Volunteering: Benefits, Rights and Responsibilities

For a migrant, the social integration within the community is an important aspect and volunteering may contribute to this. Doing volunteering work opens one's horizons and contributes to making new friends, as well as developing both personally and professionally. This workshop aimed to provide the participants both the knowledge about the legislation in Romania, but also to empower them to engage in volunteering activities.

Empowering youth migrants to engage in volunteering activities in order to integrate better in their host community.

The aim of the session was to strengthen the knowledge of 12 participants, migrants located in Cluj-Napoca and its surroundings, on the topic of volunteering: benefits, rights and responsibilities through an interactive online workshop during the volunteering fair organised by PATRIR organisation. 

There should be a minimum of one facilitator with knowledge and expertise in the field of youth work and volunteering.

Create a friendly and open environment. Make sure that everybody feels confortable. Since it is an online session, make sure you set the rules at the beginning (camera turned on preferably, but not mandatory, microphone turned off while not speaking) and encourage speaking and engagement.

The session starts with an introduction of the organisation, followed by a get to know each other activity (participants are asked about their name, country of origin, if they did volunteering before and if yes, an example of activity). Afterward, a brainstorming on the benefits of doing volunteering follows and a quiz about the legal requirements for individuals who want to volunteer in Romania. Participants are presented the rights and responsibilities of the host organisation and of the volunteer. Other relevant issues such as the coordinator of volunteers or contract of volunteering are presented and detailed. At the end participant may address questions.

Volunteering Legislation within the country

Lack of involvement of participants due tot the online environment. 
High risk of misunderstanding some concepts.

The session is designed to be facilitated online.

Introduction - Introduction to volunteering - Benefits of Volunteering - Rights and responsibilities of the volunteers - Rights and Responsibilities of the host organisation

1. After each participant introduces themselves, they will be invited to write down one word that describes what volunteering means for them.
2. The participants will be presented the definition of volunteering, as well as the fields they can get involved into.
3. The participants will be asked about the benefits of volunteering from their perspective. A discussion will be conducted.
4. The participants will better understand the legal framework of volunteering in Romania, through a quiz.
5. The participants will learn about the host organisation, the volunteers' coordinator and the volunteering contract, through a presentation.
6. The participants will learn about the rights and responsibilities of volunteers.
 

Recap all the things explored throughout the workshop.

Q&A session, followed with one word said by each participants that describes what they learnt during the session, or how they felt.