Volunteering
- Escuela para Niños I
- Escuela para Niños II
- Escuela para Niños III
- Hogar de Niñas
- Centro de Cuidado Infantil
- Centro de Cuidado Infantil II
- Centro de Cuidado Infantil III
- Orfanato
- Orfanato II
- Hospital Psicopedagógico
- Centro de Apoyo a la Mujer
- Hospital Psiquiátrico
- Jungle National Park
On your last week of classes, we will have an orientation session about your volunteer program and a visit to the Kindergarten. Escuela para Ninos I, is located a short distance from downtown Sucre. The number 7 bus takes 10 minutes from your volunteer accommodation and will drop you at the door of the centre.
The centre has a fundamental aim which is to educate the children in a safe and secure atmosphere and to prepare them for the future. It encourages the cognitive development of the children, to prepare them for starting primary school. Aside from the academic training, the kindergarten works to develop in the children's principles and attitudes towards responsibility, autonomy, respect, creativity and security within themselves. The centre is for children who live in the outskirts of the city and the majority come from families with very limited income.
It currently caters for 320 children between the ages of four and five. There are eight well-qualified teachers to care for the children. The centre really needs help to care effectively for the children and the staff are very keen to receive volunteers from abroad.
What will you be doing at the Kindergarten? You will need to interact with the children as well as teachers. You will assist teachers in their classes by helping the children to draw, cut with scissors, sing, teach numbers and letters, play with the children during recess, take them to the bathroom, wash their hands, etc. As you can see there is a lot of work to be done. Please BE A LEADER, ALWAYS BE HAPPY AND READY TO HELP WHEREVER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED.
Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation Educative materials, pencils, pens, story books, colored pens or pencils, notebooks, didactic games, etc.
The Escuela para Ninos II is 10 minutes walk from the central square and from the language school. It is a Training center that has a fundamental task to develop children's principles and attitudes. It aims to teach them responsibility, autonomy, respect, creativity and security in themselves, and mainly to educate them in a safe and secure atmosphere.
The majority of children that attend the Escuela para Ninos II are indigenous and from very poor families that live in the outskirts of Sucre. The Escuela para Ninos II has been dedicating its services to the community for 21 years. There are currently 170 children between the ages of four and five, distributed in 3 first classes and two second classes taught by six teachers. We need volunteers that have a lot of energy, patience, creativity to play games, and give love and attention to the children. Working schedule: From 08:00am to 12:00am
What will you be doing at the Kindergarten? You will need to interact with the children as well as teachers. You will assist teachers in their classes by helping the children to draw, cut with scissors, sing, teach numbers and letters, play with the children during recess, take them to the bathroom, wash their hands, etc.
As you can see there is a lot of work to be done. Please BE A LEADER, ALWAYS BE HAPPY AND READY TO HELP WHEREVER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED. Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation Educative material, pencils, pens, story books, colored pens or pencils, notebooks, didactic games, etc.
ESCUELA PARA NIÑOS IIIThe Escuela para Ninos III is very popular in Sucre. It is situated just a 2 blocks away from the Academia Latinoamericana de Español. There are 10 classrooms, 5 classrooms for pre-school children (4 to 5 years old) and 5 classrooms for kindergarten (6 years old). The Director is a very enthusiastic woman and enjoys very much having Volunteers at the Kindergarten, as well as the teachers. There are about 300 students, 10 teachers and some assistants.
The work schedule is in the morning so you have free afternoons. What will you be doing at the Kindergarten? You will need to interact with the children as well as teachers. You will assist teachers in their classes by helping the children to draw, cut with scissors, sing, teach numbers and letters, play with the children during recess, take them to the bathroom, wash their hands, etc.
As you can see there is a lot of work to be done. Please BE A LEADER, ALWAYS BE HAPPY AND READY TO HELP WHEREVER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED. Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation: Educative material, pencils, pens, story books, colored pens or pencils, notebooks, didactic games, etc.
HOGAR DE NIÑASThis center is the home for approximate 14 girls, ages of 7 to 16 who are abandon or were under any family abuse risk. They depends from the municipality of Sucre. The center works with very little budget, just to cover mostly food and the work of a couple of social workers and a cooker.
Some of the girls attend public schools and return to the center where they have to do homework. Most of them need tutoring and for the one who do not attend to school, they need to study at the center to prepare them for the next school. In this organization you can do lots of things, like playing, gardening, cleaning, teaching, mathematics, music, English. Welcome activities with ballet, broidering, baking, sports
Volunteers needed: Teachers and above all, people who can share love and help with the auto esteem of the girls which is very low. No need any type of experience but would be very appreciate women who know domestic activities.
