The Bona Fides Association and the Romanian organization Centrul de Voluntariat Cluj-Napoca are looking for volunteers for 5 EVS placements in Cluj-Napoca. Interested candidates need to send an updated CV and a cover letter related to the project (both in English) to programecvcn@voluntariat.ro, mariachiara@bonafides.pl and k.zychowicz@bonafides.pl. Please, title the e-mail “Application for EVS Seeds”. In the email please mention for which of the 5 stages you apply and also which would be your second choice if there is one.
- Location: Cluj-Napoca
- Deadline: 23/08/2019
- Duration: 10 months
- Mobility period: 01/09/2019 – 01/07/2020
Project description
Since its founding in 2004, Cluj-Napoca Volunteer Center (CVCN) followed its mission that is to develop volunteering as a means of involving citizens in solving out the problems of the Cluj-Napoca community. Also, it has focused on hosting international volunteers and sending Romanian volunteers to do volunteering stages in organizations throughout Europe. Find out more about us here and here
Having this experience we initiated in 2018 the project `EVS Seeds` in order to support and encourage other public institutions and NGO`s in Cluj-Napoca to develop through working with international volunteers.
In the first year of this project we hosted 8 volunteers and in the second year we plan to host 10 volunteers. They will have activities in different organizations, providing them with the experience of working together with international volunteers and inspiring them to implement their own international volunteering projects. On the other hand, for the volunteers, we prepared an enriching context, by selecting various organizations in Cluj-Napoca`s community, where they can develop both personally and professionally on very varied levels.
Main activities of the volunteers
The first month of the stage (September) is the induction period, which consists of trainings and activities that will help volunteers accommodate to the new working and cultural environment. Starting with the second month, the 10 volunteers, grouped in teams of two, will work in 2 of the selected organizations and public institutions, in each, for 2 days a week. One day a week will be spent at the hosting organization, CVCN, where the volunteers will plan their activities, develop new ideas and evaluate their progress in the learning journey. The total number of volunteering hours/week will be between 31 and 35.
Here you find the description of the 5 types of volunteering stages that we offer:
A. Seeds of Trust
Main activities will take place in Direcția de Asistență Socială și Medicală – DASM (eng. the Department of Social and Medical Assistance) and Scouts Cluj.
Summary of activities:
In the Department of Social and Medical Assistance (DASM):
– The volunteers will facilitate after-school activities in Țara Minunilor day centre. The beneficiaries of this centre are children aged between 6 and 12 years old who live in extreme poverty associated with other disadvantages in areas near Cluj-Napoca. Here the volunteers will do leisure and educational activities such as English classes, outdoor or cultural-artistic activities, support in hygiene and alimentation education etc. Also, the volunteers are encouraged to organize fundraising events and help in the administration of the center.
In Scouts Cluj:
– The volunteers will take place in weekly meetings for children and teenagers with the role of facilitator of the educational process. They will also offer their contribution in organizing activities, such as weekly events (exhibitions, concerts) and weekend camps (which means working during weekends). They will have to organize an event per month in the ScoutHouse (the office and the hub of the Scout group). During the whole stage, they will be involved in various projects with different working teams, for instance: Festivalul Luminii (eng. Lights’ Festival), Scout Christmas, Scout Day etc.
Profile of the volunteer:
– motivation to learn Romanian language, in order to improve the relationship with the beneficiaries
– willingness to work with underprivileged children and young people
– interest in facilitation of group activities and groups’ animation
-spirit of initiative for organizing events constantly
– good communication skills
– responsibility, patience and tolerance
– open-mindedness
B. Seeds of Empathy
Main activities will take place in World Vision and Fundația Română pentru Copii, Comunitate și Familie – FRCCF (eng. The Romanian Foundation for Children, Community and Family).
Summary of activities:
In World Vision:
– The volunteers will take part in after-school activities with groups of high-school youth (age 14-18) in Cluj-Napoca and Gherla, a neighbouring town. They will prepare and implement English classes using non-formal methods. The beneficiaries are youngsters from rural areas that study in the before mentioned cities, therefore they also need moral support to continue their studies. Towards the end of the school year, the volunteers will organize outdoor activities for beneficiaries in order to develop their communication and teamwork skills.
In FRCCF:
– The volunteers will prepare and facilitate socio-educational animation for children and youth with an underprivileged background in a day-center of the organization, Everychild, with beneficiaries aged 7-14 years old. The topics approached are meant to develop awareness on inclusion and tolerance among the youngsters. Also the volunteers will plan and deliver English classes for them using interactive methods, adapted to the learning styles and needs of every participant, making sure that every child is included and part of a safe learning space.
