Care2Travel volunteer coordinator will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for support, guidance and advise. Reviews will be conducted in the middle and at the end of every project.
- A typical volunteer day during term-time:
7.00 Breakfast
7.40 Walk children to School
09.00-12.00 Participate in English lessons.
12.30 Lunch
14.00–17.00 Interactive English sessions (Possible translator present)
- Project Capacity:
As mentioned above, we work in 5 different homes.
In each home a maximum of 3 volunteers can be present at anyone time.
This means, on this particular type of project we can cater for a maximum of 15 volunteers.
- Project Locations:
Our projects are based in the county of Harghita, which is in the Transylvanian region of Romania.
We work in various locations close to the city of Miercurea-Ciuc.
- Arrival:
Prior to arrival a Care2Travel representative will be in contact with all volunteers and available to answer any queries or questions that may arise.
- Upon arrival all volunteers will have a thorough induction:
project information pack provided, meet and greet, tour of local area.
Our volunteer projects start on the Wednesday of every week and we ask all volunteers to arrive at least 1 day before in order to receive a thorough induction.
The nearest airport to the projects is Targu Mures although flights to Cluj Napoca and Bucharest airports are often cheaper and direct.
If volunteers fly to Targu Mures Care2Travel can arrange for a direct pick-up.
If volunteers fly to Bucharest, Cluj or any other airport they need to make their own way to Miercurea-Ciuc train station where a Care2Travel representative will be waiting to greet them. From Bucharest and Cluj Napcoa there are direct trains to Miercurea-Ciuc train station. Care2Travel are more than happy to help with any in-country travel arrangements.
- Volunteer specifications:
- Ability and motivation to teach English imaginatively (past experience is not necessary just motivation and a desire to help).
- Ability to work proactively.
- A desire to work with children (past experience preferable).
- Ability to adopt techniques that will enable you to cross language barriers.
- Cultural sensitivity.
- A caring and considerate nature.
- Lots of energy, enthusiasm and patience.
- Flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.
- An open-minded nature.
- Ability to work in small teams.
- Accommodation:
We have a variety of accommodations from home stays to guesthouses all of which provide an extremely needed income to the owner.
Every accommodation has hot water, washing facilities, a kitchen, heating and a separate bedroom each volunteer.
- Food:
Breakfast and Lunch is provided daily. Specific dietary requirements can be catered for.
- Leisure Activities:
During a volunteers free time Care2Travel offer numerous opportunities to explore Transylvania in an environmentally friendly manner. From cycle, hiking and sightseeing tours to activities such as horse riding, learning authentic crafts, paragliding and much more.
- Hosting Fees:
£160 - 2 weeks
£260 - 1 month
£360 - 1.5 months
£460 - 2 months
- The cost of a direct pick-up from Targu Mures to the project location is an additional £50
- The cost of a direct pick-up from Cluj Napoca to the project location is an additional £90
- The cost of a direct pick-up from Bucharest to the project location is an additional £90
What this fee includes...
- Accommodation
- Two meals a day
- A local coordinator available 24/7
- Worthwhile and effectively managed volunteer projects
- A small contribution to the work of our charity
Care2Travel is a non-profit organization whose main source of income derives from the volunteers hosting fee and through our tourism activities. Without volunteers our work would not be possible.