CENTRO DE CUIDADO INFANTILThe Programa de Atencion a Niños y Niñas Menores de 6 Años, was created in April of 1997 by the Bolivian government with the goal to achieve adequate development and growth of children under the age of six. These children are in a situation of extreme poverty, and provides them with education, nutrition, healthcare and protection.
The children who attend these day care centers are for the most part children of young (generally 17-22 years old), single mothers of limited resources who have left their hometowns to study at the State University of Sucre. They need to finish their studies, as it's not acceptable in their community to come back to their home town without a diploma and with a child. The mothers leave their children in the morning and pick them up in the evening. The children are fed breakfast and lunch and receive general care during the day while the mothers are in class.
The Day Care Center actually has more than 450 centers in the province of Chuquisaca, and serves 8,500 children. Unfortunately the budget that the centers receive from the state is very small, and doesn't cover the basic needs of the centers. Needless to say there are no funds available for the maintenance of the infrastructure of the centers, with as a result that the centers are in an abandoned state and in bad need of repairs and renovations.
The Academia Latinoamericana de Español works with two locations in Sucre: *This placement serves children whose mothers are studying Law, Finance, Economics, etc. They have room for 45 children, and only 5 employees (1 cook and 4 daycare workers). *This placement serves children whose mothers are studying medicine and dentistry. They have room for 30 children and only 2 employees (1 cook and 1 daycare worker).
No experience is necessary, but you will need at least a High Beginner or Low Intermediate level of Spanish. Volunteers have to enjoy teaching, have a lot of energy, patience, love and care for the children. The volunteers also should have a lot of understanding and flexibility. They need to understand that they will be working in basic conditions, and the staff in charge are generally from rural areas.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday full time. What will you be doing at the day-care center? You will need to interact with the children and with the educators. You will need to collaborate with the educators in all the activities; help the children to paint, draw, cut paper, sing, dance, teach numbers and colors to them and especially to play with them when they finish the aforementioned activities.
Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation Didactic games, wood games, books to color, paintings, pencils of colors, plasticine, paper and more special educative material. Also welcome powder milk, any types of clothes, shoes, personal cleaning accessories like shampoo, soap, body cream, etc.
CENTO DE CUIDADO INFANTIL IIThis center offers free educational support to children and adolescents between 4 to 15 years old that live in the poorer outskirts of the city of Sucre. Also they offer services such as careers advise, recreational activities and manual training as well as medical and nutricional aid. The children and adolescents that attend Betania are from native farming families with limited economic resources that have migrated from the country to the city. Many families dedicate themselves to the informal buying and selling of agricultural goods at markets around the city. The center takes care of more than 150 children, on average 40 in the evenings and 90 to 100 in the evenings.
Finally, volunteers are needed who like to teach, and with energy, patience, and love towards the children. The volunteers will have to do everything, from teaching mathematics, language, history, sciences, chemistry, geography, (according to language level), and also help to cook, sweep, paint, wash dishes, etc where is necessary.
CENTRO DE CUIDADO INFANTIL IIIIt is a day-care center that works Monday through Friday. There are 30 children, children of prostitutes and saleswomen of the public market who would have normally remained locked up in their houses while their mothers work. These children are now in the care of the center and also receive breakfast and lunch. The children are aged is from 1 to 6 years old.
You will need to interact with the children and with the educators. You will need to collaborate with the educators in all the activities; help the children to paint, draw, cut paper, sing, dance, teach numbers and colors to them and especially to play with them when they finish the aforementioned activities.
Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation: Didactic games, wood games, books to color, paintings, pencils of colors, plasticine, paper and more special educative material. Also welcome powder milk, any types of clothes, shoes, personal cleaning accessories like shampoo, soap, body cream, etc.
ORFANATOThe orphanage is close to the centre of the city. Public transportation takes you to the door of the orphanage (15 minutes) from school. It's a very nice and well maintained place and for this reason it has been recognized by authorities in Sucre. Nuns are in charge of the orphanage. A team of Bolivian professionals are working with them.
The girls and boys living there have been abandoned children and are waiting to be adopted. The ages of the children are generally from 0 to 6 years. What will you be doing at the home?
The orphanage needs people to play with the children including, painting, drawing, dancing, playing with dough and possibly you may need to help feed the children. It would be great if you could bring children's music, colored pens, candies or anything else that you think will help you in your volunteer experience. Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation Diapers, milk, didactic games, colored pens, pencils or paints, coloring books, childrens' story books, childrens' music, etc.
ORFANATO IIThis center is an orphanage that serves one municipality of Sucre. The children have either been abandoned or are at risk in their families. Most are between the ages of 5 and 18. All the children attend public schools and in the afternoon they return to the center where they have workshops in carpentry, shoe making, metallurgy and leather working. The idea is for them to develop a manual skill in case they are unable to enter a university in the future.
