Educational support

About the programme

Most of the children we work with do not have, at home, an adult who can sit down with them over homework. Not because parents or grandparents do not want to — but because they work two shifts, or because they no longer remember how to solve a quadratic equation, or because, simply, there is no parent in the house. The educational-support programme covers exactly this gap: the presence of a patient adult who understands the subject and who is there consistently.

We work with each child at their actual level, not the level the school expects. That sometimes means recovering multiplication tables at age 12. Other times it means preparing a confident written assignment in Romanian. The important thing is not speed — it is that, week after week, we show up.

More than homework — a steady adult

As we work with a child week after week, educational support also becomes a relationship of trust. The volunteer does not only come to explain a lesson — they come to be there: to listen, to ask, to remember what was said last time. Many of the important choices between the ages of 12 and 18 are made not on the basis of missing information, but on the belief that “someone thinks I can”. That is exactly why we ask volunteers for a long-term commitment — because a relationship that breaks off abruptly can be more harmful than its absence. The match between a child and the volunteer who supports them is made with care, taking into account each one’s needs, interests and personality.

How it works

• Weekly sessions, individually or in small groups — children work online or face to face alongside volunteers (teachers, students and professionals from different fields), depending on each one’s level and needs.
• Preparation for the National Evaluation, Baccalaureate and university admission — support focuses on the subjects where each child needs help and on their own school goals.
• Confidence in their own ability to learn — we help children overcome the fear of mistakes and the belief that “I can’t”, through encouragement, patience and recognition of every bit of progress.
• Access to books and learning materials — children receive books, supplies and learning resources adapted to their age and needs, helping them practise, deepen their knowledge and discover the joy of learning.

Who it serves

The programme is for children and teenagers in primary, secondary and high school, including those preparing for the National Evaluation, the Baccalaureate or university admission.

We work with children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds — left without their parents’ support, raised by grandparents, in family placement or in the child-protection system, as well as those from rural communities, disadvantaged areas or families with limited resources.

Impact so far

The programme runs throughout the school year, from September to June, through sessions held twice a week.

• 900+ hours of children’s participation in educational-support sessions
• 1,800+ hours offered by volunteers
• 6 children supported consistently throughout the school year
• 5 areas covered: Giurgiu, Mehedinți, Dolj, Vaslui and Bucharest
• 6 learning areas: English, Romanian, logic, geography, French and the arts

Our volunteers are teachers, students and specialists from different fields, who commit to consistent involvement of at least one hour a week, over a school year.

How you can get involved

• As a volunteer — you can offer one or two hours a week for a subject you know well: maths, Romanian, English, physics, chemistry, logic or another area of study. Sign up as a volunteer.
• As a company partner — together we can build a volunteering programme through which your company’s employees offer children steady educational support, within a clear and well-organised setting. Discover partnership options.
• As a donor — your contribution helps us provide books, materials and educational resources adapted to children’s needs. Support the programme.