Gap Year & Voluntary Work in Romania & Moldova

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
A Jewish humanitarian assistance organisation that provides assistance to communities of Jews living in Romania. As part of the year long Jewish Service Corps volunteers will work to promote Jewish identity and community development by organising and guiding others in Jewish educational, cultural, social, and religious programmes. JDC look for mature self starters who are not only adventurous, self confident, and energetic but also gentle change agents and open minded individuals looking for personal challenges and growth. Volunteers should have a strong Jewish background and a passion for transmitting it, as well as experience in formal/informal education or social welfare. A knowledge of Hebrew and/or Russian is valuable in many placements. In return JDC provides round trip travel expenses, housing, health insurance, a monthly stipend for basic living expenses, and a small end of year bonus. Volunteers participate in an orientation programme in New York in June and in a mid year seminar overseas in January.
www.jdc.org

British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
BTCV works with partners abroad to provide conservation working holidays.
www.btcv.org.uk

Challenges Worldwide
Challenges Worldwide matches the business skills and experience of volunteers to the needs of their partners around the world to help them deliver better services for their local communities. CWW typically works with volunteers who have a minimum of three years work experience and is always on the lookout for volunteers with backgrounds in law, finance, accounting, communications, marketing, HR, IT, business planning, management and administration.
www.challengesworldwide.com

Changing Worlds
Placement opportunities to work in Romanian schools and orphanages in and around the mediaeval town of Sibiu. It is possible to combine both the school and orphanage placements.
www.changingworlds.co.uk

Child and Adult Support Team
Volunteers are required, using various techniques, to help Romanian babies, children, teenagers, and adults have a better life.
www.cast-uk.com

DAD International
DAD provides summer and winter activity and learning programmes in Romania. Volunteers are required to help teach English to Romanian children aged eight to 18.
www.dad.ro

Global Volunteer Network
GVN provide volunteer programmes through their partner organisations in over 20 countries around the world including Romania. Here, volunteers have the opportunity to join a Christian mission which cares for disabled orphans. There are four group homes, and volunteers will work with orphans aged from teenage to young adults. Applicants should be female, aged 21 to 60 and from New Zealand, Australia, North or South America, UK, Europe, Japan, China, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, or South Africa.
www.volunteer.org.nz

International Student Volunteers
ISV volunteers in Romania help to create schools and parks for children or can teach at educational summer camps, community centres and orphanages.
www.isvonline.com

MondoChallenge
MondoChallenge sends volunteers to help with development programmes in Romania. Volunteers work mainly with traditional Hungarian and Csango ethnic groups, teaching and looking after orphans and disadvantaged women and children. Accommodation for volunteers is provided free with local families or in local guest houses depending on the volunteer’s preference.
www.mondochallenge.org

Operation Mobilisation
A Christian organisation, Operation Mobilisation works in more than 100 countries, motivating and equipping people to share God’s love with people all over the world.
www.uk.om.org

Projects Abroad
Projects abroad have programmes in both Romania and Moldova.
www.projects-abroad.org

Services for Open Learning
SOL send teachers to Romania.
www.sol.org.uk

Scripture Union
The Scripture Union is a non denominational, Christ centred international movement, founded in 1867, working in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. Volunteers can go to both Romania and Moldova. The stand out programme is Surf Romania, where, after presenting the news about Christ to 35 Romanian kids, volunteers share in the fun of windsurfing, sailing, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, archery, football and other activities.
www.scriptureunion.org.uk

Twin Training & Travel
Twin volunteers to Romania can work as a childrens activity leader and teaching assistant or at a nursery school.
www.twinuk.com

Volunteer Action for Peace
A UK based charity organisation which works towards creating and preserving international peace, justice and human solidarity for people and their communities. Typically the work will involve either social work with the elderly, disabled or teenagers or renovation work.
www.vap.org.uk

Volunteers for Peace
An American international volunteer organisation that sometimes has placements to Romania and Moldova in its database.
www.vfp.org

World Exchange
Supports churches and community organisations in the developing world by sending them skilled volunteers and by delivering useful training courses. Younger volunteers are able to work in schools in Romania.
www.worldexchange.org.uk

WWOOF Moldova
At the time of writing there was only one organic farm in Moldova but working there seems a good way of finding out more about this little visited country.
www.wwoofmoldova.org

WWOOF Romania
A large and rural country, WWOOF presents a good way to explore Romania by volunteering on organic farms.
www.wwoof.ro

Youth for Understanding
YFU is a non profit NGO that offers young people around the world the chance to spend the summer or school year living in Bucharest or Chisinau.
www.yfu.org

>>Full List of Gap Years by Country
>>Live, Work & Travel Romania
>>Live, Work & Travel in Moldova