Program

Help in a Community Soup Kitchen

General Description

The center is located in La Boca, a neighbourhood of many contrasts and traditions. More than 100 people have lunch at this community center every day, children and adults.

Tasks

Helping hands are always welcome in the kitchen. Volunteers help prepare lunch (you will learn the secrets of regional plates), setting the tables and making the whole process faster and more effective for everyone.

Key Information & benefits

It is a great place to improve your language skills and offer social assistance. It is also the starting point to understanding the workings of the community center and its people. After a few weeks, you will be able to integrate yourself into other areas.

Schedule

Monday to Friday 10 am – 2pm

Spanish Level Required

Basic

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Restrictions

None

Location

La Boca, Buenos Aires

Program

Teaching English to Children

General Description

Teaching English to children can be quite challenging, their parents do not speak English and language becomes a frustration and a way to lose their scholarship. This is why volunteers are a key essential to carrying out these projects.

Tasks

Volunteers will help children in small groups with speaking, listening, writing, reading, grammar and vocabulary lessons. They may also be asked to help with specific children in terms of their pronunciation or for private tutoring.

Key Information & benefits

For many of the children who attend the different educational support centres, learning English is always a frustration. In school, they are not able to easily understand the material delivered and struggle to pass their exams.

Schedule

Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon shifts

Spanish Level Required

Basic

Minimum Stay

4 weeks

Restrictions

Not available from December 22nd till March (school break).

Location

Various community centers in Buenos Aires

Program

Teaching English to Adults

General Description

Teaching English to adults can be hard and challenging… but equally rewarding.  Every class you teach is an opportunity to help and to give back but it is also an opportunity to learn and to receive.

Tasks

Volunteers will help adults with speaking, listening, writing, reading, grammar and vocabulary lessons. They may be asked to help students individually for a better comprehension.

Key Information & benefits

Adults need time and patience to understand. The majority of them think they will never be able to speak another language, especially at their age. Volunteer’s goal is try to change this reality by showing them that learning English is an important tool, that they can set a good example to their kids… and that it can also be fun and ultimately therapeutic.

Schedule

Flexible, 3 times a week

Spanish Level Required

Intermediate

Minimum Stay

8 weeks

Restrictions

Not available from December 22nd till February.

Location

Buenos Aires

Program

Childcare

General Description

There are many different childcare placements available in Buenos Aires, including working at orphanages, homes for abused children, daycares, community centers. If you have an area which you are particularly interested in please let us know, although it will depend on availability as to which project you will be placed.

Tasks

Volunteers assist the children with their homework, organize educational activities and provide the children with love and attention.

Key Information & benefits

Most children in these places come from very different backgrounds and carry a sad story against which they fight every day. Many have been abandoned by their parents, abused or lived on the streets… it is important to keep in mind that these problems directly affect their behaviour and this will be challenging for volunteers.

Schedule

Flexible, morning and afternoon

Spanish Level Required

Basic

Minimum Stay

4 weeks

Location

Some of these projects are located on the suburbs of Buenos Aires, but there’s easy access by public transportation.

Program

Help with Recreational Activities

General Description

Imagine a place where parents, grandparents and children must do all their daily activities in a small, crowded house:  no privacy, no silence for studying, no toys to play with… and because the streets can be dangerous, children have no space to play. We have organized workshops in a place where children feel happy and where volunteers are needed every day.

Tasks

Volunteers assist teachers and conduct workshops; they organize games and recreational activities for the children.

Key Information & benefits

Children are eager to learn and play; they absorb every piece of information faster than we think they’re able to. They attend these workshops looking for someone who cares about them and who has time to pay attention to them, as most parents can’t do this. The volunteer’s help is essential, and the only thing they will need to understand is the children’s soulful eyes.

Schedule

Flexible, according to availability, 6 – 20 h per week

Spanish Level Required

Intermediate

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Restrictions

None. Available all year round.

Location

Various community centers and orphanages in Buenos Aires

Program

Children’s Continuing Education

General Description

Children who attend the community center have enormous struggles  at school, they do not receive as much attention as they wish to have from their parents or relatives for many reasons: illiteracy, full time jobs, and teachers at school cannot give individual attention, therefore, they take school homework as not only difficult but also frustrating.  With this program we aim at providing help according to their age and specific needs.

Tasks

Assisting children with their school homework (primary and high school): math, biology, English, physics, history, etc…  Training to start to read and write (younger children).

