Volunteering with children in Romania

You can experience volunteer development work on a care placement in Romania as part of a gap year in your education, on a career break, as part of an extended holiday or during your retirement. You can be a trained professional or totally new to the field. All we ask is that you have a passion for and a commitment to the work and the people you are there to help.

The plight of Romanian orphans was well documented during the early 1990's by the international media, highlighting the need for the international community to respond to the problems of the large numbers of neglected orphans throughout the country. Although the government is now addressing the need for more funding and better homes, ten years on there remain a large number of orphans in Romania.

In recent years there has been a restructuring of the orphanages in the ancient city of Brasov, where the organisation is based. Volunteers now work in smaller homes for orphans; each housing about ten to twelve children aged between 4 and 16 years old. We also have a care project based in the paediatric ward of a hospital where volunteers help with the daily care of the babies and children. Local staff, including your placement supervisor, will welcome your dedication to improving the lives of these underprivileged children.Volunteering on a care project in Romania is a chance to make a difference to the day-to-day lives of a really deserving group of children. Your assistance will also greatly help support the dedicated but overstretched staff. All of the homes are keen to have volunteers with new ideas and energy to help the permanent staff. Sometimes, just talking to the children and regularly picking up the younger ones can make a significant difference to their development, but previous volunteers have also enjoyed helping teach some of the children basic, conversational English, as well as involving them in activities such as song, dance, drama and sports during their free time.

Volunteers working on the care placement in the hospital will be involved in helping to look after the babies by changing nappies, bathing and feeding them. You will also play with the children in the hospital's play room. The hospital is understaffed and help from the volunteers is greatly appreciated by the local staff. Many of the children come from gypsy families and often stay in the hospital for several weeks after recovering from an illness.

Your accommodation will be with a local Romanian family close to your placement. This will give you a fantastic way to immerse yourself in local life and to really feel part of this Eastern European community. Our office, a bustling centre for volunteers doing all kinds of projects, is close by and our staff are available to offer help and support at all hours - day or night - should you require their assistance.

All volunteers taking part on a care project in Romania must now undertake a Police Check, to demonstrate they are fit to work with children. This is easily arranged at your local police station and we will provide advice on this when you apply. Please note that it can take up to 40 days to receive clearance.