Youth Development
Education
Health 
Nutrition 
Construction/Home Improvement

Where: Gorna Koznitsa, 1 ½ hours from Sofia; ½ hour from Kyustendil located in SW Bulgaria. Kyustendil is located at the foot of the Osogovo Mountain on the banks of the Banska River.  The town is 90km southwest of Sofia and 22km from the border of Macedonia.  Kyustendil is a well-know center of balneology, the treatment of disease by bathing in hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation or stimulation.  A Thracian settlement in the 5th and 4th centuries BC, with the Romans turning it into an important stronghold, balneological resort, and trade center in the 1st century 

Setting: Rural

Mission: The Cedar Foundation aims to permanently change Bulgaria by closing down all of its institutions and setting up quality alternative care systems.

How?

Working with the state and local governments to create viable means of deinstitutionalizing Bulgaria.

Using expert and professional consultants to structure and create models applicable to Bulgaria’s unique characteristics.

Facilitating training of care givers and personnel currently working in Bulgaria’s orphanages as well as recruiting and training future alternative care staff members.

Why?

We believe that every person deserves humane treatment.

We believe every person has basic, unalienable human rights.

We believe Bulgaria is capable of providing appropriate care for the disabled.

Organization Website:  www.cedarfoundation.org

What kinds of projects could the Cedar Foundation offer a short term volunteer?
For all applicants, we are looking for caring people who are able to adapt quickly to a foreign environment, who are flexible and open-minded, service-oriented and who possess good communication skills.

Therapy Trainers:  Train care workers in home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities in methods and practices in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Art Therapy or Behavioral Management. 

Education and skills: A degree and/or certification in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Art Therapy or Behavioral Management, or significant experience sufficient to train others in therapeutic methods.

Nutritionists:  Assist in the development of menus and recipes for residents in small group homes.

Education and skills:  Education and experience in Health and Nutrition.

Home Improvement Work:  Assist in improvement projects for a home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities; Assist in decorating, furnishing of new homes of a family type for provision of new services for people with mental disabilities. 

Education and skills:  No specific education or experience required.  We are looking for people with a good ability to solve problems and to perform various maintenance duties.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to the Cedar Foundation? 4-12 weeks

What kinds of projects could the Cedar Foundation offer an intern ?

Activity Program for Community Living Consultants:  Assist in the design and implementation of a community living activity program for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities, to provide skills for transition from life in an institution to life in small family-type homes.

Tasks: 

Work with Cedar Foundation staff, the director of a home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities, and other relevant persons to develop a plan for an activity program for teaching skills to residents which will help them in their transition from life in an institution to life in small group homes and in a community.

Assist in the identification of relevant persons to implement Activity Program. Help train home staff in implementation of Activity Program.  

Work with the residents of the home as an Activity Program leader/teacher.

Consult Cedar staff and staff in the home in methods for sustainability for the Activity program

(continuing training after relocation to small group homes).

Teach marketable working skills or crafts to adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities.

Education and skills:  Education and experience in Special Education, Occupational Therapy, Behavioral Management, Art Therapy, Clinical psychology or Special Education OR strong knowledge in a marketable skill or craft and ability to work with people with mental disabilities to help them acquire these skills.

Care Givers:  Assist staff in home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities in daily caretaking activities in the home (e.g. mealtimes, class time, etc.)

Tasks:

Work with the director and staff of a home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities in everyday caretaking work.

Spend quality time with one bedridden child in the institution.  (Reading stories, playing games etc.)

Assist in projects in the small group home for improvement of the environment (identifying needs and solving problems)

Education and skills: No specific education or experience required, though experience working as a psychiatric nurse with people with mental disabilities preferred.  For Care Givers, we are looking especially for people who have a strong desire to help in day-to-day activities, resourcefulness and a sense of caring and commitment.

Individual Care Plan Consultants:  Assist in the design and implementation of Individual Care Plans for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities, to provide transition from life in an institution to life in small family-type homes.

Tasks:

Assist in the identification of special needs of residents in a home for children and adults with     moderate to severe mental disabilities in volunteer’s specialty (Occupational Therapy, Physical therapy,    Art therapy, behavior modification, Speech Therapy, Clinical Psychology, etc.).

Consult Cedar Foundation staff and other relevant persons in design and development of Individual   Care Plans for each resident in the home, to assist in the transition from life in an institution to life in a small-group home environment.