Key Information & benefits

It is very important to create strong bonds with these children, in this way you will gain their trust and respect. Keep in mind that above all, you will need to provide social assistance as most of these kids struggle at school because of attention problems. You can also help by playing games or just talking to them. It is a great opportunity to improve your Spanish and learn about our culture.

Schedule

Monday to Friday afternoons

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

4 weeks

Restrictions

Not available from December 22nd till March (school break).

Location

Various community centers in Buenos Aires

Program

Adults Continuing Education

General Description

Adults who assist the community center were not able to finish their high school education; many of them had to start working at a very young age and then never had the chance to go back to school. Our aim is to bring education to them through our workshops by teaching the basics of primary and secondary school.

Tasks

Volunteers will share their time, knowledge and apply their specific skills: basic computer classes (word, excel, internet search), history, maths, geography, grammar, etc. They will be asked to teach individual lessons, as adults usually feel more comfortable in this way and the classes are more effective.

Key Information & benefits

Adults need patience, but they are eager to learn… and volunteers will soon realize how much they are learning as well. It is a rewarding experience, however, you should take the lead and guide your students through their learning process, try to create bonds to gain their trust and enjoy yourself, which is the most important part!

Schedule

Flexible, 6 – 10h per week

Spanish Level Required

Intermediate

Minimum Stay

4 weeks

Restrictions

Not available from December 22nd till February.

Location

La Boca, Buenos Aires

Program

Help in a Recovered Factory

General Description

Factories “recovered” by their workers are a response to the Argentinean economic crisis in 2001. The movement grew out of a combination of workers’ efforts to keep their jobs, organization among middle-class groups (professionals, employees, technicians) in neighbourhood assemblies, and meetings of unemployed workers (“piqueteros”). All of these groups continue to promote their own demands and proposals daily.

Tasks

You will help in a "recovered" 4 star Hotel, run by its employees: reception, marketing, bookings, check-in and check-out procedures, etc. You could also teach English to the workers in the different area. However, your main task will be to “learn by observing” and provide helpful ideas on how to reorganize some of the work.

Key Information & benefits

There is a lot to take in. Volunteers will discover a new and perhaps shocking reality. They will witness the economic actuality of Argentina and experience how an organization, which is based on cooperation and guided by principles of equal opportunities, actually operates. 

Schedule

Monday to Friday, flexible, 4-6h per day

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

12 weeks

Location

Buenos Aires downtown

Program

Help at the Community Center’s Communications Area

General Description

Many of the people who attend the community center have no further studies than elementary school. This usually restricts them from effectively operating the administration or communications area, as they don’t know how to handle many basic tasks like updating databases in the computer, taking minutes properly, sending emails or using the internet as a tool.

Tasks

Volunteers learn the internal functioning of the center, and they are expected to provide advice or ideas on how to organize the work in order to make it more effective. They will work together with the area coordinators.

Key Information & benefits

You will have access to some interesting internal and external information and acquire new skills in solving problems in a different context. And, at the same time you will significantly improve your Spanish skills.

Schedule

Monday to Friday, morning and afternoon shifts

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

12 weeks

Location

La Boca, Buenos Aires

Program

Help HIV affected children

General Description

The greatest impact of HIV is on young people. This community childcare center is run by a group of adults and volunteers who take responsibility for organizing support for vulnerable children in the area. They make sure children are in school and are able to survive - get food and clothes - or talk to them about their fears and answer their questions.

Tasks

Children in this center are between 6- 16 years old and volunteers help coordinators with the different workshops: music, English, computer, help with school homework, sports, and chess.

Key Information & benefits

There are three categories of children who need special care: children whose parents are ill, children whose parents have died and children with HIV/AIDS. Volunteers interested in providing health advice about the virus are always welcome.

Schedule

Monday to Friday 1 – 5 pm

Spanish Level Required

Low Intermediate

Minimum Stay

8 weeks

Restrictions

Not available from December 22nd till February (school break).

Location

Parque Patricios, Buenos Aires

Program

Help Organizing Fundraising Events

General Description

Most of the children who live in poor neighbourhoods have never been to a museum or the theatre, the movies, the zoo, not even the city center. Organizing cultural activities or fundraising events requires time, commitment, hard work and money, but  it is a worthwhile and rewarding experience for all involved.

Tasks

Volunteers will be in charge of planning the events and raising the necessary funds for it. They will be guided, of course, by our team of coordinators. However, it is expected that the applicant to this position is proactive and has at least some experience organizing events and/or administrating budgets. Some of your tasks will include: research, preparation of a scheme, marketing and general management of the event.