Volunteer skills needed: Administration, secretarial, psychology department, English Professors and above all, people who know carpentry, shoe making, metallurgy and leather working. Also needed are those familiar with sports instruction in baseball, basketball and soccer, as well as those who know music, computers and agriculture.
In this organization you can do lots of things like playing, gardening, cleaning, teaching computer technology, mathematics, music, English and you maybe put in charge of the bakery project.
Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation: Sports and educational materials, music related items, pencils, ball-point pens, notebooks, books in Castilian, instruments, painting, story books, etc.
HOSPITAL PSICOPEDAGÓGICOThis Hospital is run by priests and specializes in work with handicapped children. At the boarding school live 170 children from 1 to 17 years old. They are all poor children who do not have parents and are from the country. Due of their incapacity, these children are not accepted in orphanages. Activities/Tasks: Currently 3 programs in operation:
1. Rehabilitation Clinic for Children Hospital needs doctors and nurses, language therapist, physiotherapist.
2. Horse Therapy A new program for the rehabilitation of the children - at the moment they have two horses.
3. Boarding school The boarding school accepts any volunteer. You will not be in charge of patients at the hospital, but will work with the children's homework, as most of them go to public schools. The Director is looking for volunteers who can work in cultivating the self-esteem of the children. People who can play, take the children for short walks in the park or in the garden, play with dough, sing, dance, feed them, do sports, etc.
Other Requirements: Compassion, understanding, a desire to help in that area, friendly, and always to have a big smile. Physiotherapist are desperately needed. Volunteers need no less than a high intermediate level of Spanish. Better still if volunteers can work at least 3 months. What will you be doing at the Psicopedagógico? To work especially in the rehabilitation area by helping the children do their exercises; play with them, take children to the park, play football (they are excellent players!), etc.
Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation Medical equipment, medicines, wheelchairs, diapers, material for rehabilitation, clothes, money in cash, powder milk, vitamins for children, etc.
CENTRO DE APOYO A LA MUJEREs un proyecto de atención integral a la mujer en Bolivia que sufre maltrato físico, psicológico y de discriminación Sus objetivos principales son el de contribuir a la disminución de la violencia de género (intra familiar, doméstica, tráfico, prostitución ) a través de la prevención, atención de casos, albergue y el de brindar capacitación técnica integral para su inserción laboral que permita incrementar sus ingresos. Esto es un programa dirigido por las comunidad religiosa de las Hermanas del Buen Pastor. A continuación detallo algunos programas específicos que el centro desarrolla:
. PROGRAMA A LA NO VIOLENCIA Y PREVENCIÓN DE MALTRATO A LA MUJER: Destinado específicamente a dar capacitación con talleres y seminarios a las mujeres en el área de Sucre, además de dar atención legal a casos individuales de maltrato.
. ÁREA DE ACOGIDA: A mujeres y sus hijos que han sufrido maltrato familiar, principalmente por ve maltrato por parte de los esposos es estado de ebriedad. El centro brinda alojamiento , comida y autoayuda a las necesitadas.
. SALUD: Hay dos doctoras que atienden en horario de oficina a cualquier persona de escasos recursos económicos para atender consultas externas.
. FORMACION DE RECURSOS HUMANOS: Existe un pequeño proyecto para enseñar a las mujeres a realizar tejidos artesanales. Además pueden recibir clases de corte y confección.
. PROGRAMA DE CUIDADO DESARROLLO INFANTIL: Es una guardería que funciona de lunes a viernes. Hay 30 niños, hijos de meretrices que normalmente se quedaban encerrados mientras sus madres trabajaban. Ahora los niños están en éste centro y reciben todos los cuidados más desayuno y almuerzo. Edad de los niños: de 1 a 6 años de edad.
REQUISITOS PARA HACER VOLUNTARIADO Se requiere voluntarios profesionales en las áreas de trabajo social, psicología, salud, economistas, enfermeras, médicos, personas con conocimientos de trabajos en telares, moda. Todas estos voluntarios requieren un intermedio alto o nivel avanzado de español.
Experiencia: Para trabajar en el área de Trabajo Social o Asesoría Legal, se aceptará aplicantes que tengas un nivel AVANZADO de español y estudiar/ trabajar en el área indicada.
HOSPITAL PSIQUIATRICOVolunteering at Hospital Psiquiátrico is an excellent opportunity for all those interested in the area of medicine. There are 400 patients, as well as a team of doctors, nurses, assistants, psychologists, therapists, physiotherapists, Bolivian medical students, etc. The hospital is very clean and organized. The volunteers work mainly with patients; talking to them, helping with their exercises, helping them practice sports, etc.