Work with children and/or adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities in volunteer’s field of specialty, in implementation of Individual Care Plans.

Education and skills: Education and experience in the field of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Art Therapy, Clinical Psychology, Behavioral management or Special Education.  Experience working with Individual Care Plans or Individual Education Plans strongly preferred.

Therapists:  Work individually or in small groups with children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities in a rehabilitation capacity (occupational therapy, art therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, behavior management)

Tasks:

Help identify special therapy needs of the residents in a home for children and adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities (occupational therapy, physical therapy, art therapy, or speech therapy).

Lead therapy sessions with individuals and groups in the home in therapy field of specialty.

Work with Cedar Foundation staff and director of the home to design and lead training programs for the home staff members in the volunteer’s field of specialty.

Education and skills: Education and experience in the field of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Art Therapy or Behavioral Management.  Experience working with children and/or adults with moderate to severe mental disabilities strongly preferred.

For all applicants, we are looking for caring and committed people who will be able to adapt to life in a foreign environment, are flexible, open-minded and service-oriented team players with good communication skills.  Experience working with people with mental disabilities is preferred but in certain cases not required. 

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to the Cedar Foundation? 24-52 weeks

Working Conditions:
The Cedar Foundation is working in partnership with government authorities, experts, and the director and staff of a home for children and adults with mental disabilities to close the home and provide alternative services for the residents in larger communities.  This undertaking is multi-faceted and quite dynamic, and we are in need of many types of volunteers for work in the institution, to help smooth the residents’ transition from an institutional to a small group home environment.  

The education and experience of each applicant volunteer will be assessed on an individual basis, and we are very open to being flexible in our requirements if an applicant demonstrates the ability and desire to provide committed, caring volunteer service under professional supervision in this challenging environment.  In other words, while we do have a great need for specialists such as therapists, psychiatric nurses, medical nurses, special educators or behavioral specialists, we also have a need for non-specialized, open-minded people with good problem solving skills, ability to adapt to challenging situations and a true sense of service learning.

Conditions in the home are less than ideal, and volunteers who are interested in helping should be prepared to be open-minded and flexible in their acclimation to such an environment.  That being said, the Cedar Foundation is prepared to provide orientation, ongoing support and a team-based atmosphere for all volunteers and interns to assist in their adjustment and work at the home.

Environment
Veterinary Medicine
NGO Development
Fundraising

Where: Stara Zagora, the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, is one hour east of Sofia.  Stara Zagora is known as the city with straight streets, the linden tree, and poets.  Stara Zagora is considered one of the oldest settlements in Bulgaria and in the whole of southeastern Europe.  Founded by the Thracians in the 6th-5th century BC, you will find the oldest preserved Neolithic dwellings and copper mine in Europe.

Setting: Urban/Rural

Mission: Green Balkan’s mission is to preserve the nature of Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula

Biodiversity conservation

Habitat restoration 

Sustainable natural resource management 

Improvement of nature conservation policy and legislation

Environmental education 

Areas of activity:

Conservation and restoration of rare and threatened species and their habitats 

Conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of wetlands 

Conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of forests; prevention of corruption and poaching in the forest system 

Expanding and strengthening of the protected area network and support for the establishment of NATURA 2000 and the National Ecological Network 

Support for the reforms in the Bulgarian nature-conservation legislation and its approximation to the European one 

Popularization of the principles of sustainable development and encouragement of environmentally friendly economic activities 

Support for the building of capacities for biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource use 

Raising public awareness and commitment to nature conservation and sustainable development 

Mobilization of youth potential for nature conservation and environment protection; popularization of the values of volunteering 

“Ex situ” conservation – implementation of a program for wildlife rehabilitation, treatment, and release back into the wild in Bulgaria’s only Wildlife Rescue Center; implementation of programs for breeding and reintroduction of rare species 

Organization Website: www.greenbalkans.org

The volunteers are primarily involved in the Wildlife Rescue Centre’s, Green Balkans – Stara Zagora, activities and work. The daily work is for the complete care for the animals. 

Tasks: receiving the injured animals, food preparation and feeding, cleaning, observation, help in some specific veterinary work, the breeding program for injured birds, the release of successfully recovered animals. Through this, the volunteers will understand how the rescue centre works as a whole and the complete rehabilitation process. From this experience and interaction they can create their own picture, discover for themselves their own area of interest and contribute to the activity. 

