Support the Youths near Bogotá, Colombia

location
4 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Great 4.4  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Experience the Colombian way of life in a small village
  • Gain Spanish fluency by living with a host family and immersing with the local culture
  • Enhanced your curriculum vitae and career with International Experience
  • Make memories you will never forget with the weekend tours with your fellow participants
  • Visit; Cartagena, Medellín, Bogotá , Santander, Boyaca, and get to know the most beautiful places in Colombia


Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Children in rural communities stay out after school while their parents are at work. Volunteer In Colombia to support them with activties and teach English at the YC/Schl

Volunteer in Colombia helping at the Youth Center which offers after-school support and activities for children so they won't be left in the streets vulnerable to many dangers. The center can hold up to 130 children but because of the lack of staff, they can only hold max. 80. Any qualification ...

About the program

Volunteer in Colombia helping at the Youth Center which offers after-school support and activities for children so they won't be left in the streets vulnerable to many dangers. The center can hold up to 130 children but because of the lack of staff, they can only hold max. 80. Any qualification that can help with education and cultural activities will be very appreciated. 

In Colombia, people with learning disabilities or special need is cared for by their relatives who find it very difficult to cope as they get older. They do not go to schools or have the opportunity to socialize making their life more difficult. Nor they are thought to be independent.  Volunteers are needed to help them to become part of society teaching them new skills, languages, sports, and communication skills so they can care more for themselves.

A volunteer will help with entertainment, playful activities, sports, IT, English, Music lessons, homework, and research. Support them from 9 am to 5 pm with 2 hours break. this program can be combined with other programs like the day center for the elderly or teaching at the school. 

Typical day

A typical Day is as follows

Take a minibus from the village where the volunteer's house is it will take 20 minutes to town. Start at 9 am, Receive the children, and start the activities according to the schedule in the Video room, playful room, IT room, gardening, or classroom. 

Lunch will be 12 pm ...

Typical day

A typical Day is as follows

Take a minibus from the village where the volunteer's house is it will take 20 minutes to town. Start at 9 am, Receive the children, and start the activities according to the schedule in the Video room, playful room, IT room, gardening, or classroom. 

Lunch will be 12 pm to 2 pm. 

Then afternoon activities will be from 2 pm to 5 pm. 

Most volunteers prefer to combine working at the school in the morning and Youth Center or Learning Disabilities Center in the afternoon. This will allow volunteers to have more experience in different ambiances. 

There will be times when the special need center is closed please require before booking it. 



Free-time activities

The La Mesa town in Colombia where we are based offers a variety of activities for volunteers as it is surrounded by Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Waterfalls. Volunteers can visit the: Orchid Sanctuary at the Tequendama region, The Waterfall La Monja, Hill Walking to the La Cruz Peak, Trekking by ...

Free-time activities

The La Mesa town in Colombia where we are based offers a variety of activities for volunteers as it is surrounded by Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, and Waterfalls. Volunteers can visit the: Orchid Sanctuary at the Tequendama region, The Waterfall La Monja, Hill Walking to the La Cruz Peak, Trekking by the River Apulo, Bird Watching, and small towns around La Mesa like Anapoima, San Antonio del Tequendama, Mesitas del Colegio, and The Tequendama Waterfall. The proximity to the Capital City of Bogota offers the opportunity to visit Museums, restaurants, bars, and discos. For the weekends we offer organized tours to go caving or visiting other Colombian Counties like Santander or Boyaca which offer a lot more to do like visiting waterfalls, lakes, caves, and extreme sports. Other volunteers have managed to visit the Tayrona Park in Santa Martha, Cartagena, The Caño Cristales in Macarena, Palm Trees farms in Armenia, and Coffee and Sugar Cane farms around.  There is plenty to do here, also we are blessed with a hot climate. So be prepared. Volunteering in Colombia can give you more satisfaction as you get to know more about the real culture and customs. 


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 Spanish (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

Criminal background Check, CV, Vaccination, Travel Insurance and Photocopy of Visa.

Nationality Restrictions

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

Other Skills

Volunteering in Colombia will enhance your skills. Skills like drawing, crafts, music, and IT are welcome and will help the children at the Youth Center, those who wish to have experience with special needs will be very helpful to have some skills in Makaton. Volunteers will work every day only 6 hours a day. Volunteering in Colombia will give you good memories.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 17:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Volunteer in Colombia

What the fees pay for : 

Donations for the project site and 24/7 support from the coordinators. 

Hosting:

Accommodation in a single room if fewer than 6 volunteers or a twin bedroom only two per room if more than 6 at once. 

Food: 2 meals M-F. 1 on Saturday, 0 Sunday. 

1 local tour, Orientation, and first-day guide to the project site.

Internet,

Washing Machine, 

Fresh fruits from the gardens.

Pick up from Airport.

All Administration costs are included

Airport Pickup at El Dorado International Airport

We will pick volunteers up from The Bogota El Dorado Airport.

Accommodation

The living accommodation is located at Volunteer in Colombia headquarters in the Paraiso Village, the bungalow is in a small country house and it is shared with the coordinator who lives in the annexed main house. It is surrounded by Mountains and a River and can hold up to 7 volunteers at the same time.