Key Information & benefits

As a volunteer, you will acquire experience in organizing events and public relations in a different culture and social context. Furthermore, you will get training and have access to the information you need in order to carry out your plans. Not to mention what a great opportunity this is to practice your Spanish skills.

Schedule

6- 10h per week

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

12 weeks

Other Requirements

Be responsible and proactive

Location

Buenos Aires

Program

PR & Marketing for the NGO

General Description

This position is a great opportunity for someone interested in social organizations. Your assets are fluent English speaking and computer literacy and they allow you to not only help out a genuine organization, but also see from the inside how it works.

Tasks

* Your main task will be attracting new volunteers, largely via the internet. Other tasks will be carried out with the help of coordinators.

* You will update all postings on the “SPREADSHEET” document - keep track of how often you want to post, when you post, etc. Find new sites of interest and try them out. Use your judgement on the effectiveness of each site and how often you should post.

* Other possible duties (when needed, you should be ready to fill a variety of roles):
• Organizing volunteer gatherings and Fundraising Events
• Advertising gatherings, parties, openings, needs, etc.
• Photographing volunteers at work, community centers, etc.
• Working with volunteers on specific communications-related projects - such as promotional videos, graphic designs, etc.
• Volunteer support - If a volunteer is having a hard time integrating or understanding what they should be doing, it might be necessary for you to meet with them to speak native English and try to help them work out their problems.
• Club de Voluntarios - this will be a huge project starting this year and in terms of promotion and spreading the word, you will be a huge asset.

Key Information & benefits

You will be able to reflect the work of all the organizations we work with and to strengthen our volunteering programs. This position will also allow you to gain hands on experience in the development of a genuine grassroots organization.

Schedule

Flexible; 15 to 20 h per week

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

8 weeks

Location

Downtown, Buenos Aires

Program

Writing, Editing and Communications

General Description

This position is a great opportunity for someone interested in grassroots organizations. Your assets are fluent English speaking and computer literacy and they allow you to not only help out a genuine social organization, but also see from the inside how it works.

Tasks

Your tasks will include some combination of writing, editing, analysis and research, with other tasks that support the more central activities of writing and editing institutional material (attending meetings, helping plan events, creating spreadsheets for online posting, sending newsletters, translating institutional material, etc.)

* You will work together with our coordinators and other volunteers from the marketing area in writing material about the organization, trying to encourage new volunteers into being part of our programs and improving the content of our web/blog on a regular basis.

* You will also have weekly volunteer time - as we believe it will help you write the blog, connect with other volunteers, and be more involved in our activities. Any time you go to a gathering in the community centers, it’s a huge advantage to be able to tell people what capacity you volunteer in. Take advantage of this opportunity to make yourself available for what’s needed (more on that later).

Key Information & benefits

You will be able to reflect the work of all the organizations we work with and to strengthen our volunteering programs. This position will also allow you to gain hands on experience in the development of a genuine grassroots organization.

Schedule

Flexible; 10 to 15h per week

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

8 weeks

Location

Downtown, Buenos Aires

Program

Media & Communications. Social and political press

General Description

Many of the organizations where we work are forced by his principles and fight

for the life and ideals of equality and dignity for all, creating and disseminating

tools for their actions. These organizations do not have large monetary or

technical resources, but they do have plenty of creativity that allows them to

express themselves in the most surprising ways.

Tasks

The planning of events to show the daily work, the spread of word about their

rights and the organization and communication of social claims are some of the tasks which the volunteer may be asked to carry out.  At the same time, you will learn new ways of communicating which will be related to our traditions and culture, poverty and the endless struggle to resist and improve the quality of life without in a joyful way.  Assembling and disseminating written pieces for the media will be another task that may help to improve the efficiency of these actions.

Collaboration in the editing of videos, presentations and outreach, attendance to

meetings, manifestations and their organization will be important as well.

Key Information & benefits: 

This is the core area for every social organization in Argentina and Latin

America. Today, communication and actions are the best tools to achieve a real

and profound social change. In order to understand and working accurately, you

will need patience to understand the political and social atmosphere of

Argentina. In this way, you will also understand the actions of the community

center and what they want to express.

Schedule

Up to 4 h per day; 2 - 3 times per week

Spanish Level Required

High Intermediate

Minimum Stay

12 weeks

Location

La Boca, Buenos Aires