Romania Volunteer Programs | Most Affordable & Trusted

My trip to Romania was a very last minute one having only applied 2 weeks before my placement at the animal shelter was due to start. The reason for my late application was that i had been deliberating over whether to apply or not due to a mix of nervousness and not knowing what the experience would entail. Inspite of this, i decided to go ahead and apply to the animal shelter project in Romania with IVHQ in partnership with care2travel and having just finished my time there, my only regret would be not spending longer at this incredible place and program.

With regard to the support surrounding the placement, i was picked up from the airport as soon as i arrived by one of the care2travel staff named Orsi who was incredibly welcoming and made me feel at ease straight away. Then, having arrived at the accommodation, which was situated in the centre of Miercurea Ciuc. I was impressed by a large courtyard surrounded by rustic buildings with generously sized rooms. In terms of my expenses, there were very little as not only was i able to request groceries for the house which was included in the program fee for breakfast and dinner, but lunch was also provided at a local restaurant. The restaurant offered a large variety of food for all different requirements including a range of local delicacies. As a result the only expenses that you will experience will be either for drinks at one of the local bars or cafés such as grund which was my personal favourite, or if you decide to do one of many afternoon experiences such as horse riding, adventure activities, cookery along with a host of other options which care2travel offer in partnership with locals in order to facilitate their ideals of sustainable tourism.

In terms of my time at the Pro Animalia animal shelter, i could not do the experience justice. Prior to applying, one of my main concerns was, being a huge dog person, whether i would be able to cope with the experience emotionally. As i thought i would, i became very close with several of the dogs, particularly one of the puppies named jeremiah. However, i quicky realised during my placement that they were receiving a very high standard of care which indeed is made possible with the help of volunteers such as yourselves. Therefore i understood that the best way to further help the dogs is to give them lots of affection and to encourage others who are on the fence about joining to further help the dogs at the shelter.

One of the things that i most enjoyed about the experience was that the staff were very flexible in terms of how i helped at the shelter. For instance i have a passion for photography and the staff encouraged me to use this skill set to take photos of the dogs for their website. My main role however was to socialise the puppies and young dogs. Although the majority of the puppies were very playful, there were several more timid dogs which can limit the likelihood of their adoption thus socialising these dogs early on their development is key. The importance of early socialisation is furthered by the fact that once a dog has found a new home, not only is it amazing for the dog but it also opens up space for the shelter to help other dogs who are in difficult situations. I am pleased to say that by the end of my week, i noticed several of the more timid dogs feeling more comfortable to interact with myself and the other volunteers. Better still i’ve heard from the volunteers who have stayed on that the dogs are making even more progress.

Overall, i had an incredible experience throughout my time in Romania both in terms of my experience at the shelter itself as well as meeting so many amazing volunteers from across the world. Therefore i would highly recommend this IVHQ program to anybody as not only will you he helping a very worthy project but i’m sure that you will also have an amazing personal experience in Romania.

My experience with IVHQ and Care2travel Romania was absolutely incredible!
I was lucky enough to join the animal care program in Romania for 2 weeks, it was absolutely unreal, every day I was with these adorable puppies and dogs, I had to pinch myself because it felt too good to be true. In addition to my new fur friends, I also met some truly amazing people and have made lifelong friends. Romania is a real hidden gem of Europe, the country is so beautiful and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit, I will definitely be back! I cannot fault IVHQ or Care2travel Romania, everyone made the experience so easy and enjoyable for all of us volunteers. My only regret is not being able to stay longer, I did not want to leave! You will not regret joining this program.

This is my first time trying volunteering overseas, really wasn't sure what to expect and basically decided to keep my mind open for an one-week short try.

The IVHQ program is very well organized from beginning to end. Before I completed the registration for the program in Romania, I had fair amount of questions (as you can imagine), there has always been quick responses to my questions and the website actually provides almost all details I needed to know, only wish I read things more carefully.

The local team welcomed me at the airport with a pleasant ride to Miercurea Cuic as a great start. Once the program started, I got to help with the back office activities as part of the NGO assignment and visited a couple of schools with the team. I felt the local team work together like a family, everyone does have the passion for what they do, and there's a lot of care for the volunteers from overseas.

Overall, I have to say I am impressed even with just one week of staying, wish I had signed up for something longer to get to know the local culture more and work with the local team a bit more too. Big THANK YOU to Peter, Orsi, Jackie, Norbi and other folks from the Care2Travel team, you guys make all good things happen, I will miss you guys so much! :)

Garry

I volunteered with IVHQ in Romania 🇷🇴 from Jan 20th to Feb 1st for 2 weeks - overall it was an amazing experience that was somehow a lot more than I expected. The local organization is Care2travel with very supportive and helpful staff, which is a non-profit association that literally places the volunteers in the appropriate positions in terms of local practical needs.

