GYC2786 - Give children a better start in life

This placement would suit...

Anyone who actually wants to make a real difference to young people’s lives during their gap year. Rarely will you find a section of society so in need of the affection, time and love that a gap year student can give them.

Overview

You can make a real difference to a child’s upbringing in Romania by working in one of the Romanian family homes. Family homes are the new state initiative for orphaned children who previously lived in the state orphanages. These state orphanages were brought to public knowledge due to the appalling conditions that the children were made to live in, these children will now have gone onto living in the family homes. These orphanages have now been transformed into family homes which house up to 12 children each. These homes are much better but are still desperately need the help of volunteers to care for the children due to small numbers of staff members in the homes.

What will I do?

Your role as a volunteer will be to bring some fun and laughter into the lives of these children. You will be giving underprivileged, sick and disabled children the chance to smile, play and love in beautiful Eastern Europe.

We have placements in family homes for either disabled or able-bodied children as well as opportunities in a central children’s hospital, which is Romania’s first hospice, working as a Playworker. We also have roles in state nurseries and primary schools assisting in their regular day of lessons teaching English, extra curricular activities and helping with playtimes.

To work in these roles you will have a passion for working with children and love both giving and receiving lots of hugs. It would be great if you had a good imagination for making up games and enthusiasm in this role is a must!

We are lucky enough to be able to combine other placements if you would like; we have a bear sanctuary project and the other types of childcare roles.

Where will I live?

You will be working in and around Brasov, a beautiful city surrounded by wooded mountains, living with your fellow volunteers in a comfortable rented flat in central Brasov (one of the largest cities in Romania). You are able to build close friendships with your fellow volunteers by sharing a room with one other volunteer.

The weekends and evenings are your own when you have the chance to explore the city and relax after work. Brasov is surrounded on three sides by the Transylvanian hills and has everything that you would want from a city: restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and cinemas.

We believe that living in relative comfort is important and should help you unwind when you are working hard.

ow can I spend my free time?

You are lucky in this placement to be able to experience both the lush green Romanian countryside when working with the bears and going back to the vibrant and buzzing city of Brasov in your spare time. Brasov has a lovely square, fine historical buildings and lively nightlife. Nearby there are great attractions to visit; Romania’s best ski slopes are just 7km from Brasov and there is another ski resort slightly further away. Whilst you are within the Transylvanian region it would be a crime to miss out on seeing Dracula’s very own Castle and learn more about his legend.

You are also surrounded by stunning scenery which is perfect for going on walks and treks around the area. Our volunteers have really enjoyed exploring this relatively unknown part of Europe in previous placements.

Oyster Worldwide Support

Being a small and personal Gap Year company, our dedicated team of 3 full time staff really take the time to get to know you and provide a personal service.

1. When we receive your application, we invite you to an informal interview and tell you all about the placement that you have applied for.

2. 3 months before departure, we meet you and the rest of your group again at the Pre Departure Course to tell you even more about the country and project that you will be working in.

3. Once in Romania, our Representative Razvan becomes your main point of contact, being there to help with any problems either at the placement or in your personal life.

Here at Oyster, we have the right balance between support and independence and as such our representatives are not your typical ‘holiday rep’, we like to think of them as helpful friends to you. We do encourage you to be independent and help yourself but should you need it you can feel assured that you have our established support network on hand at any time.

The Romania rep, Razvan is a really great guy who is bilingual and goes above and beyond his duty in making sure that you are happy and settled in your placements. You will meet Razvan when he welcomes you at the airport in Bucharest. He will be around throughout your trip making sure that you have no problems, you will also see him regularly both at your placement and at informal outings.

The Benefits ..

• You will have made a real impact on young children’s development and childhood experiences.
• You will make some lifelong friends that have the same passions as you.
• You will have been to a beautiful tucked away part of the world that few people visit.
• You will have experienced the Romanian people’s great hospitality and friendliness.
• Make new friends

Although our flights aren’t included in the price we will happily arrange them for you, for just £250!

0845 344 7615

We'll send you to places you've never been to try new things and meet new people - change the lives of street kids in Brazil, perfect your Spanish teaching in Chile or finance an amazing ski season working in a Canadian resort. Whatever you choose, we'll help you get it right!