At a glance
- Gain hands-on teaching experience in local Romanian schools and support disadvantaged students in beautiful Brasov.
- Put together lessons and activities to encourage students to practice speaking English and increase their confidence.
- You can also teach French and drama.
- Live with a local host family, and get a taste of authentic life in Eastern Europe.
Is volunteer teaching in Romania right for me?
A volunteer Teaching Placement in Romania is perfect for anyone wanting to pursue a career in education, and wanting to get plenty of practical classroom experience. This is a fantastic addition to your CV, and it will give you plenty to talk about in a job interview or university application.
Besides giving you teaching work experience, this project will also help you develop other skills. These include management and planning, which you can apply to any career you pursue.
You don’t need any previous teaching experience to join this project. Just strong spoken English abilities and a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. We run regular workshops for all Teaching and Childcare volunteers, where you can discuss challenges and exchange ideas. You'll have a local teacher working with you, and you can reach out to our Teaching Coordinator at any time.
If you're interested in teaching other subjects, contact our Project Experts. They'll advise you on what subjects you can teach in Romania, and whether you can teach those subjects part-time or full time.
Our Teaching Project in Romania runs year-round and you can join at any time. We encourage you to stay longer so you can have a bigger impact on your students.
What will I do as a volunteer English teacher in Romania?
At your volunteer Teaching placement in Romania, you'll work in a secondary school in the city of Brasov. Alternatively, you could request to work with younger children at a primary school. You'll get involved in work such as:
- Assist local teachers with English lessons as well as other subjects
- Keep a record of your lessons and activities for future volunteers
- Help with extracurricular activities, such as drama, sports, and art
- Attend workshops that will provide you with an insight into the education system in Romania
Your work will focus on the following areas:
Assist local teachers
You'll gain teaching work experience in Romania alongside local English teachers. You’ll help build the students' confidence in spoken English. Most volunteers begin as a teaching assistant but there are opportunities to take your own class once you start to grow in confidence. There are usually about 30 students in a class and we work mainly with students between the ages of 12 and 18.
It is always useful to have authentic material that the students can use to further understand the English language and culture. So, we recommend you bring a few resources from home to help with your lessons. Postcards, photos, and magazines normally work well.
If you are interested in teaching other subjects, such as French or German, let us know and we can arrange these classes.
Keep a record of lessons and activities
If you have no previous teaching experience, no worries! We will provide you with a teaching pack. This pack contains ideas for classes and advice on preparing a lesson plan.
We do request all our volunteers to keep a record of the lessons and activities they do in class. This way, we have even more great ideas to share with future volunteers. By keeping this kind of log, we are constantly improving our project and helping Romanian students learn in the best way possible.
Help with extracurricular activities
If you have any specialised skills or interests such as sports and art, let us know when you apply. Our local Romanian staff can then match you to the schools that would be best suited for you.
Attend workshops
While you’ll be in Romania to teach, it’s also an excellent opportunity to learn.
The Projects Abroad team in Romania organise regular workshops for our Teaching volunteers. These workshops provide you with valuable insights into the education system in Romania. You will also receive loads of advice and suggestions regarding activities.
One of the first workshops you’ll attend will also give you an overview of Romania’s culture and history.
Where you will be working as a Teaching Volunteer in Romania
Brasov
You will be based in the ancient city of Brasov. With its terracotta coloured roofs, gothic spires, medieval gateways, baroque buildings, and pedestrian friendly streets, it’s almost like a fairy tale come to life. Although it may seem quaint and old fashioned at first sight, the city is bursting with modern hustle and bustle.
Your working day will be spent at a school in the city. There are usually about 30 students in a class. These schools are generally well equipped and tend to have a dedicated teaching staff.
Evenings and weekends will normally be your free time to explore. There are always other Projects Abroad volunteers around and plenty to see within Brasov and the Transylvania region in your spare time.
What your typical day will be like as a Teaching Volunteer in Romania
Your day will normally start with a hearty breakfast enjoyed around the table of your Romanian host family. After this you will either walk, cycle, or take public transport to your teaching placement.On your first day, out staff will show you how to get there.
Schools typically start at around 8am. You will have to arrive 15 minutes to half an hour earlier, depending on how much you need to prepare for lessons. During the first hour or so, you will assist local teachers with other lessons. By mid-morning, you will start with English classes till the end of the school day.
You will get an hour and a half lunch break. If your host family lives close by, you can head home for lunch. Alternatively, you will enjoy a packed lunch at school.
From about 2pm to 4pm, you will be involved with extracurricular activities of your choice. In some placements, English clubs have become a popular activity for volunteers to present.
Evenings and weekends are your free time to explore. Make the most of your time in this magnificent country by going on weekend excursions with fellow volunteers. Also, enjoy plenty of meals with your local host family and spend time conversing with them. It’s the very best way to learn more about their life and culture.
What are the aims and impact of this project?
The aim of this project is to help improve English levels among young people in Romania.
Following the revolution in 1989 and the subsequent opening up of the country to the West, it became important for Romanians to speak English. Today, with Romania in the European Union, speaking English is the key to obtaining good jobs. However, most qualified English teachers in Romania are tempted by the higher wages they can earn outside of the classroom.
Schools are always grateful for help from volunteers. Apart from assisting with English lessons, they also play an integral role in creating resources like posters and flashcards. These can be used in classrooms long after you’ve returned home.
With your help, we can ensure that young Romanians improve their English. We’ve identified three long-term, sustainable goals we hope to achieve with our Teaching Project in Romania:
- Improve English
- Encourage learning through creativity
- Improve teaching technique
Join us as a volunteer and help us achieve these goals, as you gain invaluable teaching work experience in Romania.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family or in shared volunteer apartments in Brasov. Your host will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture.
We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Romania and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Volunteering in Romania will give you a unique taste of life in Eastern Europe. With a diverse range of activities, you’ll find plenty to do during your free time.
This is the ideal destination for architecture lovers, with stunning, old buildings lining the streets. The Biserica Neagră is one example of haunting gothic architecture, with its stone walls blackened by a fire that raged through the area in the 17th century.
It’s not just the buildings that are worth checking out, but the streets as well. More specifically, you can squeeze your way through one of the narrowest streets in Europe!
It’s worth taking a weekend trip to Transylvania to visit Bran Castle, the home of legendary Count Dracula. While you’re there, you can tour ASTRA Museum and delve into the magical world of Romanian folklore.
You’ll likely be amongst many other volunteers during your trip. This gives you the option to explore either on your own or in a group.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Romania
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