Poland

Placement locations

Placements in Poland are located in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Lublin and other rural areas. You could, for example, be placed in Nadarzyn, a quiet, picturesque suburb of Warsaw surrounded by forests. Although the village has a relatively small population of just over 3000, local amenities such as cafes, restaurants, swimming pool and gym can be found close by. There are several transport links to and from Nadarzyn, with the airport situated just a 25 minute bus ride away. You will also find a bus stop in the centre of the village (around a 5 minute walk away from your placement) to other destinations. In this placement, your hosts will also provide you with a bike which can be used for visiting Nadarzyn and the general Warsaw area.

Roles Available

Teacher

Lattitude volunteers in Poland will be based at a variety of schools from pre-school to high school level. They will officially adopt the position of teaching assistants, but will often be in the position of planning and taking charge of lessons. You will work alongside permanent teachers and help with a range of activities, from English teaching to accompanying children on school trips. There are many activities to get involved with and volunteer support is much needed and appreciated. It is a great opportunity to work with young people!

Placement details

Teaching

Our host placements in Poland are varied. You could be working in a kindergarten in Platerki; teaching at a convent school run by nuns in Walbrzych and Jaroslaw; or working with blind children in Krakow.

As a fluent English speaker, you will primarily be responsible for teaching English up to 18-20 hours per week. You will also get involved in all sorts of other activities involving music, art, poetry, DIY, theatre, outdoor activities, sports and homework guidance. Overall you are likely to work 3-5 hours per day, 4-5 days per week. There will also be the opportunity to work with disadvantaged children, particularly at convent schools.

Similarly, if you decide that you would like to work with children with mental or physical disabilities, you would help members of staff by bringing your enthusiasm to both academic and recreational activities. As well as using your native English skills to improve the conversational abilities of students, hosts are very keen for you to bring your interests and experience to extra-curricular activities. Whatever your hobby, be it basketball or knitting, setting up an after-school club or lunchtime activity group is a great way of engaging with students and helping their learning experience!

Accommodation and Food

Bed and board for the duration of your placement are provided by hosts. In our Kindergarten placement, for example, you will be lodged within the school and will have your own separate room with a bathroom and access to a shared kitchen. In most placements you will be expected to cook for yourself, and will be given a monthly allowance (currently around 300 PLN) for food and living expenses.

Need to know

• Pre departure briefing - all volunteers are invited to a group briefing prior to departure
• On arrival - all volunteers travel together to Warsaw where they undertake an orientation

Free time and travel

Poland may not be at the top of a lot of people’s must-see places to visit, but this is all the better for those who do venture to the untapped gems within its borders. Whether you love the outdoors,, are a culture vulture or foodie, you will definitely find your niche in Poland. Music lovers may prefer to be placed near Warsaw where the lively night life and live music culture will keep your diary full for weeks. With regards to history, sadly, a lot of the capital’s historical heritage did not survive the great wars of the twentieth century, but venture down south to the likes of Krakow and prepare to be amazed by this living time capsule of a city. Here medieval castles lie alongside more Baroque and Art Nouveau styles, while in more rural areas you can see some simple but perfectly formed wooden churches.

Any paragraph relating to Polish history cannot ignore the tragedies that took place on its territory during the Second World War. Many Polish monuments and museums are dedicated to preserving the memory of those who died during the conflict and occupation and serve as an unforgettable reminder to future generations.

As well as visiting other areas of the country during your holidays from your placement, Poland provides the perfect springboard for visiting other Eastern European nations. Poland shares borders with no fewer than six neighbours, so it is definitely worth taking advantage of this while you are in the area!

Costs

Lattitude Global Volunteering fee:
All departures: £2,500

As part of the placement the following is provided:

What’s included?

• Accommodation & food (provided by host family)
• In-country support
• 24/7 support
• In-country orientation
• Assigned Volunteer Coordinator to help with all pre-departure support and offer guidance
• Pre-departure briefing
• Debrief
• Airport pickup
• In depth matching process to align your skills and interests with a placement that really suits you

Please note this fee does not include the cost of getting to Poland or extras such as insurance or any inoculations you may need. For an estimated break down of all costs you may have to budget for please click here

Fundraising

As a charity we always recommend our volunteers fundraise to help meet the costs involved in volunteering overseas. In many ways it is part of the whole experience. For more information and fundraising ideas please click here

Planning your trip

*Application deadline refers to the time by which your application must have been accepted and the £25 interview deposit paid.

Please note that the deadline is the last possible time allowed to get an application form in that allows us enough time to match volunteers and begin sorting out visas.

We always recommend applying as early as possible in order to secure your place.

We are currently accepting applications for departures in 2016 and 2017.

Volunteer in Poland: apply now>>