Organising informal education activities in schools, youth clubs, and kindergartens

Vilja volunteered in Romania in 2023 with Voluntariat pentru viata for 11 months. She helped planning and giving informal education in schools, youth clubs, and kindergartens.

🎤 What has been the most memorable or impactful moment from your volunteering experience — something you will never forget?

"The most memorable moment from my volunteering experience was being part of a big family that wasn't my biological family. From the first day I arrived in Romania I was taken care of and it felt like a second home from the very beginning. 

My mentor opened her house and welcomed us into her family. Every Friday all the volunteers gathered to cook a traditional meal together from one of the participating countries so that we could all learn from each other and taste food from another culture. We also had the chance to taste Romanian dishes, dance and listen to music from different parts of the world. It was a great experience of cultural exchange."

🎤 What type of impact did your engagement have on the local community where you were active?

"I believe and truly hope that my volunteering work made a positive impact on the children I spent time with in Romania. We noticed that the activities we organised in the schools and after school clubs helped the kids learn more about collaboration and other cultures. 

We also made a volunteering festival where we aimed to inspire the children to try something similar to what we were doing. The volunteers were an important part of the small local community where we lived, and we could really feel that we were appreciated. Children would stop us at the street, wave and give us hugs. That feeling of gratitude and connection was incredibly special."

 🎤 How has volunteering contributed to your personal growth, professional development, or overall outlook on life? 

"My volunteering experience has contributed enormously to my personal growth. I learnt so much about myself, how I handle new situations, how I work with others and how I adapt to challenges. It made me more self-confident in many ways, by improving and believing in my English skills, talking in front of people and trusting my ability to navigate in unfamiliar environments. 

Going to Romania alone is also something I’m really proud of because it’s not the first place people usually think of traveling to. That makes the experience even more unique and meaningful to me. Looking back, I can see how much it shaped me and helped me grow both personally and professionally."

Updated on Tuesday, 14/04/2026