This project is open all year round and you can volunteer for a minimum of one month.

We feel that the volunteers need more than just an on arrival meeting when they arrive in Buenos Aires, and for this reason in 2010 we will be developing set arrival dates for the volunteers and we will arrange a two day on arrival training program so that the volunteers may be better prepared for their projects and so that they may know who SAS really are. We will also let the volunteer know of dates during the year in which events are taking place in local projects so we can have informal meetings and in this way the volunteers can get to know other volunteers in Argentina and learn about our other local projects.

The arrival weekend dates are as follows

13-14 March 2010
8-9 May 2010
31 July – 1 August 2010
30–31 October 2010

The volunteers need to cover their accommodation and food costs during the on arrival training, the training starts at 9am.

- Volunteers should write a MOTIVATION LETTER in Spanish.
- Volunteers should fill in the pre-evaluation in Spanish before their arrival, this will be sent out with the Information Sheet after completion of the placement.
- Volunteers should sign an agreement that they have read and understood the Information Sheet and have read and understood their rights and responsibilities. (this will be sent out with the Info-Sheet as well).

Who are we?
Piedra Libre is a non-profit civil society association formed by a varied group of people, such as Recreation teachers, Physical Education teachers, Visual Arts and Graphic Design, Theatre and Music teachers, Primary school teachers, jugglers, social-cultural animators, tourist guides, graphic designers, make-up artists, mime artists and psichology pedagogues.

What do we do?
Our goal is to encourage the development of recreation, and its relationship with the social areas of education, health, and the services of tourism.
Piedra Libre facilitate the publication and diffusion of these objectives through concrete actions organised by the association. We are protecting and specifying several actions in those areas including research. We organise activities and meetings for associations and experts in relation with the theme of recreation.
Piedra Libre also encourages all kinds of bid activities for the common good. All our activities are organised for people of all ages and all social classes. We are constantly developing an environment of sincerity and solidarity among the local associations and we encourage their intellectual and cultural improvement.
Piedra Libre is working on the organisation of events, courses, workshops, seminars, congresses,etc. At the same time we are offering different kinds of trainings. The centre for the city of Bahía Blanca and the influenced zone of the Forum has been permanently functioning as a place for recreational and free time activities since 2001.

The reality of the neighbourhood where the volunteers will work

The district has a population of 860 families, of which 28% are living in poverty and 72% in misery. One of its main characteristics is the existence of a high birth rate and a significant part of the population is living from illegal work and is included in governmental social projects.

This is a centre hosting children up to 5 years old in a vulnerable social situation, concentrating on the following characteristics: unsatisfied basic needs, numerous families, single parents, unemployed parents, violence in families.
Integrated Attention Centre - the attendance of the institute is of 6 hours per day (from 8am to 2pm) Offering food support twice a day (breakfast and lunch or lunch and a snack).

Special objectives -
- To offer food support in the Integrated Attention Centre in accordance with the nutritional values required for the age group of 0 until 5 years old.
- To promote the participation of families in order to plan the appropriate actions according to the needs they present.
- To protect the psychosocial health of the children promoting their healthy development.
- To create an environment which the children consider it as their own, representing their social-cultural rules and personal daily routines in order to feel free, creative and responsible.
- To offer experiences such as socialisation and incorporation of conducted habits in an environment of solidarity exceeding the one provided by governmental institutions.
- To support the learning process, completing the family actions and school or nursery programmes, preventing situations of desertion, searching for a complete articulation and stimulating the incorporation of formal education.
- To promote the formation of family-groups in order to offer them a space for participation, for exchanging ideas, searching for solutions together for the problems they are facing with, in relation with children raising, and family-community relationships.

- The volunteer must be ready to work in an independent manner with children, young people and adults with social problems living in low income areas.
- The volunteer must have the ability to connect with children and adults through games and educational activities and to be in contact with their families.
- The volunteer needs to have charisma and be willing to play, to involucrate, to share knowledge and to be open to work with Piedra Libre and in the project of the children’s nursery.
- Knowledge of how to use internet.
- Predisposition to share and learn abut the cultural life of our country.

At least 4-6 hours per day and sometimes participation at weekend activities, such as Family Day, Children Day, etc. If the volunteer participates on weekends they will still be expected to partake in their weekday activities.

The accommodation is in a recreational complex which belongs to Piedra Libre, in an urban area with a big park and full of nature. It's 20 minutes by bus away from the nursery school and 30 minutes away from the centre where the central office of Piedra Libre can be found. The complex has a big park, football and basketball pitches and a swimming pool for the summer. Also we have a house which we have recently renovated with two rooms with 4 beds in each, a private bathroom, kitchen, living/dining room and Internet, telephone and a washing machine.

The association will NOT provide food for the volunteers.

The volunteers must keep the house clean and need to pay the costs of travel from the house to the nursery school or which ever Project they decide to participate in. It is important to note that Piedra libre also has the following projects, which the volunteers may also participate in -

• Road security/Wayside code.
• Older people.
• Caring for the environment, recycling, water management, etc.
• Celebrations for the Children Day, Family Day and Retired persons Day, etc.
• Recreational activities in the complex.

Basics in Spanish, willing to learn!

Yellow Fever.

Due to the fact we have had problems with volunteers making payments to Subir al Sur we would like to explain that the one off fee for administration costs (160€) which are payable to Subir al Sur in the on arrival training cover our internet, telephone, coordination costs, and costs for the on arrival training. To date we receive no additional funding. 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.

We feel it very necessary that our international partners may share with the volunteers why the administration costs to SAS are necessary we feel that this should be an integral part of the volunteers training prior to their project. The 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 the actions here 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.
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.

Until now we have arranged an on arrival meeting for the volunteers in Buenos Aires so that they may have an idea about SAS and its 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 six hour journey) in order to evaluate the problem and to mediate in case of conflict.

Travel (internal and external) costs, and costs related to the on arrival information meeting (room and food) of the volunteer are at the volunteers charge.

The volunteer will make a one off payment of 160€ to Subir al Sur in the on arrival training. This money covers the administration costs of Subir al Sur during the volunteers stay.

In addition to this the volunteer needs to pay monthly, 130 € to the local hosting project, Piedra Libre. This Money is used to pay the accommodation (including cable TV with 100 channels, telephone to receive phone calls, Mobile Internet, and wifi in the central office, costs of gas and electricity, kitchen/fridge/microwave/utensils for cooking – mineral water dispenser – heaters in Winter , ventilators in Summer – washing machine/ Cleaning products (this does not include washing power for clothes or softener) its is important to note that the volunteer MUST buy their own food, this is not included in the fee.

The on arrival trainings as noted above are obligatory. The costs for the stay in Buenos Aires will need to be covered by the volunteer. Please be clear with the volunteers about what they have to pay, when and why. After this they will travel to their project in the south of the province of Buenos Aires (approx. 8 hours by bus, overnight by train approx. 10 hour train journey).