Assistant in a center for children of sexworkers

location
4 - 38 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Experience the latino way of life and the vast cultural life of Cochabamba
  • Take Spanish classes and improve your Spanish
  • Make a diference in the life of children with difficult backgrounds
  • Live in the city of eternal spring. Seriously, the climate here is awesome.
  • Learn more about the lifelihood of the children and their families in this community


Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
50+

About the program

All-round volunteers needed in a daycare center for children of sexworkers

This project is run by a warm and cordial group of locals, who experienced the alarming effects of prostitution in their neighborhood up close and decided to dedicate their work to children whose mothers work as sexworkers. The center acts as a kind of daycare for these kids. They live an uncertain ...

About the program

This project is run by a warm and cordial group of locals, who experienced the alarming effects of prostitution in their neighborhood up close and decided to dedicate their work to children whose mothers work as sexworkers. The center acts as a kind of daycare for these kids. They live an uncertain and unstable life. Nights can be scary and interrupted due to their mother’s work. Their mums are likely to be addicted, in worse cases with a violent man at home. They experience all the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse, such as low self-esteem, little attention and time, and so on. About 40 children between the ages of 6 and 16 are lovingly cared for here. They are provided with three meals a day, games and other activities, homework support and most importantly a safe space. You can support the organization by playing games, organize activities, homework supervision or English lessons. Young people who want to help with refurbishing the center, painting the rooms or redesigning the buildings are more than welcome here. Think of football, puzzles, cooking and laughing together.


Possible tasks:     

  • teaching English and homework support
  •  recreational activities, sports and games
  •  painting and decorating
  •  recycling-projects
  •  cooking and creative projects

Typical day

In the morning, after you had breakfast with your host family, you get in the trufi (the common public transport) to your project. As always, there is rush hour and traffic but you get to chitchat with the locals.

There are a few kids in the morning and you decide to draw some pictures with them ...

Typical day

In the morning, after you had breakfast with your host family, you get in the trufi (the common public transport) to your project. As always, there is rush hour and traffic but you get to chitchat with the locals.

There are a few kids in the morning and you decide to draw some pictures with them that you want to send home to family and friends because you want to raise some donations for the project. After Lunch all the kids are excited because you go swimming. So hope on the projects bus. Of course everything runs late and it takes a while get leave. It is a hot day and you take a trip to the property to one of the projects friends. The kids enjoy to get out of the city. Many of them hardly get the chance to see something different from their "barrio". You bought some pool balls to play and it's like a circus going on tour.

In the late afternoon you get back and head home for dinner. It's your last day with your host family and you prepare dinner for all of them. At first, they are suspicious, because most Bolivians not tend to be very open to new food, but they like it and for good bye you made them a small photo album. Tomorrow, you will move to a volunteer house for your last two months and already got to know some other volunteers.


Free-time activities

In Cochabamba you can find hospitals and western doctors, supermarkets,  good mobile signal and a vast cultural life. There are National Parks nearby, sportstudios, museums, music-schools and yoga studios. Hiking-trails in the nearby mountains and trips to Villa Tunari and other Bolivian Hotspots.

Free-time activities

In Cochabamba you can find hospitals and western doctors, supermarkets,  good mobile signal and a vast cultural life. There are National Parks nearby, sportstudios, museums, music-schools and yoga studios. Hiking-trails in the nearby mountains and trips to Villa Tunari and other Bolivian Hotspots.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level) or Spanish (basic level)

Education Requirements

at High School level

Criminal Background Check

required

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

creative and energetic personality, sensitive to the children’s background, motivated and motivating, experience in teaching, sports enthusiast, interests in Dance/Circus/Theater. Not sure if you have the right skills? Don’t worry – talk to us!

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Beyond South America

Our one-time mediation fee includes:

  • search and mediation for a suitable project
  • preparation via Skype calls
  • search and mediation for accommodation (host family and/or volunteer house)
  • airport pick up and city tour; SIM-card; donation to the project; support with visa
  • 24/7 contact to coordinator on site
  • emergency support and hospital transport;
  • evaluation of the project
  • transport to your project (one-time)

Note: We offer an upgrade package (comfort class) for volunteers that need more support. This package includes more contact time. We take you more often to your project/Spanish classes, we offer 'airport drop-off' and there is extra time to explore Cochabamba. Naturally, this upgrade comes with a small price increase. 

Which costs are not included? 

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Accommodation (we do offer accommodation in our volunteerhouse or host families for additional prices)
  • food/meals and daily needs
  • Spanish classes (possible)

We will send you detailed information about the costs of living you can expect in Bolivia.

Please note, that all the profit of Beyond South America goes to the foundation "Casa de la Alegría" providing therapeutic workshops for children and adolescence in social projects in and around Cochabamba/Bolivia

Airport Pickup at J Wilsterman Airport

We will pick you up at Cochabamba Airport anytime and bring you to your accommodation on the day of your arrival.

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Accommodation

Please arrange your own accommodation.