There are also opportunities to participate in other activities of  Green Balkans and with other organization, such as the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). 

Tasks: guarding the Imperial eagle’s nests, telemetry (radio tracking) of the Black vultures, monitoring of nesting and migrating birds, banding of birds, feeding of vultures.  Participation with common projects with other organizationsand in seminars and presentations is possible. These activities are based in different regions of the country, and the volunteers will have the possibility to visit more places in Bulagria. These activities involve active communication and development of neccessary skills. The volunteers are encouraged to take part in weekly meetings where they receive information and participate in discussions. 

Education and skills: Participants should be students of or have education or experience in one or more of the following: natural resources, wildlife biology, conservation biology, wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education.  It is most important to be highly motivated and enthusiastic because the work is quite demanding.  Green Balkans is looking for people who are very passionate about nature.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer/intern assigned to Green Balkans?  24 weeks maximum; 12 weeks minimum

Environment
Natural Resources
Business Development
Information Technology

Where: Sofia, the capital and largest city in Bulgaria, has a population of 1.5 million people.  Located in western Bulgaria at the foot of Vitosha Mountain, is it the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational center of the country.  Sofia, one of the oldest cities in Europe, is 7000 years old.  

Setting: Urban

Mission: BlueLink aims to create a free forum for exchange of information in order to support sustainable development, democracy and civil society. 

Organization Website: www.bluelink.net

What is BlueLink?

A virtual network offering a broad variety of Internet based services for all who are interested in issues related to environment, natural resources, and sustainable development in Bulgaria.

A place to post and obtain information about domestic and international environmental news, events, campaigns, activities, and projects.

A forum to communicate and exchange ideas among environmentally concerned people from Bulgaria and all over the world. 

What is the purpose of BlueLink?

To be a convenient, easy-to-use and dynamic tool for rapid dissemination and updating of information, for active communication and joint-problem solving among people involved in the environmental decision-making on regional, national and international level.

To enhance information-sharing and networking among Bulgarian nongovernmental organizations for the alleviation of environmental problems.

To raise the awareness and educate the local community as a whole about environmentally related issues. 

What kinds of projects could BlueLink offer a short term volunteer? We can involve the intern in our capacity building program.

Tasks: The volunteer will be asked to develop and execute a capacity building program for the BlueLink team – 6 persons so far. The volunteer could be involved in training organized by BlueLink for third parties.

Education and skills:  team building, organizational development, fundraising, lobbying and advocacy, networking, working with the media, Web 2.0, etc.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to Blue Link? 4-10 weeks

What kinds of projects could BlueLink offer an intern?

Development of an on-line shop 

Marketing of BlueLink services

Fundraising on specific projects

Research of the users of BlueLink, etc.

Tasks:

Research and evaluation of suitable on-line applications

Marketing and PR activities

Search for funding opportunities

Development of project proposals

Education and skills:

Some web programming knowledge

Marketing and PR skills

Writing skills

Analytical skills

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to BlueLink?  24-52 weeks

Environment
Environmental Education
Fundraising
Capacity Building
Organizational Development
Marketing

Where: Vlahi and Sofia. 

Vlahi is located in southwestern Bulgaria and is nestled at the foot of the Pirin Mountains.  This tiny village with its hard but beautiful way of life and unique nature has visitors wish to come back again and again.  

Sofia, the capital and largest city in Bulgaria, has a population of 1.5 million people.  Located in western Bulgaria at the foot of Vitosha Mountain, is it the administrative, cultural, economic, and educational center of the country.  Sofia, one of the oldest cities in Europe, is 7000 years old. 

Setting: Vlahi is rural; Sofia is urban

Mission: The aims and objectives of CVS-Bulgaria are to popularize the idea of voluntary work through organizing voluntary initiatives, to motivate young people to participate in voluntary actions, to promote and support international understanding and solidarity, social justice, and respect for the environment. 

Organization Website: www.cvs-bg.org

What kinds of projects could CVS offer an Isla short term volunteer?
One of the main activities of CVS-Bulgaria is to organize summer work camps. A group of international volunteers come together for 2-3 weeks to help out a public benefit project. By living, working, playing, sharing together they learn about each other’s cultures and learn to act as a team. The work camps are our tool for promotion of peace and intercultural understanding. 

