Voluntariado Juvenil Ocampense is a non profit, civil society organisation of solidarity action, which works with vulnerable sectors in Villa Ocampo, especially with children, although the activities can expand to different age groups. We principally work in the cultural sector, which allows us to connect with the children and their families on a more friendly level; we try to generate valid alternative cultural alternatives to these sectors who cannot access other opportunities with the market offers.
Description of the work of the volunteer and the necessities of the association:
The volunteer needs to be ready to work in an independent manner and to be able to integrate with the local volunteers, neighbours and children in the rural outpost where the project will be developed. The school where the project will take place has around 90 children. The activities to be developed are related to restoration and amplification of the games area of the school, but as the school can be found in the centre of the outpost, interaction with neighbours and especially with children will be frequent. Voluntariado Juvenil has already been developing activities with the children of the outpost, and we believe it to be fundamental to restore the recreation space as there is no other in the neighbourhood which can be found 7km away from the urban centre of Villa Ocampo.
In addition to this Project, the Voluntariado Juvenil is developing the program “Sonrisa Ambulante” which consists in the development of cultural activities in the distinct rural outposts through days working with children and their families, with different workshops such as guitar and painting, games with clowns, mimes and puppets. In this sense, whichever artistic ability the volunteer has will be greatly appreciated as also will be appreciated any capacity to transmit information, to share knowledge, languages etc… The volunteers will always be accompanied by at least one member and at times by all the members of the youth group in all the activities.
The volunteer’s contribution:
The volunteer’s contribution is fundamental as without this there would be no possibility to develop the Project. Your economic contribution (700 pesos a month) will be used to buy materials necessary for the activities, such as tubes, paint, paintbrushes, wood, etc. The pre-school children’s playground currently has three see-saws, a structure for two tire swings, a slide, two small roundabouts, two swings made from cans and one big roundabout, the primary school children park has two structures for swings which need to be repaired another structure which is missing the swings, and half a see-saw. All of the structures need to be painted and most need to be restored, we also wish to make some new games (especially for the primary school) such as one spider, one slide, a climbing frame and a slide, a spiral and create a football and volley ball pitch.
Accommodation:
in a house sharing with volunteers of the same project.
Fees:
Travel (internal and external) costs and costs related to the on arrival training (room and food) of the volunteer are at the volunteers charge. The volunteer will make a one off payment to Subir al Sur in Argentine pesos on arrival depending on the volunteers time of stay 1 month - 450 pesos, 2-3 months 650 pesos, and 4-12 months 950 pesos. This money covers administration costs of Subir al Sur during the volunteers stay.
In addition the volunteer will pay 850 pesos per month for the duration of the project to the local hosting organization, Youth Group Ocampense. This money will cover the volunteers housing and any admin costs for Youth Group Ocampense - this DOES NOT include food.
NOTE:
The on arrival trainings as noted below are obligatory. The costs for the stay in Buenos Aires will need to be covered by the volunteer. After this they will travel to their project in the North of Argentina (approx. 9 hours by bus).
ON ARRIVAL DATES:
11 August, 15 September 2012
Until further notice:
Projects available until the end of October 2012
The ON Arrival training is obligatory we will not accept volunteers who do not arrive for the above dates.*
* The volunteers need to cover their accommodation and food costs during the on arrival training, the training starts at 10h30. The place of the on arrival training is To be Confirmed in the Capital City of Buenos Aires. The volunteers need to arrive into Buenos Aires, Ezeiza airport.
ADMIN COSTS AND WHAT WE DO:
The volunteers arriving pay a one off fee for administration costs depending on the amount of time they will stay, which is payable to Subir al Sur in the on arrival training, this covers our internet, telephone, coordination costs, and costs for the on arrival training. In addition to this, the amount is used in case of any problems which may arise in the local project so that we may travel and mediate the situation. MTV/LTV is our principal source of financing.
