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Youth Outreach Volunteer Program
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
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Comments from our Volunteers |
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Volunteer Activities |
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Lead youth in sports and other recreational activities |
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Organize and teach English classes |
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Tutor kids in English and math |
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Take care of children in the nursery |
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Help out with meal time |
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Assist with a variety of administrative tasks at the center |
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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 $2,095
3 Weeks:
US $2,795
4 Weeks:
US $3,495
Each Additional Week:
US $725
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Cost includes:
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Airport pick-up |
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Accommodations |
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Intensive group Portuguese 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 a minimum of 6 hours per week in the afternoons. Volunteers enrolled in the Complete package will attend language classes, which are typically 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Mon-Fri. Schedules vary depending on project needs, and volunteers should remain flexible.
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Requirements:
There are no formal requirements, but we recommend that you have some basic Portuguese skills. |
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What Volunteers Can Do: |
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In our Brazil Youth Outreach Program, you will work with local youth in a community education center near the favelas (shantytowns) of Rio de Janeiro. The families served by the center are often trapped in a negative cycle of poverty, low education, and unemployment. Volunteers will help to break that cycle in a variety of ways, by teaching English classes, tutoring students, and helping to organize scholastic and recreational activities.
Our Brazil Youth Outreach Program also gives you the unique opportunity to be a mentor and role model to the youth of the favelas, encouraging them to seek higher education and productive employment. As a volunteer in Brazil, you will be helping promote the health and education of underprivileged children, as well as giving them the individual attention they crave and deserve. |
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Why Volunteer in Brazil? |
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Brazil is the largest country in South America, the fifth-biggest nation in the world, and home to the second-most populous city on the planet. This geographic giant has all the diversity one would expect from a country of its size. Thanks to dazzling beaches, lavish rainforests, and natural wonders to spare, Brazil exceeds all expectations.
Despite its many charms, managing both its environment and its people has been a struggle for Brazil. The federal government has long ignored the multitudes of impoverished citizens living in shacks around the nation's cities. These shantytowns, called favelas, are home to thousands of people who live without water, electricity or plumbing. Often unable to attend city schools and largely unaided by the government, favela residents often find themselves in a negative cycle that is difficult to escape without outside help.
Our partner organizations in Brazil have taken it upon themselves to remedy these glaring social and environmental problems. With a program at a Rio community center, our local partner promotes literacy and education among the youth of the favelas. |
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Brazil Youth Outreach Program Goals: |
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Our partner organization in Rio is committed to providing health and education to the underprivileged families of the favelas in this neighborhood. They have converted donated houses into schools, daycares, and health centers for the favela community. They currently provide help for over 400 children, and their medical staff provides support for over 1500 families.
As a volunteer, you will be assisting the community center in providing daycare, teaching English, and organizing recreational activities with the children. Your work with the youth of Brazil will encourage them to seek higher education and help them feel like valued members of society. |
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Airport Pickup and Orientation: |
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After arrival in Rio, you will be picked up by a shuttle service provided by BridgeVolunteers. You will be transported to your hostel or host family for the first night. You will be given instructions on how to arrive at the school the following morning, where you will begin your Volunteer Adventure with an extensive orientation. During the orientation, you will become familiar with living in Rio, using public transportation, and working in the favelas. After the orientation, you will be taken to the community center where you will meet with a volunteer coordinator who will discuss with you where your skills will be best utilized as a volunteer. |
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Portuguese Language Classes: |
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Volunteers enrolled in the Complete package will be taking Portuguese language classes at BridgeBrazil, our affiliate language school in Rio. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Portuguese Placement Test to determine your language proficiency. If this is not possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school.
For the rest of your time in Rio de Janeiro, you will be in a group of four or fewer students, learning conversational Portuguese for four hours a day*. After class hours, you will go directly to the community center for your volunteer experience. During your volunteer work, you will be able to practice your Portuguese language skills as well as become more closely involved with the favela children and their culture.
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TEFL Teacher Training: |
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All volunteers in our Teach English Programs receive teacher training before going abroad. By completing our online teacher preparation program, you will earn your certification in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), which will give you the skills and confidence needed to teach English overseas. Read More. |
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Transportation: |
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BridgeVolunteers will provide airport pick-up in Rio and transportation to accommodations. Volunteers pay for transportation to and from the project and other activities. Commute time to the project varies, but may be up to 30-60 minutes, depending on your placement. |
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Accommodations: |
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Volunteers that opt to take language lessons will have the opportunity to stay with a Brazilian host family. Host family accommodations include a private room and two meals per day (breakfast and dinner). 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. If you don´t take lessons you will be placed at a hostel. |
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Meals: |
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Hostel serves breakfast only. Host family provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. |
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In-Country Support: |
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We work directly with our school in Rio de Janeiro to ensure your safety and support during your time in Brazil. You can expect help from the teachers, staff, and other employees at BridgeVolunteers and BridgeBrazil. We also always have on-site support at the community center, where both coordinators and professional volunteers can help you with anything you need. |
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Brazil Excursions: |
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Although you will be serving the community for most of your time in Brazil, there may be time for some sightseeing. Below are a few of the trips that our local school organizes for students and volunteers, schedule permitting. Volunteers are expected to pay their own transportation costs and entrance fees.
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Christ the Redeemer Statue |
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Located atop the Corcovado Mountain, this is one of the world's best-known and most-visited monuments. |
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Botanical Gardens |
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Visit Rio's impressive Botanical Gardens, home to outstanding examples of plant life from Brazil and the rest of the world. |
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Sugar Loaf Mountain |
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The views are spectacular from Rio's most famous landmark, which stands at the entrance of Guanabara Bay. |
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Modern Art Museum |
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Situated on the water close to downtown, this museum houses some 1,700 paintings, sculptures, and engravings. |
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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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