We offer 3 single bedrooms. Single rooms only if requested or less than 6 volunteers at one time. 

We also have a twin room for only two volunteers. And, a double bedroom for a couple or a single volunteer if needed. 

Bed linen is provided, but volunteers will buy their own toiletries.

Common areas with the coordinator are the Gardens, dining room, and kitchen. Although the volunteer's house has a small sitting area.

The Bungalow rooms are well-decorated, with a desk, lamp, electricity, and hot and cold share shower in two share toilets.

For the hot climate and the countryside, volunteers need to be prepared: with very light and long sleeves shirts and trousers at all times,
repellent, sun creams, hat, and torch to walk in the evening to the accommodation site if the volunteers decide to come late, bring only dark clothe as we do the laundry with cold water, and be open-minded to see little country animals like crickets, spiders, mosquitos, many birds, dust...and more.

Please bring videos and books for your entertainment the area is very quiet and tranquil.

Food & Beverages

Meals provided are home cook food. Traditional dishes from Colombia.

Breakfast: egg, hot chocolate or coffee, juice or cereal, toast.

Dinner: a home-cooked meal that includes: vegetables, rice or pasta, salad, juice or water, soup, meat or chicken.

Any extra food is not included in the price. 

Sometimes volunteer decides to eat out at restaurants these meals are not included in the price.

As we only provide 2 meals per day from Monday to Friday, volunteers can make use of the kitchen and BBQ facilities in the evening or at the weekends if preferred but will need to buy stuff to cook. 

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogota. We assist you to find cheap flights to Colombia. 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 Colombia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

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

Details on arrival

Volunteer arrivals can be every Sat/Sunday to start Monday Morning. Please try to book the arrival also on an even day as we are not allowed to drive on an odd day in Bogotá. 

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

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 1,145€
6 weeks 1,718€
8 weeks 2,290€
12 weeks (max. stay) 3,436€
Average fees 286€/week

Program fees

286€ per week 4 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 12 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 Volunteer in Colombia during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Volunteer in Colombia

Great 4.4 rating (9 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2014

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Blanca

Spoken languages: Spanish, English

About the project

By reinforcing the workforce we are working to help our community. Supporting their own projects to achieve their goals and aims, to broad their chances and opportunities

Meet your organization

Volunteer In Colombia social projects have been created to support the communities to stay together, to empower them,  to keep their youngster into the villages and families and to keep alive the production of sugar cane and coffee beans, and to protect the environment through increasing the beehives . Our commitment is to help and support  the community with their own social projects, to achieve their goals in order to improve their financial and socio-economic situation, their quality of life and their main income support, as well as to protect the bees and the environment.  

There is a big shortage of staff and qualified workers to carry on maintaining small communities. Big families have found themselves behind technology losing the aim for farming, looking after the elderly or educating children.  Now day’s the youth are attracted to live and work in a big city where they feel they can become more successful, leaving behind their parents, small children and farms, but most of them cannot achieve it for the lack of education putting themselves into gangs, drug addiction, prostitution, and child trafficking among other social problems. 

Volunteers will be able to choose the project that want to support like to help the youth at the youth center to broaden their views, by teaching them new ways of living in their own community, new skills to carry on farming, English language skills and tourism as well as support the learning disabilities, the elderly day centers, school,  farmers and bees. Please refer to each project description for more information.

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9 reviews · rating4.4

Viviana Colagrossi rating4.8

2023 at Support the Youths near Bogotá, Colombia

I embarked on this experience with enthusiasm and passion, since I've always had a desire to help others. Living in a rural area, I had to walk through Colombia's spectacular natural landscape to reach the village of ""La Mesa"" and catch a small bus. The village is safe, and people are ...
Sinead Brereton rating4.2

2024 at Farming and Beekeeping Support needed

We are staying with Blanca who runs an NGO which helps the local community with farming, bees, speaking English with children in the local schools and the elderly projects. Blanca lives in a rural village about 2 hours from Bogata called, San Javier. The roads to get there are dirt tracks and Blanca ...
Volunteering in Colombia is a special experience. The country is incredibly beautiful, the people are friendly and the food is delicious. San Javier is a rural village outside of La Mesa, Cundinamarca. There are opportunities to support local schools such as teaching English from 1st Grade to the ...
Volunteering in Colombia was amazing for me. I could make a lot of experience in doing creativity with elderly people as well as support children in their leisure activities in a youth center. Furthermore I could teach science in a local school in La Mesa, including experiments. The children were ...
During my time in La Mesa I combined teaching English at the school with working at the your center. Both Programs were a great experience that I have learned a lot from. Blanca from the organisation immediately made us feel welcome and guided us through the program. I would definitely recommend ...
Dominique Oberlaender rating4

2022 at Teach English Skills to Colombia Rural Communities

Ich hatte einen intensiven Monat in San Javier und La Mesa. Es war ein extrem spannender Einblick in die kolumbianische Gesellschaft auf dem Land. Die Arbeit mit den Kindern ist wundervoll und wird hoch geschätzt. ..

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Spanish, English

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