Bona Fides Association is looking for Polish volunteers (aged 18-30) for a 4-5-6-months ESC project in Bucharest, Romania with National History Museum of Romania!
Place: Bucharest, Romania
Start: flexible starting date
Duration: preferably 6 months, but also possible to arrange 4,5 – 5 months
About your host
The National History Museum of Romania (NHMR) / Muzeul Național de Istorie a României (MNIR) first opened its doors to the public in 1972, it is a great representation of the cultural scene and the architectural heritage our country can present. One of the most prolific institutions of its kind in South-Eastern and Central Europe, the museum is a national cultural public institution and research organization. The monumental building that hosts the headquarters, can be found on Calea Victoriei, no. 12 in the heart of our capital city, Bucharest. In recent years, MNIR has cooperated with various Romanian core institutions as well as international and foreign, various Ministries, Cultural Institutions, Research Institutions and Embassies. As a research institution, the museum has several open archaeological sites under its supervision, to name a few, Micia (Hunedoara county), Tărtăria (Alba county), Ostrov (Constanța county) and has specialists operating archaeological sectors on other prestigious sites all over the Romanian territory, Histria, Capidava and Ulpia Traiana Sarmisegetusa, being a fraction of such activities. Within our walls visitors can admire our permanent exhibitions which are the Historical Treasure of Romania, the Lapidarium and the replica of Trajan’s Column (full-scale exhibition), but can also witness wonderful temporary displays that bring life to the cultural and historical life of our country, of the people and the events that shaped both the Romanian and the European landscapes, but also wonderful representations that go beyond the mentioned borders. As a public body institution, we are engaging ourselves in nonconventional activities that bring value to the communities around us. Apart from the museum’s involvement as an organization with the ESC programme, the museum has its own volunteers that were brought here by their will and common passion for culture and history in a number that grows permanently reaching 35-40 volunteers yearly.
Project target
The main scope of this project is to become a „safe haven” where participants can learn about European and Romanian culture by understanding and discovering their teammates’ culture as well as sharing about their own, to observe the differences and disseminate the information with both the team and their community at home. MNIR also find this opportunity as a great way to expand their audience and the number of communities involved in the process of cultural development and learning through culture, diversity and sharing of all parties’ heritage.
Therefore, our three main objectives are:
MO1: Establishing a stronger professional and personal evolution in the competencies of our volunteers regarding their abilities in regards of cultural management, values of non-formal education and learning about Romanian history and culture through multicultural methods.
MO2: Increasing the number of the beneficiaries that come in contact with the ESC programmes while it is made sure that they are as widely known as possible, not only in the museum filed, but all other types of public institutions as well.
MO3: Raising the level of culture diversity awareness within the community by interactions between various groups, support of everyone’s own personal and cultural heritage while developing a joint European identity. The aim is to have 50 volunteers (25 foreign volunteers – EU citizens/residents) + 25 Romanian volunteers) use and develop their skills and abilities by using methods and tools of non-formal and informal education in a museum context, in order to learn how to share cultural and heritage values among beneficiaries and raise awareness regarding solidarity and embrace diversity in a multicultural framework.
Activities
The activities we propose will hopefully ensure a full development in what concerns the skills and learning capabilities of our volunteers regarding virtual components and digital transition, sustainable development and climate action through green practices and civic engagement in what concerns a democratic perspective along with social and cultural understanding of inclusion and diversity.
At the beginning of the stage every participant will be trained in what the safety at the workplace procedures are, GDPR protocol and about legal and financial support if needed.
A typical week of activities looks as it follows:
Monday: Deciding the topics and main activities of the week, gathering general informations and methods of implementing by communicating ideas and negotiating roles and responsibilities through brainstorming, round tables, debates and discussions.
Tuesday: Acquiring necessary resources (material, digital etc.), outlining the endeavours of the week and planning their promotion.
Wednesday: Promoting the weekly activities through physical and digital means (banners, posters, flyers, social media posts), selecting the target group, risk management analysis and completion of necessary logistics.
Thursday: Implementing the activity, debriefing all parts involved and obtaining feedback with the scope of consolidation and follow-up.
Friday: Diffusion of the results and preparing for the project team/CPP the weekly report regarding the activities that took place in that week.
Throughout the weekly activities and the entirety of the project’s duration, volunteers will have additional hours concerning cultural mentoring, psychological support, evaluation and reflection in their learning process.
Applicant’s Profile
Basic qualifications:
• Age between 18-30 years old;
• Knowledge of the English language (mandatory);
• Citizen or resident of a country member of the European Union;
• Interested and motivated in developing their social and professional skills;
• Patient, responsible, creative and open-minded.
Meaning:
• You must have completed general education level and want to develop your abilities concerning education through cultural projects;
• You are preoccupied of what and how the cultural and historical landscapes surrounding European values have evolved and developed;
• You are embracing intercultural learning, understand tolerance and social inclusion, are keen on cohesion and increasing awareness of active citizenship;
• You possess initiative, are communicative and constantly interested in professional development while being part of a team;
• You are driven to build up your skills in project management and incorporating criteria of non-formal education and solidarity in every activity;
• You value being part of and are aware of what social/ economic/ educational/ cultural & geographical obstacles are, how they manifest and have a wish to overcome them through mutual understanding and communication.
Conditions and benefits
Local Transport: The organization will provide monthly passes for public transportation and will inform the participants of the time tables of these means of transportation.
International Transport: Volunteers will be given 100% the travel cost to and from Bucharest, including the fees regarding visas and accommodation, in accordance with the Erasmus+ calculator.
Accommodation: Participants will have to share a room in a private student complex with 1 or 2 fellow volunteers.
Fees: The ESC programme is free of charge.
Health Insurance: For the entirety of their stay, the volunteers will be insured. They will also receive instructions concerning the safety and protection around the workplace.
Personal support: Language/psychological support, (consolidated) mentorship and intercultural learning (based on Romanian culture), non-formal methodology learning, marketing trainings and trainings regarding the GDPR policies as well, all provided by the staff members of MNIR.
Allowance: Each volunteer will receive 7 EUR/day for each day of the activity as food allowance and 4 EUR/day as pocket money.
Certification(s): At the end of the stage the participants will receive an official ESC certificate, through which their acquired and developed skills will be recognized. According to the European legislation, volunteering is recognized as work experience!
Download The Infopack
Application
To apply please forward your CV and a motivation letter (in English) to: a.siembab@bonafides.pl and anna@bonafides.pl with a title: ‘ESC in Romania’ or contact us for any further information!