YOUTH, CARE AND COMMUNITY - Come & Help us enhance the lives of young people

 

Description

We cannot pretend to remedy serious social and economic conditions, but volunteers in Santa Elena have plenty of opportunities to make a difference to young people who would otherwise lack educational and creative opportunities. Community projects are typically under-resourced and under-staffed, so volunteers and resources are always welcome.
In addition to established community activities and programs, motivated volunteers who bring ideas for projects have the chance to set up their own volunteer opportunities in Santa Elena with the financial and organizational support of Peace Villages Foundation. The foundation’s established relationships and contacts with various schools and social organizations in the town and the help of the Volunteer Coordinator enable volunteers to create their own exciting work placements. Whether your skills lie in music, sports, drama, art or handwork, PVF and Santa Elena can offer you a unique chance to implement your own ideas, while giving you valuable experience and realizing personal ambitions and goals.
The town’s Casa de la Cultura (Cultural Center) and Fundación del Niño (Children’s Foundation) are some of the organizations which are open to the input of volunteers, from English teaching, theater and music projects, to computer and ceramics classes.
In the past, volunteers have formed teams working on community projects such as the maintenance and painting of playgrounds and community centers, the organization of litter collections and environmental education activities, the planning of cultural events and festivals in conjunctions with the town council.
We also would like to set up a month-long summer camp for underprivileged and street children from around Venezuela on the Foundation grounds, and are looking for a committed volunteer to organize and implement this exciting idea. There are no limits to the work a motivated and enthusiastic volunteer can set up in Santa Elena, but achieving a successful independent project does require a longer stay than participation in PVF’s already established volunteer programs.

ACTIVITIES CAN INCLUDE:
• Help teaching simple wood work to young people at our Community & Therapy Center (MR: E1, L0, C0) or by passing on vocational carpentry & building skills (MR: E2, L1, C1)
• Assist teaching at the local music school or arts, craft and ceramics at the cultural center and our Community & Therapy Center (MR: E1, L1, C1)
• Assist with supervising recreational, developmental and therapeutic activities for special need kids who visit our Community & Therapy Center (MR: E0, L0, C0)
• Help organize special events (MR: E1, L1, C2)
• Bring joy and warmth to hospitalized children by participating in visits to the pediatric ward for recreational activities like story telling, theater and play sessions (MR: E0, L1, C0)
• Make and decorate wooden didactic toys and materials for our play-therapy program for underprivileged children and special need kids (MR: E0, L0, C0)
• Play and take care of underprivileged children, bringing joy and love to local day care centers (MR: E0, L0, C0)
• Help restore and maintain children’s playgrounds and school facilities and furniture. Assist with painting and restoring work, help with landscaping, redecorating and maintenance. (MR: E0, L0, C0)

REQUIREMENTS:
No previous experience or special skills are required, but participants need to be enthusiastic, willing to learn, ready for a challenge and have a desire to work with children. Friendliness, care, commitment and patience are among important qualities. Take delight in the children’s progress through interaction and play, as well as the charming nature of the bonds formed between children and volunteers. Some knowledge of Spanish language would be advantageous. A typical volunteer with this programs comes without a lot of previous experience but has a number of ideas and enthusiasm, takes initiative and dedicates a lot of caring and passion to the position.
Please check each activity for its specific Minimum Requirements ( MR )
Level of Experience None: E0; Little: E1; Advanced: E2; Experts: E3
Spanish Language Skills None: L0; Basic: L1; Conversational: L2; Fluent: L3
Minimum Time Commitment None: C0; 1 Month: C1; 2 Months: C2; 3 Months: C3

AVAILABILITY:
Ongoing through the whole year

VOLUNTEERING WITH PEACE VILLAGES:
Volunteering is a great way to experience another culture, make new friends and learn new skills. The beauty in volunteering lies in the fact that you are not simply passing through as a tourist. You are interacting with the community, building relationships and making a positive impact. It is an experience that may well change your life!
Volunteers are the driving force of Peace Villages' work, both through their volunteering and through their financial contributions. We have various programs currently underway and run by volunteers, as well as the long term expectation of opening a large multi-faceted Therapy Center. Volunteers, through their donations and through volunteer work done on the Foundations grounds are helping us to create this center (see our spending breakdown for more information on where your money goes).
We encourage volunteers to form schedules which work for them, and to work in any combination of programs. Volunteers decide how many hours they want to work. We recommend a minimum of 4 hours daily for 4 days a week. You may work as much as 6 days and as many hours you wish. We emphasize that we focus on excellence and not on quantity!

All travel costs to Santa Elena, Venezuela must be covered by the volunteer. Budget at least 35 € Euro for in-country travel (including meals along the way) on top of whatever your plane ticket costs (likely at least 330 € Euro depending on where you´re coming from).

There are three accommodation options - Prices depend on length of stay and include:
• Volunteer placement in the program/s of your choice
• Accommodation, meals and laundry depending on the accommodation option of your choice
• Placement introduction and hand-outs, supervision, regular briefings
• Spanish Language classes
• Certificate and/or written reference upon successful completion of volunteer placement
• Free participation with weekend excursions and opportunities for cultural exchange whenever scheduled and organized by Peace Villages volunteers
• Full support and 7 days, 24 hour back-up from our local staff
• Peace Villages T-shirt
• Santa Elena bus terminal pick-up. Our staff will welcome you to the Peace Villages home-base upon arrival to Santa Elena and ensure that all of your needs are met - from a safe and comfortable place to stay, to unparalleled access to perspectives and insight about the local culture

Most volunteers will spend less than Euro € 50 a month on other personal expenses while here, but this depends on how you like to live. For more detailed information check http://www.peacevillages.org