Following a successful first season in Croatia, ISV is excited to announce its expansion in Eastern Europe with projects now offered in Croatia, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our focus for the 2009 season will be partnering with local organizations to focus on community development projects, and some conservation initiatives. If you are interested in caring for children in orphanages and schools, participating in local community development programs and providing assistance to the disadvantaged, then keep your eyes on this webpage in the coming weeks. We are currently researching where ISV can best be of service to local organizations and assessing them against our standards for safety, professionalism, logistics, and sustainability.
Below you will find some country information and the types of volunteer opportunities ISV is currently pursuing. Please check the website regularly as we will update the page as soon as possible.
Volunteer Projects:
Each project runs for two weeks and is operated in partnership with well-established local organizations including, not-for-profit government and non government organizations (NGOs), private industries, and local grassroots groups. Projects are based in various locations, from remote village communities to urban settings. Each volunteer team will be supervised and directed by professional staff from the host organization and an ISV project leader. The volunteer team will consist of around 10 - 14 people, depending on the project. *Please note that projects in two different countries are offered for each departure date and not all projects run simultaneously.*
No prior experience or expertise is needed in order to participate. Accommodations vary with projects, ranging from volunteer houses, dormitory style accommodations to research stations. Meals (three per day) will be provided during the volunteer project.
Projects in Croatia:
Croatia is a country of astounding natural beauty – crystal clear rivers, wild mountains, rolling plains and a dramatic coastline. Croatian people retain a strong attachment to the land and their traditions. Volunteer opportunities for the 2009 season will be directed towards local community work – creating vibrant living spaces and providing local youth with opportunities for creative expression, fun and enjoyment (Project Organization details coming soon). ISV will also continue its partnership with the Velebit Association, contributing to the care and protection of brown bears in the mountain village community of Kuterevo (see following text).
Velebit Association: Orphan Bear Project
In 2001 the community of Kuterevo came together to contribute to the preservation of Brown Bears in Croatia. The Project is based in a mountain village which borders the North Velebit National Park. The center runs a public awareness campaign for the protection of brown bears and their habitat and houses orphan bears that have lost their mothers and require immediate care for their survival. The program also aims to promote the sustainable living traditions of the local mountain community, who have lived in the area for many generations
The center aims to connect volunteers to the environment through simple living ideals, engagement with nature and work on the brown bear project.
Volunteers will work on such tasks as:
- Walking trail construction in the new enclosures
- Monitoring bear activity in the surrounding forest
- Assisting in the care of orphan bears
- Education of day visitors to the centre
- Renovation of volunteer accommodations
*Please note that Croatian projects are scheduled for the following program dates: 15-May; 29-May; 12-June; 10-July; and 24-July.*
(Details of new projects and Project Organizations in Croatia coming soon)
Projects in Romania:
Romania is the home of the infamous Dracula, mountains that curl across Transylvania, gypsy communities and gothic towns with castles and cobbled streets. In 2000, nearly half the population lived below the poverty line, and many children were being placed in orphanages or being forced to take refuge on the streets. Today, Romania is consolidating its standing in the European Union and living standards are continuing to rise. ISV’s focus in the 2009 season is to help Romania's children by partnering with established organizations that provide services for local communities that cannot be provided from elsewhere. Volunteer opportunities exist in a diverse range of areas, including activities with children, refugees, people with disabilities, projects aimed at environmental protection, construction of buildings for social use (schools, community centers) and the restoration and preservation of local traditional values.
Asociatia Pro Vita:
Pro Vita is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization based in the villages of Valea Screzzi & Valea Plopului in the foothills of the Transylvanian Alps. Its mission is to offer homes and families to children who have been orphaned and abandoned, to provide care and shelter for women and children in need, homeless adults and support for individuals living in poverty.
The goals for the volunteer project this summer are to work towards the completion of the on-site school which will provide educational and vocational training for adults and children, with a special focus for mothers with few discernible skills.
Volunteers will work on such tasks as:
- Bricklaying, mixing concrete and other light construction activities associated with building the school.
- Providing care for orphan children at the center and organizing games and activities to support their personal development.
*Please note that Romanian projects are scheduled for the following program dates: 12-June; 26-June; and 24-July.*
(Details of new projects and Project Organizations in Romania coming soon)
Projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the most easterly point of the West and the most westerly point of the East, baring the imprint of two great empires – the Ottoman Turks and the Austro-Hungarians. It is also known for tragic reasons when Sarajevo was part of a four-year war in the mid 1990’s. Volunteer projects will seek to focus on empowering local youth, promoting their personal development and providing creative outlets for them in communities which lack these services. Another focus will be providing care for those community members that are facing hardship (orphans and the elderly). A key goal in these projects will be to promote the values of civil society and to foster a respect for different cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
*Please note that Bosnia and Herzegovina projects are scheduled for the following program dates: 15-May; 29-May; 26-June and 10-July.*
(Details of new projects and Project Organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina coming soon)
Project Locations
Please Note: Projects are available on specific dates only. Depending on your assigned departure date, only certain projects will be available. Please be flexible in your project preferences; these are ALL great projects with significant community development, conservation and educational value in phenomenal locations and all with highly regarded organizations.
