Literacy & Girls Empowerment Coordinator(LitClub)

The mission of ETIV do Brasil is to support environmental conservation and development in Brazil, with a deep focus on youth development. ETIV is located in the beautiful fishing and surfing town of Itacare, on the coast of Bahia, Brazil. Volunteers and Interns have the opportunity to live in our shared volunteer house that overlooks the Contas River, in the Passagem neighborhood of Itacare.

Our program

TIV do Brasil is looking for volunteers to support a project focused on literacy and empowerment for girls project, that is known as “LitClub” and that is connected to three international projects including LitWorld, the HerStory Campaign and Global Glow. ETIV currently has four LitClubs running in 4 different neighborhoods of Itacare and a teacher that leads each project. However, our teachers could use more support with coordination, preparation, administration and facilitation of the clubs. Consequently, we are in need of volunteers that will work alongside the teachers to help support the work and goals of our LitClub program. This would be a part time volunteer position, as this club only runs four times a week, so volunteers would need to choose this in combination with another project in order to get in at least 20 hours of volunteer service a week.

More about LitWorld

LitWorld is an international organization whose head office is based in NYC, and who is currently also partnering with Global Glow and the HerStory campaign to recognizes that literacy provides access to history, knowledge, creativity and democracy. As such, LitWorld aims to create social transformation at a grassroots level by funding LitClubs to improving literacy in disadvantaged communities in both the US and around the world.

The focus of the LitClubs is to help children engage with and enjoy reading, writing and storytelling, while also promoting self-confidence. Most girls are aged between 9 -14 years old and the teachers (mentors) of our LitClubs are also members of the local community. The LitClubs aim to provide children with positive role models, as well as to create a safe space where they can build their self-confidence. The LitClub curriculum is based around seven key strengths, which are designed to foster trust and mutual respect between the members of LitClub. These strengths include:

• Belonging

• Curiosity

• Friendship

• Kindness

• Confidence

• Courage

• Hope

The LitClubs are truly fantastic as it is wonderful to watch the girls become more confident in themselves as they are able to better express themselves through reading, writing, drawing and storytelling!

Main Responsibilities

• Meet with the LitClub teachers on a weekly basis

• Help prepare and facilitate the LitClubs

• Support the coordination and documentation of the project

• Take attendance, document successes and challenges

• Support the management of the budget

• Report progress and updates at ETIV weekly meetings

• Help recruit other volunteers to support the LitClubs

• Pick up snacks, materials and books as necessary

• Help to organize our LitClub events and campaigns

• Help keep the LitClub database up to date and organized

• Support good attendance and behaviors

• Sometimes meet with family members and network within the communities

• Help us take photos and share the great work

• To create a LitClub manual for incoming volunteers and to keep our description updated on our website, especially before leaving the position.

Requirements

• Intermediate Portuguese

• At least 20 hours of volunteer service per week

• At least 1-month commitment, 3 months or more preferred

Most work goes from 9am to 1pm Mondays through Fridays, although schedules can be very flexible 

Volunteers can also add Capoeira Classes or Portuguese Classes, with our local professors, to their schedule.  And of course, one of the wonderful advantages of a surfing town, it is the possibility of ending the day in one of the beautiful beaches of Itacaré or with  a nice dinner in one of the local restaurants with live music. 

Swimming, surfing, hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, zip lining, dancing, slack lining, skate boarding, biking, Capoeira, night life, cultural activities, weekend eco-adventure tours.