Volunteer`s profile:
– motivation to learn Romanian language, in order to improve the relationship with the beneficiaries
– willingness to work with underprivileged children and young people
– advanced English speaking and writing skills
– good planning skills for the lessons and other educational activities
– good communication skills
– responsibility, patience and tolerance
– open-mindedness
C. Seeds of Boldness
Main activities will take place in Mânuțe Pricepute (eng. Crafty Hands), in Prison Fellowship Romania – PFR and in Centrul Educațional Raluca – CER (eng. Raluca Educational Center).
Summary of activities:
In Mânuțe Pricepute:
– The volunteers will work with children (kindergarten age) and teenagers (9-15 y.o). Using a non-formal manner (crafting, experiments, teambuilding activities), they will teach participants a foreign language. At the same time, volunteers will create videos and tutorials with their work, in order to serve as resources for other educators or youth workers, and also teaching children how to work with technology as well.
In Prison Fellowship Romania (PFR):
– The volunteers will take part in after-school activities with groups of children and young people (30 beneficiaries aged 6-16 y.o.). Main tasks are related to plan and implement leisure activities in an educational manner, in order to develop life skills for the youths coming from socially vulnerable families.
In Raluca Educational Center (CER):
– The volunteers will facilitate activities in the day center for young people with Down syndrome, in order to help them socialize, develop new skills and become more independent. The activities are: hand-made workshops, team-building exercises, English classes, personal autonomy trainings and dance/ zumba/ fitness classes.
Volunteer`s profile:
– motivation to learn Romanian, in order to improve the relationship with the beneficiaries
– willingness to work with underprivileged youth and people with a special condition (Down syndrome)
– interest in facilitation of group activities and groups’ animation
– photo/ video editing skills or willingness to develop these skills
– good communication and teaching skills
– openness to ideas
– responsibility
D. Seeds of Vitality
Main activities will take place in Transylvania College and in Pahumi
Summary of activities:
In Transylvania College:
– The volunteers will have the chance to get involved in different departments of the school: administrative, wellbeing, development etc., in order to learn about the management of a private international school. They will assist teachers in their classes and will have to prepare the lessons making sure they are interactive and suitable for the students’ levels and needs.
In Pahumi:
– The volunteers will organize activities for the beneficiaries (4–12 y.o.). Main roles will be to facilitate English classes, workshops (music, painting, handcrafts, IT) and outdoor activities (sports, hikes, climbing) in Pahumi’s playground and outside of it. The volunteers will be actively involved in planning and implementing activities for camps taking place during holidays and for constant workshops available for children who have a challenging financial background.
Profile of the volunteer:
– motivation to learn Romanian, in order to improve the relationship with the beneficiaries
– willingness to teach languages
– artistic abilities for the music, painting, handcrafts workshops
– interest for the field of IT
– good communication and planning skills
– responsibility and patience
– open-mindedness
E. Seeds of Kindness
Main activities will take place in Fundația Dezvoltarea Popoarelor (eng. Nations’ Development Foundation) and Something New.
Summary of activities:
In Fundația Dezvoltarea Popoarelor:
– The volunteers will go outside of the city, in a community facing extreme poverty. On one hand, their role will be to implement educational activities (painting, drawing, puzzle, sports) with children who are in need to develop social skills. On the other hand, the volunteers will be actively involved in offering support in hygienic issues (eg. teach beneficiaries how to wash their hands before having a meal), in preparing lunch and cleaning up the area. The tasks are mostly educational in a very practical approach, as the community needs to learn basic life skills.
In Something New:
– The volunteers will facilitate activities for children aged 6-15 y.o. using non-formal methods, teach their native language or English to the beneficiaries from the day center or from a neighboring village, Dezmir. Volunteers will be involved in organizing handmade workshops, cooking classes, sports activities in order to contribute to the personal development of children from rural areas. As well, they will be part of the planning and implementing team of public events Charity Marathon, Christmas Market etc.
Profile of the volunteer:
– motivation to learn Romanian, in order to improve the relationship with the beneficiaries
– willingness to work with underprivileged youths and adults
– willingness to show empathy, tolerance and acceptance
– any type of artistic abilities
– good communication skills
– responsibility and patience
– open-mindedness
Accommodation, food and transport arrangements
The accommodation will be arranged by CVCN, the hosting organization. Two volunteers will share a room in a rented flat, in Cluj-Napoca. All the expenses related to the accommodation will be covered by the project. Each volunteer will receive money for food and pocket money, every month according to the Erasmus+ standards. Also, the local transport costs related to the volunteering activities will be covered.
How to apply
Send us your CV and motivation letter to programecvcn@voluntariat.ro, k.zychowicz@bonafides.pl, mariachiara@bonafides.pl until the 21st of May, with the subject “Application for EVS Seeds”. In the email please mention for which of the 5 stages you apply and also which would be your second choice if there is one. For additional information please write to us on the same addresses. After the deadline, we will organize Skype interviews with the candidates in order to get to know each other better before the final decision regarding the selection.