More information about volunteer positions available:
1. Kindergarten assistant / foreign language teacher
Provide an immersion experience in english or your mother tongue for kindergarten children by speaking exclusively that language with them and applying Neo-Humanist play-way language teaching methodology that is taught to volunteers that can commit to a minimum of three months of service.
An educational background in early childhood education, or experience in the field is not required but it is highly valued.
Individualized self-study and guidance in Neohumanist education will be provided.
Daily teaching program: 10 am – 3 pm
Volunteer periods for the kindergarten:
The small children take time to get used to new people and are sensitive to frequent changes of staff – and so we request volunteers planning to help at the kindergarten to plan to stay for longer periods.
- September – December (4 months)
- February – May (4 months)
- June – August (3 months)
(the summer program includes assisting in yearly renovations in the month of August. There is the opportunity to participate in a Neohumanist education staff seminar before the schools opens in September.
2. After-school center extracurricular assistant
Volunteers at our afterschool center are involved in creating interesting extra-curricular programs for the 25-60 primary school children that attend the program. During the summer we also organize festivals, sports competitions and other activities for the children in the community. Depending on your talents and interests, you may offer arts and crafts activities, photography, film-making, sports, martial arts, cooking or other practical skills. It is best to think about activities that you could demonstrate with actions rather than words as most of the children are not fluent enough in english to understand verbal instructions.
Volunteer periods for the After-School Center
This project is able to accomodate short-term volunteers and doesn’t have a required length of stay. In the summer there are periods where our staff is on vacation so summer stays must be planned ahead to coincide with periods when we are organizing special events for the community.
working hours: 9.30 am-3.30 pm
3. Organic farm volunteers
We also receive volunteers to help on our organic farm during the growing season from March – October. Volunteers live at the farmhouse and help with weeding, planting and harvesting. They are also invited to dinners at our Familia AMURTEL home, though mostly they are living independently at the farm which is about 25 minutes away from Panatau by car.
What to expect when volunteering in Romania
Romania is a country with many interesting contrasts. Bucharest is a bustling, modern metropolis, and while some of its architecture is still marked by the plain, utilitarian style of Communism, it is rapidly developing and has an active cultural scene.
Meanwhile, rural Romanian villages still preserve a traditional, agriculturally based lifestyle. Small farms use hand tools, horses and carts, most villagers do not have running water indoors. Living and working in Panatau is a unique opportunity to travel back in time and experience the old, more ecologically sustainable way of life of an authentic Eastern European village.
Working in AMURTEL is also an opportunity to learn about Neohumanist Education, an innovative, holistic educational method. You will also have the chance to learn more about yogic lifestyle and healthy living, as volunteers are welcome to join our programs at the Morningstar Holistic Center.
Read more about our previous volunteer’s experiences on our volunteer blog.
Accommodations
For the Bucharest jobs, we do not have free housing available, but we will help you to rent a room in an apartment for a minimal cost. There is wireless internet access in the kindergarten and in the apartment, but you need to bring your own laptop. Breakfast and a vegetarian lunch are provided at the kindergarten.
In Panatau, volunteers are housed in a rustic, old fashioned village house about 10 minutes walk from the Familia AMURTEL home, where you will take some of your meals, and about 20 minutes walk to the Fountain of Hope center. The nearest bigger town is about 45 minutes walk. The home has its water from a well (there is indoor plumbing but sometimes it breaks). It is heated by wood stoves in each room. There is no internet availability in the house, but you will have wireless internet access at the Fountain of Hope or Familia AMURTEL homes. It is best to have your own laptop or tablet. Vegetarian meals are provided in the children’s home or after-school center.
Volunteers must be prepared to respect the vegetarian diet while staying in AMURTEL accommodations – but of course are free to eat as they wish when outside of the projects.
Volunteers will participate in the weekly coordinating meetings with AMURTEL staff of the project in which they are involved.
Costs
Volunteers are requested to raise funds to offset the costs of their stay. The following are the minimum amounts recommended, though any additional donation will be accepted with gratitude. Our projects do not benefit from major funding sources, but rather are financed mostly by individual donations.
- Under 3 weeks: Euros 150
- 1 month: Euros 200
- 2nd Month+: Euros 160
- Additional Months: + Euros 120
- Amounts for longterm stays of more than 4 months can be negotiated
These amounts cover our overhead costs to sustain the social projects, as well as the costs of the food you will be provided with. Please note that transportation costs between Bucharest and Panatau are not included and bus costs are about 15 euros roundtrip. Also it is recommended to get a transportation card if staying in Bucharest, which costs about 15 euros per month.
Cheap flights to Romania can be found on:
Application process
In order to volunteer at AMURTEL, you must fill out an application form.
Our volunteer coordinator, Verena Dallaserra, who is an Italian volunteer currently working full time in the AMURTEL projects will then contact you by email to invite you for an interview and send you our volunteer manual.
Please read it carefully and prepare any questions. The interview will take place over skype. After the interview your application will be evaluated and we will communicate to you if you have been accepted. In order to reserve your place, you must send 50 euros which will be deducted from the total amount of your stay. Click here to make the reservation payment online. The remainder can be either similarly paid online on our donation page or given to our volunteer coordinator upon arrival.
Once we have received proof of payment, you will be added to our volunteer calendar. Please remember to announce any changes of plans immediately so that your place can be offered to other volunteers. The $50 reservation fee is not refundable.
However, if you are not satisfied with your volunteer experience and leave earlier than planned, we will refund the remainder of your donation.