RomaniaBona Fides Association and Solidarity Tracks are looking for 4 volunteers from 4 different countries to join their European Voluntary Service project in Baile Tusnad, Transylvania, Romania. To apply please send your Curriculum Vitae and cover letter to the following emails: mariachiara@bonafides.pl, k.zychowicz@bonafides.pl and modpeti@gmail.com  Please, write in the title ”EVS in Baile Tusnad_Transylvania – application”. 

  • Location: Baile Tusnad, Transylvania, Romania
  • Duration: 10 months
  • Mobility period: October 2019 until July 2020

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The EVS project will be in Baile Tusnad involving 4 volunteers from 4 different countries.

The objective of our project is to involve the volunteers into our regular activities of St. Anne Youth Centre, and support the local kindergarten and the elementary school by organizing regular non-formal educational activities. The Youth Center’s indoor and outdoor activities are mostlyconnected to develop different kind of skills, abilities and competences of children and youngsters.

Another important aim of our project is to help and support the Local Child Care Home where 95-100 socially disadvantaged children lives (organize free time activities, language clubs, film clubs, etc.). We are about to improve the possibilities of local children and youngsters by organizing regular after-school or weekend activities in different topics, according to the interest of the volunteers (art, language clubs, music, etc.).

TASKS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE VOLUNTEER

  • Organizing workshops for children in different topics: can be anything useful. Examples: handicraft activities (they are mixed, we like both traditional kind of handicrafts and recycling workshops), workshops about environment protection, indoor-outdoor activities, hiking tours, program for international day of children.
  • Working with children and youngsters in schools and the Youth Center, help them to understand how nature works, what connections exists between the nature and human kind, why is it important to protect it. Developing a sustainable and environmentally responsible attitude in children is important for us.
  • Promoting his/her own culture: organize screening in the Youth Center, organize open day where local people can taste traditional foods, drinks.
  • Organizing English workshops to practice English language with children in non-formal way.
  • Participating on lessons in local school (mainly English lesson): good situation for children to practice English like „in real world”.
  • Helping organize events to protect environment: collecting garbage in forest; Let’s DoIt Romania; etc.)
  • Any ad-hoc idea can be accepted and we courage them to use their creativity and organize activities connected to their interests (learn songs, learn to play instrument etc.).
  • VOX Iuventutis is in connection with several other organisations which work with young people in several themes in Baile Tusnad and nearby. The volunteer can participate in their activities too.
  • Participating in local sport events organized by other associations and helped by VOX. Events: Triathlon competition next to lake Saint Anne; Semi-Marathon; Mountain Bike Marathon, Paragliding competitions; Dog sledge competition etc.
  • Helping update our facebook page
  • We would like to involve you to work on the blog or website, which would be a place to share practical methods, news, descriptions, personal thoughts related to EVS, your work here, your travels, etc.
  • Creating short videos, blog entries/interviews which shows the “EVS life” including the present project, how the volunteers live, what local people thinks about different things, helps to share opinions and ideas, etc.
  • Organizing activities for the local kindergarten groups, 2-3 times in a week (gym, simple English songs, games, etc.)
  • Helping in the local Child Care Home if it is needed, it is also good if they need a little change: they accept any help: playing with children, help in their studies, help in the kitchen etc.

VOLUNTEER’S PROFILE

  • patience (with their roommates, with the local people, with children)
  • at least basic English skills (intermediate would be better, but not necessary)
  • be able to work alone and in pairs, be motivated to organize your own activities, and also open to work in team
  • be creative and entrepreneur
  • some experience or strong motivation to work with children is very important
  • respect other people, nations, cultures, and be patient and tolerant with those who have stereotypes. One of a hidden, but very important objective of a project like this is to destroy stereotypes, meet new people, new cultures and bring people closer to each other with different backgrounds ;).
  • handicraft experience is advantage but not necessary. Although it is very important to like these activities because we organize a lot both traditional and recycling.

TRAINING, ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER ARRANGEMENT

  • Accommodation: volunteers are living in rented apartment which is well equipped, has a big kitchen with a dining room, big bathroom and 2 bedrooms. 2 volunteers will share a bedroom. It is located 10 minutes from the Youth center which is the main “working place”.
  • Food: we will give the money to the volunteers, they can travel to other cities almost anytime they want to have bigger shopping (Baile Tusnad is very expensive compare with cities like Miercurea Ciuc or Sfantu Gheorghe. Many time we can help them by bringing them home by car or giving a lift to the city. They have to ask invoice when they doing a bigger shopping. For the last 2 years we also have a big supermarket in our Town, which helped a bit to reduce the average cost of the things in the town, and it’s easier to find ingredients for any diet (allergy, or just being vegetarian/vegan).
  • Travel: there is no local transport in the Town due to its size. Any activities related travel to nearby villages and cities will be covered by the project.

To come to Baile Tusnad, the easiest way to come is to fly to Bucharest or Sibiu.

From Bucharest, there are more options:

– small microbus between the Airport (Henri Coanda) and Baile Tusnad;

– bus from the airport to Brasov and from there, come by train;

– use normal public transport from Airport to “Gara de Nord” train station and from there, direct bus to Baile Tusnad.

From Sibiu, there is train.

  • Money: travel cost is covered by the project for a limited amount, depending on the distance between our location and your home. Usually it covers every cost.
    Volunteers receive 980 RON / month, which includes the 90 EUR pocket and the food allowance.

USEFUL LINKS

  • Information about the town and our surrounding:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C4%83ile_Tu%C8%99nad

https://www.eco-turism.ro/index.php/en/

  • About the country:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harghita_County

  • About Szekler Land (three county gives this historical region):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szekler_Land

  • Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/szentanna.ifjusagikozpont?fref=ts

  • The blog of previous volunteers:

https://evstusnad.wordpress.com/category/evs-blog/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Szekler_Land