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Youth Outreach Volunteer Program
Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Comments from our Volunteers |
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Volunteer Activities |
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Organize youth recreational and/or educational activities |
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Play sports and games with children |
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Give informal English lessons |
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Organize book drives |
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Collect donations of food, clothing, and other materials (crayons, markers, colored paper, notebooks, scissors, pencils, toys, etc.) |
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Develop and teach special workshops (songs, drama, dance, exercise, photography, drawing, writing, art, languages, etc.) |
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Prepare and serve snacks and meals |
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Work on various administrative tasks |
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Organize field trips |
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| Volunteer Program at a Glance |
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Start Dates:
Any Monday of the year.
Program Length:
Minimum: 2 weeks |
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Program Cost:
2 Weeks:
US $1,795
3 Weeks:
US $2,195
4 Weeks:
US $2,495
Each Additional Week:
US $495
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Cost includes:
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Airport pick-up |
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Accommodations |
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Intensive group Spanish lessons |
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One to two meals per day, depending on lodging options |
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Activities |
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Volunteer donation to program |
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Schedule:
You will volunteer in the mornings and/or afternoons, 3-5 days a week. Volunteers will attend Spanish classes in the mornings Mon–Fri. The exact hours and details of your day will be decided during the volunteer orientation. Schedules vary depending on program needs, and volunteers should remain flexible.
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Requirements:
There are no formal requirements, but we strongly recommend that you have some basic Spanish skills, and that you come prepared with activity ideas for kids, teens, and adults. |
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What Volunteers Can Do: |
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As a volunteer with our Argentina Youth Outreach Program, you will help Argentina's at-risk children and teens reach their potential, while also helping to break the cycle of poverty that affects so much of the country. Volunteers will work in a hands-on environment at community centers, soup kitchens, halfway houses, and shelters. You will organize recreational activities, conduct educational workshops, and help with homework, among many other tasks. Regardless of the activities in which you participate, you will be an important role model for many young children in Argentina. |
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Why Volunteer in Argentina? |
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Argentina is the most visited country in South America, thanks to an elegant national capital, a lively, refined culture, and extreme geographical beauty. The nation's vast and varied terrain stretches from the spectacular tropical waterfalls of Iguazú on the Brazilian border to the frosty town of Ushuaia in southern Tierra del Fuego. In between are countless towns, cities, and rural regions each with its own unique brand of appeal. The second largest country in South America, Argentina is home to nearly 38 million people.
Although historically a prosperous nation, Argentina has faced severe economic struggles in the last decade. These difficult financial times have led to a large disparity between rich and poor and to a host of newfound social problems. Even Argentineans who were once part of a solid middle class now live in poverty, with limited access to education, health care, and profitable employment. Both the poor, indigenous region of Salta and the sophisticated, cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires are home to impoverished citizens, residents with limited access to healthcare and education, as well as malnourished and neglected children.
Fortunately, with the help of volunteers from around the globe, our partner organizations in Argentina are gradually improving the lives of hundreds of local residents. Their services promote youth and adult education, provide recreational activities for children, train adults in job skills, and help secure profitable employment for local workers. Volunteers and service learning participants in Argentina will help bridge the gap for these residents, with the hopes of creating more successful futures for all citizens. |
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Argentina Youth Outreach Program Goals: |
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The goal of our Argentina Youth Outreach Program is to take an active role in helping children and teens in Buenos Aires who are living below the poverty line. The first step in this process is to ensure that children's basic needs (i.e. food, clothing and shelter) are met. The second step is to find ways to help children and teens from economically disadvantaged areas progress, giving them the tools and encouragement they need to break out of poverty. This means developing educational and job-training programs for older youth, as well as providing daycare for the younger children of working parents. |
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Airport Pickup and Orientation: |
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After arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be picked up by a shuttle service and transported to your accommodations for the first night. The following morning, you will begin your volunteer program with an extensive orientation. During this time, you will learn about living and working in Buenos Aires, using public transportation, and volunteering at your program site. You will meet your program coordinator to discuss the details of your work and your responsibilities as a volunteer. Your program coordinator will accompany you on the first day and also on subsequent days if possible. |
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Spanish Language Classes: |
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To complement your work in the community, you will be taking Spanish language classes at BridgeArgentina, our affiliate language school in Buenos Aires. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Spanish Placement to determine your language proficiency. If this is not possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school. You will be placed according to your language level in a group of four or fewer students, learning conversational Spanish for four hours a day*. After your class hours, you will go directly to your organization for your volunteer experience.
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Transportation: |
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BridgeVolunteers will arrange your airport pickup in Buenos Aires and transportation to your host family. Volunteers pay for transportation to and from the program and other activities. |
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Accommodations: |
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Volunteers can choose to stay in either a hostel or with an Argentinean host family. Hostel accommodations are typically shared rooms and bathrooms and include breakfast. Host family accommodations include a private room and two meals per day (breakfast and dinner). Commute time to the program varies, but may be up to 30-60 minutes, depending on your placement. If you opt to stay with a host family, you will be glad to know that our host families are carefully screened and must meet BridgeVolunteers' requirements before being accepted as a host family. You will be given a key to your host family's home to come and go as you please. |
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Meals: |
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If you choose to stay in a hostel, you will be served breakfast only. If you would like to prepare your own meals, you will have access to a kitchen in the hostel. Host families provide two meals a day: breakfast and dinner. |
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In-Country Support: |
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Volunteer coordinators will provide support during your time in Buenos Aires. You can also expect help from your fellow volunteers and the staff of both BridgeVolunteers and our partner organization. |
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Argentina Excursions: |
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Although you will be serving the community for most of your time in Argentina, there may be time for some sightseeing. Below are a few of the trips that BridgeArgentina organizes for students and volunteers, schedule permitting. Volunteers are expected to pay their own transportation costs and entrance fees.
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The Recoleta |
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One of our most popular excursions, this trip takes you to the beautiful Recoleta neighborhood known as a "slice of Paris" in Buenos Aires |
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The Rosedal |
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The Rosedal is Buenos Aires' most famous and most visited park, filled with bridges, piers, ponds, sculptures, and abundant vegetation. |
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San Telmo |
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A walking tour of this artsy neighborhood offers a chance to visit antique shops and the San Telmo Market, where you can find antiques, crafts, and artwork made by local artisans. |
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La Boca |
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Colorful houses characterize the lively waterfront neighborhood of La Boca. The area is also home to the country's most popular soccer team, the Boca Juniors. |
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The Plaza de Mayo |
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This plaza is the epicenter of Argentina's political history. This tour of the plaza also includes famous buildings nearby, such as the Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Cabildo. |
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Puerto Madero |
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This port city has converted its old brick warehouses into first-rate restaurants, movie theaters, and office complexes. It is now Buenos Aires' newest, most exclusive, and fastest-growing district |
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Insurance for Volunteers: |
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BridgeVolunteers provides emergency travel insurance for participants. For more information, please read our Insurance page. |
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