Support the Youth Center or Special Needs Center
Coordinator | Blanca
Coordinator | Blanca
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
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
Assistants needed at the Youth Center and Special Needs Center. Children in this community stay at the Youth Center while parents are at work support them to stay safe.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+
Volunteer helping at the Youth Center offers after school support and activities for children so they wont 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.
In Colombia people with learning disabilities or special need is care by their relatives whose find 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, communication skills so they can care more for themselves.
In La Mesa Cundinamarca there is one day center where they can join together everyday for entertainment but we suffer of staff shortage. Any qualification that can help with education will be very appreciated.
A volunteer will help with entertainment, playful activities, sports, IT, English and Music lessons. homework and research support. Also some days they will help one member of staff to bring the activities into small villages for children that can not travel to the main center. The time of work it is 9 am to 5 pm with 2 hours break. this program can be combine with other programs like the day center for 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 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 offer a variety of activities as it is surrounded by Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Waterfalls. Volunteers can visit the : The Orquid 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 cercanity to the Capital City of Bogota offer the opportunity to visit Museums, restaurants, bars and discos. For the weekends we offer organised 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, extreme sports. Other volunteers have managed to visit the Tayrona Park in Santa Martha, Cartagena, The Caño Cristales in The Macarena, Palm Trees farms in Armenia, Coffee and Sugar Cane farms around. . There is plenty to do in here, also we are blessed with hot climate. So be prepared.
Hiking
Museum/
Opera
Opera
Safari/
Zoo
Zoo
Shopping/
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Sightseeing
Sports
Swimming
Yoga/
Meditation
Meditation
Requirements
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.
You need to speak Spanish (basic level)
required
Criminal background Check, CV, Vaccination, Travel Insurance and Photocopy of Visa.
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
Any skills will help the children at the Youth Center, for those who wish experience with learning disabilities or special needs will be very helpful to have some skills in Makaton, drawing, crafts, music, and IT skills are welcome. Volunteers will work every day only 6 hours a day.
Your helping hand will be required on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
from
09:00
- 17:00
What's Included
What the fees pay for :
Donations for the project site and 24/7 support from the coordinators.
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,
Laundry,
Fresh fruits from the gardens.
Pick up from Airport.
Administration costs are included
We will pick volunteers up from The Bogota El Dorado Airport.
The living accommodation is located at VIC 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.
Meals provided are home cook food. Traditional dishes from Colombia.
Breakfast: egg, hot chocolate or coffee, juice or cereal, toast.
Lunch/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.
Good access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
The nearest airport is El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogota. We assist you to find cheap flights to Colombia.
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.
If you are intending to volunteer in Colombia you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Colombia.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
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.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
4 - 12 weeks
Program fees
4 weeks
(min. stay)
$984
6 weeks
$1,392
8 weeks
$1,800
12 weeks
(max. stay)
$2,616
Average fees
$232
/week
Please note that the above shown program fees are estimated.
Volunteer in Colombia
will let you know about the final price during your application process.
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.
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.
Why book with Volunteer World
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application process
- including all necessary payments. Planning your next meaningful trip with Volunteer World gives you free access to our:
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All program fees are charged directly by Volunteer in Colombia.
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Support the Youth Center or Special Needs Center
Assistants needed at the Youth Center and Special Needs Center. Children in this community stay at the Youth Center while parents are at work support them to stay safe.
$232/week
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