Food & Beverages

Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is J Wilsterman Airport (CBB) in Cochabamba. We assist you to find cheap flights to Bolivia. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Bolivia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Bolivia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Bolivia. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

They need volunteers all year arround but taking into account holiday and school season can change your schedule and how many kids there are. But we will inform you in advance about that.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 750€
38 weeks (max. stay) 750€
Average fees 103€/week

Program fees

103€ per week 4 - 38 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 38 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Beyond South America during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Beyond South America

Brilliant 4.7 rating (6 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2013

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Laurie

About the project

We are a non-profit agency, offering handpicked and sustainable volunteerpositions in South America.

Meet your organization

About Beyond South America



Beyond South America is a small nonprofit agency in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It all started in 2012 with a few volunteer positions at "Casa de la Alegria", a foundation that provides therapeutic workshops to youth- and childcare projects in and around Cochabamba.

Everyone in our team has been a volunteer, traveled to a foreign country alone and knows how difficult it can be. We’ve met many volunteers who have had bad experiences, have been left alone in their projects, and lacked support. With that in mind, we decided to start organizing different volunteer opportunities, with hand picked projects, host families we know well, airport pickups, 24/7 support, and most importantly: We want to get to know our volunteers, so we can help them find not just any, but the right project for them.

Since then we’ve grown and have become the "ones to go to when in need" for stranded volunteers in Cochabamba. We’re still a small, familiar organization but by now have partnerships in Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Guatemala, and are looking for enthusiastic, open-minded and skilled volunteers for a wide variety of positions in our handpicked projects.

As we have all lived our own lives of voluntary work all around the world, we understand the needs of volunteers, their concerns and wishes. We also care about our collaborating organizations, we offer only sustainable projects, that guarantee safety and on site support for our volunteers.

It may sound naïve, but we actually believe that volunteering can change the world for the better. Acts of solidarity, global learning and intercultural exchange break down borders that exist between cultures and in your own mind. Anyone who has ever worked in another country, who has given his time and energy to a good cause, knows that this can be an unforgettable experience, even a life changing moment. Your own impressions and the ones you leave in others, the learning experiences on both sides, bring the world closer together.


The feedback we receive from our volunteers and from our partners speaks for itself and shows that both sides benefit from volunteering. Many projects in Latin America need committed volunteers and helping hands to continue their important work. Motivated people, who work responsibly and in solidarity, also function as an impulse for the projects and their employees and prove that it makes sense to continue their work.


 

We try to combine the needs of projects and volunteers with our work and work towards finding the right project for volunteers and the right volunteer for the projects. Therefore, we want to get to know you, learn more about your background, your abilities, desires and fears, in order to propose suitable projects to you. Of course, we are also happy if you already have a project in mind and we gladly organize an unforgettable experience for you.

 

Currently we offer positions in projects working in the following fields:

  • Childcare

  • Education

  • Youth Development

  • Teaching

  • Community Work

  • Circus Arts

  • Healthcare

  • Environmental Education

  • Reforestation

  • Conservation

  • Animal Care

  • Urban Gardening


Check out our vacancies and please note, that ALL the profit of Beyond South America still goes to the Foundation "Casa de la Alegría" supporting and sustaining their work. So volunteering with Beyond South America means, you contribute directly to a good cause, bettering the lives of children in Bolivia.

So come with us to Beyond South America.

6 reviews · rating4.7

Thank you Beyond South America! I worked in two projects in Bolivia and had an amazing time there. At first they organized for me working 4 hours a day in a community center in the west of Cochabamba and everyone was super friendly and welcoming. My Spanish wasn’t so good at the beginning but my ...
Hey there, I worked as a volunteer for Casa de la Alegría in 2018. It’s a foundation in Cochabamba/Bolivia working with kids. They give workshops to kids in order to strengthen and support their social emotional development through games with therapeutic aspects using the Rock and Water ...
2017 I went for 3 month working in a day care center in Cochabamba. We were a couple of volunteers – mainly Bolivians – and organized Workshops, prepared Food for the kids, helped out with their homework and simply played with them. The kids got there after school and I worked every day about ...
Gloria Reinhardt rating4.6

2017 at Reforestation Assistant

I had a bad experience with volunteering in Albania once, where I had to quit my project after 3 weeks. So I was very careful when my boyfriend wanted to do voluntary work in South America. We thought it would be better to organize part of our trip with an agency. I was really surprised about the ...
Joris Vermeulen rating4.6

2017 at Caretaker in a Park for Rescued Animals

In 2016 me and my girl friend went to Bolivia to volunteer and learn Spanish. Beyond South America (BSA) provided the best help we could have wished for. From the first e-mail we sent till the day we left Bolivia, Laurie and Marije have helped us with everything we needed. They found us projects ...
Ria Willems rating4.8

2015 at Caretaker in a Park for Rescued Animals

I went to bolivia with beyond south america. There is a one time donation and for that price Laurie organises the whole stay in Bolivia. House, work, languageschool, and even a bridge club for me. She wecomes you at the airport and shows you around. You pay for what you want directly to the school ...

Location

Americas > South America > Bolivia > Cochabamba

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