There is also a section for elderly patients who need help with their wheelchairs, reading newspapers and eating. Student volunteers are not responsible for bathing these patients. The hospital employs people who are specialists in this type of care.
In the hospital you will be working exclusively with the elderly. You will need to talk and, for example, play games with them. It will be necessary to give them breakfast and lunch, help them get dressed and to shower, etc. Suggestions of items you could bring if you wish to make a donation: Medicines, clothes (second hand is perfectly acceptable), wheelchairs, diapers, cash, etc.
JUNGLE NATIONAL PARKThe Jungle Park has 200 hectares of land for the program of rehabilitation of savage animals in captivity. In the next months, they will buy 400 more hectares.
Objective: Take care of the flora and fauna of the place, and specially rehabilitate the savage animals that has been in captivity as the case of the pumas, parrots, monkeys, rivers, small lakes, crocodiles, anacondas, etc.
The Park needs people who:
Who like simple living and working with animals.
Who are capable of working with volunteers from many different countries and enjoy sharing daily life and work.
People, who enjoy nature, lots of rain, humid areas, and mosquitoes, not complain for simple food and living conditions.
Time Indefinite, and no experience is necessary Number of Volunteers Indefinite Age & Sex - Indefinite
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AT THE NATIONAL PARK?
- Take care of, and feed the animals.
- Help Build houses (houses for more volunteers, offices, etc.)
- Help build cages for the animals.
- Help make paths
- Help make signs and put them on the paths.
- Help build cottages, etc.
- Give information to visitors
Accommodation of the volunteers: At the moment there is two houses and good bathrooms. (shared services). The showers have cold water. It is not necessary warm water because the weather is very hot, more or less 38 degrees. The park offers accommodation and 3 meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The food is simple and they eat what there is in the zone, if someone wish to prepare extra food, the kitchen is available for the volunteer.
WHAT IS NECESSARY TO CARRY?
- Repellent for mosquitoes (Please find one that do not damage the environment)
- Light and long sleeved clothes and light pants. - Sleeping bag. - Extra water (you can buy in town)
- MONEY: CASHING MACHINES ARE AVAILABLE
- RUBBER BOOTS: You won't find larger than size 11. (American size).
- Sleeping net for mosquitos There are some few internet cafes as well as telephone cabins.
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE: The highest: 40 grades centigrade during the day. The lowest: 10 grades centigrade during the night. (Specially in the rainy time November, December, January, and February.
Number of volunteers by month: indefinite (Volunteers are required urgently)
Spanish level: High beginner at least.
This project do NOT include bus or airplane ticket from Sucre to Cochabamba, neither the bus to the Park. On your last week of classes, we will have an Orientation Session to talk about your volunteer program. We recommend you to take malaria pills and yellow fever vaccine as well as vitamin B12. (It works as an excellent natural repellent against mosquitos).
| Academia Latinoamericana has designed the following options for students willing to participate in short term volunteer programs. Our traditional volunteer/internship opportunities require a minimum of one month’s class and one month’s participation. These are for anyone of any age, any Spanish level or time period. |
LAS LEYENDAS
Volunteers for Literacy: this is a volunteer program devoted to reading to children one - on - one and in groups, either in English or Spanish, at various sites throughout the city. This could be at a school, hospital, or other charitable organization. To have a special someone read to you is a memorable gift that stays with a young mind for a very long time! The extra attention and opportunity for sharing is often the only chance these children have for developing the joys of reading and to have the care of an older person in this fashion. We have an extensive library of story books for this purpose and also gratefully accept donations of all our students to expand our collection.
LAS MADRINAS
This is a program for orphanages, especially for abandoned street children. This is the place where, were it not for the sponsoring organization, these children wouldn’t be here today. You might find yourself for the first time in your life where you have everything and someone else has nothing. And, what do we all need? Loving arms and a warm heart, a place to simply be held and be loved, listen to a song, hear a story, and receive the joy of human love and affection. The appreciation and joy you will receive from this program are indescribable.
MEET YOUR MENTOR
This program is designed to help college students in their English language, Science or Business studies. They may need conversation skills, homework help, tutoring, or a general arm around the shoulder. Participants don’t need to be a working professional in any given field, though it would be a bonus. If you are a person willing to coach, cheerlead, or give that helping hand to an older student working hard to get that TOEFL score, write a business plan, polish a paper, or provide some insight, experience or advice, then this is a program for you!
Spanish in Ecuador - (593 2) 2250 946 or 2267 904 or 2267 905 or Fax: (593 2) 2267 906
Spanish in Peru - Tel. & Fax: (51-84) 243 364 Spanish in Bolivia - Tel. & Fax: (591 4) 64 60537
info@latinoschools.com