Volunteers should be aware that organizations in “south” countries do not receive funds from the government and are heavily dependant on the volunteer's contributions. Subir al Sur coordinates actions in Argentina and the volunteers go to participate in our partner's projects. The volunteers also pay monthly to our partners for accommodation and food, any money left over is used by the partners for administration costs and to develop their activities.
Subir al Sur develops the local programs together with our partners and shares this information on an international level, we then do all necessary follow up with the international and local, including the writing of the info sheet. We prepare the volunteers in full day on arrival trainings and then the volunteers travel to their local projects, we then follow up on the volunteers in their local projects through our partners and with the volunteers. During the project we request the volunteers to send us a series of written evaluations. If any problems may arise during the project we speak first by telephone and if necessary we travel to the project (this may be a twelve hour journey) in order to evaluate the problem and to mediate in case of conflict. The volunteer’s evaluations are studied at the end of the year by a psychologist and the data is used in order to create a detailed overview of the impact of our volunteering programs.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PROJECTS:
Due to the fact Subir al Sur works together with young people in organised youth groups and with children we request the following from the volunteers and their sending organisations at the time of application:
- MOTIVATION LETTER in Spanish.
- Pre-evaluation in Spanish before arrival, this will be sent out with the Information Sheet.
- A signed agreement from the volunteers showing that they have read and understood the info sheet and the Rights and Responsabilities - Document sent out with the info sheet.
- An intermediate level of Spanish.
- A letter from the sending organisation confirming that there has been personal contact with the volunteer and that they will/or have participated in some form of Pre Departure Training and that the volunteer is motivated and prepared to work with young people in underprivileged areas.
- Participation in the on arrival training in the Capital City of Buenos Aires is obligatory.
Asociación Civil “Quinta de la Familia Liliane” is a non profit organization which works on the psycho-physical rehabilitation of children and young people with or without disabilities who live in poverty and social vulnerability. We give in this way an authentic space of integration, containment, promotion and recreation, where the children and young people can interact together and learn without differences.
Description of the work of the volunteer and the necessities of the association:
The volunteer must be ready to work in an independent manner with children and young people with social problems who live in underprivileged neighbourhoods (with unsatisfied basic necessities, physical disabilities). We would like the volunteers to have the capacity to approach young people, exchange, share moments and knowledge, communicate and spend time with them. The activities will be developed in the organisations base.
Currently there are 60 children and young people who assist in the institution and participate in the activities. There are individual attention spaces for children who show learning problems, the rest of the areas are used for workshops which groups together children and young people by age. Activities are also developed with adults especially women. The volunteers will work with them from two to four times a week during two or three hours organising activities with a reduced group of children or young people, the volunteers will be accompanied in this task by someone from the institution.
The activities to be developed may be ecological, artistic, school support, recreation, accompaniment- or all of the above. The volunteers will be charged with filming and taking photos of the different activities so it would be much appreciated if they have a digital camera. Currently the institution does not have a video camera or digital camera.
Some activities:
-The volunteers will be charged with planning activities, games etc with children whilst they are waiting to see the educational psychologist in the centre. -The institution has a big green area which needs to be maintained in the best conditions to realise some activities for which help will be asked from the volunteers, the same when there is painting work to be done or when improving the condition of some of the rooms of the base, all of these tasks will be consulted with the volunteer. -During the summer holidays (Febuary-March), the volunteers will have the opportunity to organise a summer camp from one to five times a week using Workshops based on different themes in order to raise awareness in children. -In addition to working with children and young people the volunteers will work on environmental and cultural themes. It would be great if the volunteers have the possibility to share any abilities they may have such as how to play an instrument, teach a language, or undertake artistic works. -Any artistic ability would be really appreciated, in this case the institution will be able to manage the possibility of attaining instruments or materials which may be lacking (always and when it is something which can be found in the locality), this could be used to teach or to use within the educational, cultural and artistic project of the organization. It would also be appreciated the possibility to transmit information, knowledge, languages etc… -If the volunteers wish they may also work on workshops in schools or other institutions in different neighbourhoods which whom different activities are developed. -The volunteers will participate in different activities around, Murga (Murga is a form of popular musical theatre performed in Uruguay), Murals, cooking and recreation. In addition to this once a week there are activities of “Cinema in the Neighbourhoods”.
