Are you interested in working with kids?
We are looking for:
PROMOTORES/-AS EN PROGRAMA DE PREVENCIÓN
Recommendations:
-Intermediate Spanish
-Minimum stay: 5 months
-Recommended arrival date: July 2010
Schedule: work in prevention centers: 5 afternoons/week, plus planning (biweekly), preparation and training sessions
Responsibility: intercultural team of teachers, psychologist and volunteers
Typical activities: games, sports, music, arts and crafts, health education, homework support, promoting values
Working with: 15-40 children, ages 3-13
Ask yourself: Can I work with children with behavior issues? Some kids in the prevention program come from backgrounds of violence, addiction, or other severe problems. Can I cope with that?
PROFESORES/-AS DE ARTE
Recommendations:
-Intermediate Spanish
-Experience with arts and/or crafts: drawing, painting and/or other skills, and/or basic knowledge of art theory or history
-Minimum stay: 6 months
-Recommended arrival date: July 2010
Schedule: 2 extracurricular classes/week in the library (up to 20 children, ages 5-13)
2 classes in preschool (15-20 children, ages 4-5), plus preparation
Responsibility: independent, coordinating with preschool teachers
Ask yourself: Am I willing to essentially take complete responsibility for this program? Am I self-motivated? Can I come up with new project ideas week after week? Can I work creatively with limited resources?
GARDENING ENTHUSIAST
Recommendations:
-Intermediate knowledge/experience in gardening
-Desire to take responsibility for the 3 gardens
-Willing to work with members of the community
Schedule:
-Varies depending on the stage of the garden
-Can require both full and part-time attention, usually 3 to 5 days a week
Responsibility:
-Garden Maintenance (watering, weeding, seeding, insect management)
-Soil Preparation
-Transplanting and planting seeds
-Maintaining community involvement
Ask yourself:
-Do I enjoy working outside?
-Do I have some knowledge about flower and vegetable gardens?
-Am I willing to put in the necessary time and effort to keep the garden growing?
If you are interested in working in these programs, we would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and tell you more about our day-to-day work - ¡sólo pasen la voz!
Finally, a word on Spanish language skills: Much has been said, and rightly so, about intercultural experiences transcending language barriers. I have been lucky enough to meet volunteers who more than made up for their lack of fluency in Spanish by their resourcefulness, creativity, and extroverted character.
However, I would like to stress how incredibly helpful a knowledge of Spanish is when you come to volunteer. Whether you participate in prevention planning meetings or training sessions, tutor students, or coordinate art classes with the preschool teachers, your knowledge of Spanish will help you to be accepted as a member of the team, have your ideas be heard, and allow you to really make a difference.
So, if your Spanish is a little rusty, I would like to encourage you to take any and all opportunities to improve it before coming to Chimbote: Sign up for classes, buy a language-learning CD, study online, go to a language camp, find someone to tutor you, buy a Spanish edition of your favorite children´s book... and keep in mind that every little bit will help make your volunteering experience more rewarding.
¡Anímense! Los esperamos en Chimbote a partir de Julio.
Saludos,
cuídense,
el equipo de los voluntarios
