Summer internship program
Every summer, Fără Limite seeks two to four highly motivated, innovative, and passionate interns to support the coordination and execution of our summer programming. The ten-week internship will engage interns in established community development work, cross-cultural experience, and—naturally—the Romanian rock climbing world! If you are interested in spending an active, service-oriented, and life-changing summer abroad with us, read on and apply!
What are we looking for?
EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTH
Our climbers deserve the very best from us and all of our interns! This involves wisdom, patience, spontaneity, attentiveness, playfulness, and love. We want people who are well-suited for the challenges and joys that working with youth presents.
FLEXIBILITY
Because of the context of our work, interns must be adaptable and willing to “go with the flow.” Whether challenges arise from cross-cultural encounters, language barriers, or the very forces of nature (remember, a good part of this work is done outside!), you must be able to handle difficulties with grace and light-heartedness!
CHRIST-LIKE SPIRIT
Fără Limite is founded on the principle found in John 13:34: “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love others.” Jesus loved with a radical, open-hearted, sacrificial, boundary-breaking love, and our whole team strives to do the same.
INTEREST IN ADVENTURE EDUCATION
Our ideal candidates are excited about our mission and the means by which we engage with our community. You should be comfortable in the outdoors and enthusiastic about using rock climbing for positive social change.
BACKGROUND IN CLIMBING
You do not need to be a strong climber to become an intern with our gym. However, this is, at its base, a climbing project! Basic experience in recreational climbing is valuable to your work here. And regardless of experience or skill, it should be something you enjoy—you’ll be doing a lot of it!
What will you do?
BE A ROLE MODEL
Remember when we said that it wasn’t imperative for you to be a strong climber? That’s because your climbing skills are not really what is going to make a difference in this gym. Our climbers will remember your spirit, your smile, your willingness to help them with a boulder problem they were struggling with, how you stumbled through reading Romanian picture books with them, and how you showed what it means to be a follower of Christ. We want our interns to be models of faith and character to our youth.
PLAN AND IMPLEMENT EVENTS
During the summer we are often busy with several additional events including climbing competitions, festivals, a climbing camp, a summer reading program, and more. You will assist in planning and facilitating all of these great events. having flexible and self-motivated interns is integral to the success of our summer programming. From cleaning outdoor routes for our very own yearly climbing festival to preparing campsites for our summer camp, you will take on key aspects of our busy summer months.
ASSIST IN GYM OPERATIONS
This is an internship that will require you to wear many hats. Your work at the gym will include coaching and climbing with our youth, belaying during outdoor climbing days, reading with the kids, setting routes, cleaning the gym, teaching English lessons, and generally just being a presence at the gym. We are looking for interns who are excited about getting involved in our program and interacting with our youth as, yet again, your main objective is to be a light and a positive influence.
CREATE AND EXECUTE A FINAL PROJECT
After spending a few weeks immersed in the daily operations of Fără Limite and meeting with staff for regular debriefs, each intern will work to develop a project that they will carry out during their ten weeks with us. This project will allow interns to apply their own unique gifts, interests, and areas of expertise towards the betterment of the gym.
What else can you look forward to?
Go hiking in the surrounding Carpathian mountains
Learn firsthand about local culture, cuisine, geography, flora and fauna, and economy
Climb on the beautiful rock of the Jiu Valley
Learn some of the Romanian language
Visit surrounding cities and the capital, Bucharest
Help develop outdoor climbing areas
Make Romanian friends
Connect with other volunteers and interns working in the region
And much, much more! Every summer is a wholly unique experience
So, how does this all work?
Our ideal candidate would be able to start in early June and stay for a full ten weeks, until approximately mid-August. We are, however, flexible on these start and end dates and will be willing to work with you and your unique situation.
This is an unpaid position. All of our foreign volunteers—whether long-term employees or summer interns—are required to raise their own support for their time working in Romania. But don’t let this deter you from our program! We will help you with every step of the process, and we are fortunate enough to have a partnership with the Reformed Church of America (RCA) and their Cultivate Program, a program that helps 18 to 25 year olds work alongside RCA missionaries in the field. In applying through this program, you will be eligible for a scholarship that could cover more than half of your fundraising goal! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any financial concerns regarding our program.
Depending on your school and your field of study, you may be able to count this internship towards a degree requirement, academic credit, or service learning hours. We will be happy to work with you and your academic advisors to make sure our program meets any specific requirements for your program.
Interested?
Send us an email at faralimitesala@gmail.com
Or, use this contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!