The short-term volunteers can join such a work camp as participant or as a group leader.

What is a work camp? 
“A work camp is a place, where people from different nationalities, ideologies and religions live and work together as volunteers for a period of two to four weeks. The projects are organized with local partners and non-profit organizations. The work camps usually take place during the summer, but there are spring and winter projects as well. The number of participants in each work camp ranges from 5 to 20, depending on the type of the project. Projects fall into three broad categories: physical work, such as building, planting and restoration; social work, often with children or people with handicaps; or work/study, where work and learning opportunities are integrated. During the work camp participants communicate and work with local people, you can get acquainted with their culture and habits. Through inter-cultural volunteer work, you have the chance to promote tolerance and peace worldwide. This is the main idea behind work camps, and it works well!”  CVS

What kind of a volunteer is best suited to this kind of experience?
The work camp is ideal for someone who is a first time traveler or someone who has limited time, but who would like participant in a worthy endeavor, experience a new culture, and meet new people.  The short term work camp experience with CVS is ideal for a university student who would like to follow-up their service learning volunteer experience of 2-4 weeks with a rail trip around Europe before heading back home.

Are there any other projects an Isla short term volunteer could work on with CVS?
CVS-Bulgaria is a grassroots organization, with great ideas and limited staff capacity. Some additional help is always welcomed, especially if it provides expertise in subjects like: public relations, fundraising, organizational development, volunteer management. For 1-8 weeks the Isla volunteers could particularly help with:

organizing the promotional campaign (April-June) for the summer work amp season

organizing preparation trainings for outgoing volunteers (May-June)

administrating the volunteer placement

coordinate the ad-hoc volunteer teams (social/ecological and human rights volunteer working groups, prep-teams for different CVS events)

preparing project proposals

searching for alternative sources of funding

establishing contacts with like-minded organizations in Bulgaria and abroad

promoting the work and the name of CVS-Bulgaria

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to CVS? 3-4 weeks

What kinds of projects could CVS offer an Isla intern?
Some of the tasks for the aforementioned CVS short term volunteer projects could be stretched through 9-52 weeks.

In addition we can offer interesting and enriching experience in supporting:

the development of the School for Nature, an eco-center built in a small village in the Pirin mountains to provide a base and programs for outdoor and indoor environmental education and to demonstrate  models for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources

CVS organizational development – by taking part in the establishment of new procedures and development strategies (fundraising strategy, volunteer management strategy, capacity building initiatives etc.)

establishment of a volunteer network in Bulgaria

general office/administrative work

work on the website and the CVS promotional materials

communication with partners and volunteers

sharing/teaching skills with staff and volunteers

initiating volunteer activities

Education and skills: The required education background depends on the specifics of the project assignment, but in general: people interested in organizational development, with good communication and administrative skills, flexible and pro-active. Someone with a public relations or marketing background to help with outreach and awareness campaigns would be greatly appreciated.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to CVS? 26-52 weeks

Environmental Science
Ecology
Wildlife Conservation
Geography
GIS
Information Technology
English Language Teaching

Where: 

Short Term Volunteers will be assigned to work at either the Wetland Nature Conservation Centre Poda (http://www.bspb-poda.de/bspbpoda.htm) in Bourgas at the Black Sea in Eastern Bulgaria or the Vulture Centre in Madjarovo in the eastern Rhodopi Mountains.

Interns A migration/breeding season volunteer would work closely BSPB field teams during the migration season (August – October) or breeding season (May-July). The volunteer would help carry out the field counts of migrating or breeding birds in such important migratory and breeding areas such as various mountain ranges in Bulgaria, the Black Sea coast or the Danube river . The volunteer would also assist in entering the data into the organization’s database, possibly including GIS data.  It would be possible to combine these positions into a longer internship.

What is BSPB? The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB) is Bulgaria’s first and largest non-governmental organization dedicated to biodiversity conservation in the modern era. BSPB works for nature, defending its right to exit. BSPB works for people, protecting everyone’s common interest and right to a preserved natural heritage and a healthy environment.

Mission: BSPB works for the conservation of wild birds, their habitats, those places, which are crucial to their survival, and the whole of biodiversity. We advocate for sustainable use of natural resources in order to conserve nature and, ultimately, to benefit people. (From the BSPB’s website)

Organization Website: http://bspb.org/

What kinds of projects could BSPB offer an Isla short term volunteer?