Accommodation:
The volunteer will live in a house which is lent to the institution and will share with two male hosts who live there (who also make part of the Quinta Liliane) and with up to three other volunteers depending on the time of year and the exchange. There are two pets living on the inside of the house (a dog and a cat).
Participation Fees:
Travel (internal and external) costs and costs related to the on arrival training (room and food) of the volunteer are at the volunteers charge.
The volunteer will make a one off payment to Subir al Sur in argentine pesos on arrival depending on the volunteers time of stay 1 month - 450 pesos, 2-3 months 650 pesos, and 4-12 months 950 pesos. This money covers administration costs of Subir al Sur during the volunteers stay.
In addition the volunteer will pay 850 pesos per month for the duration of the project to the local hosting organization, Quinta Liliane. This money will cover the volunteers housing and any admin costs for Quinta Liliane - this DOES NOT include food.
NOTE:
The on arrival trainings as noted below are obligatory. The costs for the stay in Buenos Aires will need to be covered by the volunteer. After this they will travel to their project in the North of Argentina (approx. 9 hours by bus).
ON ARRIVAL DATES:
11 August, 15 September 2012
Until further notice:
Projects available until the end of October 2012
The ON Arrival training is obligatory we will not accept volunteers who do not arrive for the above dates.*
* The volunteers need to cover their accommodation and food costs during the on arrival training, the training starts at 10h30. The place of the on arrival training is To be Confirmed in the Capital City of Buenos Aires. The volunteers need to arrive into Buenos Aires, Ezeiza airport.
ADMIN COSTS AND WHAT WE DO:
The volunteers arriving pay a one off fee for administration costs depending on the amount of time they will stay, which is payable to Subir al Sur in the on arrival training, this covers our internet, telephone, coordination costs, and costs for the on arrival training. In addition to this, the amount is used in case of any problems which may arise in the local project so that we may travel and mediate the situation. MTV/LTV is our principal source of financing.
Volunteers should be aware that organizations in “south” countries do not receive funds from the government and are heavily dependant on the volunteer's contributions. Subir al Sur coordinates actions in Argentina and the volunteers go to participate in our partner's projects. The volunteers also pay monthly to our partners for accommodation and food, any money left over is used by the partners for administration costs and to develop their activities.
Subir al Sur develops the local programs together with our partners and shares this information on an international level, we then do all necessary follow up with the international and local, including the writing of the info sheet. We prepare the volunteers in full day on arrival trainings and then the volunteers travel to their local projects, we then follow up on the volunteers in their local projects through our partners and with the volunteers. During the project we request the volunteers to send us a series of written evaluations. If any problems may arise during the project we speak first by telephone and if necessary we travel to the project (this may be a twelve hour journey) in order to evaluate the problem and to mediate in case of conflict. The volunteer’s evaluations are studied at the end of the year by a psychologist and the data is used in order to create a detailed overview of the impact of our volunteering programs.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PROJECTS:
Due to the fact Subir al Sur works together with young people in organised youth groups and with children we request the following from the volunteers and their sending organisations at the time of application:
- MOTIVATION LETTER in Spanish.
- Pre-evaluation in Spanish before arrival, this will be sent out with the Information Sheet.
- A signed agreement from the volunteers showing that they have read and understood the info sheet and the Rights and Responsabilities - Document sent out with the info sheet.
- An intermediate level of Spanish.
- A letter from the sending organisation confirming that there has been personal contact with the volunteer and that they will/or have participated in some form of Pre Departure Training and that the volunteer is motivated and prepared to work with young people in underprivileged areas.
- Participation in the on arrival training in the Capital City of Buenos Aires is obligatory.
« I would recommend participating in a workcamp, especially with VAP, who ensured that I found a project to suit me and provided essential training for me in preparation for my trip. Being part of a workcamp really is a life-changing experience, oh, and it looks great on your CV! »