The project I worked on was Agriculture, at that time we were dealing with a solar panel heating with the use of black-painted cans which encourages air exchange when it heats up, which was an idea of energy converting that could be unfolded in many ways.

We were also able to have a chance to communicate with the local volunteers via the platform of English Club, hanging out with wonderful people, thus knowing the rich culture & beauty of Csikszereda this very special place as a whole a lot better.
Plus highly recommend Csiksomlyói the skiing place with ski slopes, somewhere between elementary and intermediate, which was worth going with reasonable price and kind instructors.

I have experienced and gained a lot by volunteering in Romania with amazing scenery and friendly people that is rare to find on many other occasions.
Highly recommend to anyone who wants a fulfilling and meaningful experience.

When first landing, I was scared. This was my first time travelling and I was doing it alone, I had certainly gone all out for my first time. However, when the team picked me up I was soon completely at ease. In fact by the end of the first day I felt like I was home. My stay was amazing here. The accommodation was nice and shopping was done twice a week and volunteers could do up a list to plan meals. The Dog shelter that I was working was well maintained and there was always someone there if you needed help or didn't know what to do next.

The night after returning home, I found myself missing this place. I wanted to go back and stay longer. I highly recommend this place for new and old volunteers as it bow holds some of the best moments in my life.

I served as an NGO support volunteer in Romania for four weeks. This was an immensely positive experience and I gain a deeper sense of appreciation for volunteer work and cultural exposure. IVHQ proved to be a very effective platform for the discovery of such a wonderful opportunity, and I was the recipient of steady support and encouragement from their team. They were quick to answer any questions that I had and I was impressed with their outreach to ensure that I was having an enjoyable experience while on site.

While I was in Romania, I worked with the association Care2Travel, which is a local humanitarian aid group whose intentions are to invigorate the community and inspire them to serve those around them. Care2Travel is staffed with dedicated, hard-working, compassionate people, and it was a privilege to work with all of them. They were all very helpful and kind in helping me feel welcome and useful, and the work that they asked me to complete was meaningful.

Because of this experience, I grew to be more patient and flexible. Even if I was unsure of how to complete a task, I never felt afraid to ask questioins which further developed my confidence and resolve to do my best. I was humbled and inspired by the opportunities to serve in whichever capacity I was needed, which made me feel like a valued member of the team.

I am very grateful for the time that I had in Romania and I will never forget it. I made wonderful new friends, enjoyed beautiful Romanian sites, learned about a new culture, and identified ways in which I could grow to be a better person. A program that allows for all of this to be achieved is truly exceptional.

My IVHQ program in Romania was an amazing experience. While the program was located in a small town in Romania, Hungarians made up most of the population, so this was the primary language of the area. We were able to experience everyday life, and had the chance to meet locals through the weekly English conversation groups.

For my placement I was in the Special Needs program, which was a short walk from the volunteer accommodation. This program serves young adults, and helps them with tasks such as cooking, household chores, and language development. There was also other fun activities like a weekly dance class. All the clients received a weekly physical therapy session, and since I am a licensed physical therapist in the US, I was able to provide PT services, which was my motivation in volunteering. Everyone at this day program, with the exception of a few program leaders, spoke only Hungarian. While this was a little discouraging/difficult at first, it did not prevent me from assisting with daily tasks or providing PT services.

As for the volunteer accommodation, the apartment was very clean, and all the volunteers quickly connected, making it a welcoming environment. The accommodation is located on the main street of the town, and just about everything is walkable, including the train station.

The local staff was always available and joined us in events such as bowling, socializing at restaurants, and weekly group dinners. I highly recommend this program.

Just an incredible experience from the beginning to the end. I was met with a driver that carried a clearly marked sign and a big smile. From the moment he picked me up and the 4 hour drive to the acommendations, he was informative and so friendly. Additionally, he offer me a snack on a short stop on the way. Sunday, as schedule the representitive gave an outline of the following weeks over coffee at a charming street cafe. I volunteered to work on an Agriculture project and later volunteered my help with summer camps of school age kids. It was fun to see the smiles and experience their curiousity. I was the old guy in the group but never felt old. I was amazed of the experience and energy the young volunteers had. I was included in the many activities on or off of the camps including cleaning up gardens, barbecues, mountain hiking, observing bears, making cheese, and meetings at the local meeting places. I highly recommend the experience but spend enough time to get to know the locals. They are so friendly and humble, wow a stay in Transylvania, how exciting.