Seasonal help in our Nature Conservation Centers (summer)

Help with field work on the fall migration (August-October)

A Nature Conservation Center volunteer would work at either the Wetland Nature Conservation Centre Poda or the Vulture Centre in Madjarovo in the eastern Rhodopi Mountains. The volunteer would be responsible for telling foreign visitors about natural history of the region and relevant tourist and logistical information. This could take the form of nature walks, tours, bird-watching or more formal lectures. The volunteer may also help with day to day operations of the centers, providing tourism related information to foreign visitors, maintenance projects or small biodiversity conservation actions (such as installing nest-boxes). The volunteer may also produce English language promotional or informational materials for the centre.

A migration/breeding season volunteer would work closely BSPB field teams during the migration season (August – October) or breeding season (May-July). The volunteer would help carry out the field counts of migrating or breeding birds in such important migratory and breeding areas such as various mountain ranges in Bulgaria, the Black Sea coast or the Danube river . The volunteer would also assist in entering the data into the organization’s database, possibly including GIS data.

It would be possible to combine these positions into a longer internship.

What education and skills would you like short term volunteers to have for the projects listed above?

A Nature Conservation Center volunteer should be a strong communicator, enjoy interacting with people and be intensely curious about the natural world. A bachelor’s degree or degree in progress related to natural sciences, science education, environmental communications, environmental education or tourism and hospitality would be preferred. Additionally, the volunteer should feel confident safely leading groups on short hikes outdoors.  Safety or first aid training would be a plus. Valuable experiences would include work/volunteering with a nature centre, museum, a National or state park, a school or other positions in which the volunteer has explained nature to the public.
  
A migration/breeding season volunteer should have or be working towards a degree in ecology, zoology, botany, environmental science or other ecology related natural science. The volunteer should be a quick learner, and have a strong interest in birds. Experience participating in scientific field studies and working with ecological data are strongly desirable. Desirable computer skills include working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Access and ArcGIS.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to BSPB? 10-12 weeks.

What kinds of projects could BSPB offer an intern(s) (9-52 weeks)?

Conduct GIS trainings for BSPB staff and volunteers

Assistance in developing remotely accessible, GIS integrated database to consolidate the BSPB’s existing data

English tutoring for BSPB staff and volunteers to improve written and spoken English skills, vital to interacting with colleagues from across the EU.

Describe the tasks the intern(s) would perform?

A GIS trainer would be responsible for training BSPB staff and volunteers in basic use of GIS software in biodiversity conservation. The trainer would not be responsible for training of our GIS specialists, but would give a wide array of BSPB staff/volunteers basic literacy in the software, as relevant to biodiversity conservation. The trainer should be able to demonstrate and explain how to manipulate data from GPS units, geo-referencing files and creating attribute tables. Advanced topics could include creating buffers, use of digital elevation models, remote sensing, use of LANDSAT satellite images and other innovative uses of GIS.

A database development assistant will assist a BSPB staff member in developing a new, GIS integrated data-base for our field data. The intern will assist developing a user-friendly data-entry interface, a data-base that can be used to produce meaningful and reliable scientific statistics and a way to query for data relevant to specific projects. The intern will also help train BSPB staff and volunteers in use/entry of data into the data-base.

An English tutor will tutor BSPB staff in written and spoken English. The goals of this tutoring range from developing the skills of BSPB staff to communicate with colleagues throughout Europe, reading and understanding relevant advanced reading level texts such as referred journal articles and write such documents as project reports and grant applications in fluent English. The tutor must be able to assess the level of each “student” and present appropriate materials to stimulate the students’ improvement.
Education and skills:

A GIS trainer or assistant database developer should have a strong mastery of the use GIS in conservation. The intern should have a degree or be at least 2 years into pursuing a degree in geography, conservation GIS, environmental science, ecology and have extensive passed coursework or training related on GIS. The intern should be extremely familiar with ArcGIS, Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel. The intern should also be familiar with ArcGIS extensions related to satellite imagery. In addition, the database development intern should have web and database programming expertise.

An English tutor intern should have excellent writing and communication skills. The intern should have or be pursuing a bachelor’s degree related to writing, English literature, technical writing, secondary Language Arts teaching or teaching English as a Second Language. A successful intern will have experience working with English language learners and be flexible in order to best meet their needs.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to your organization? 
12-24 weeks.