Description

Almost 60% of Quito's residents are extremely poverty-stricken. These areas are usually in need of basic necessities like electricity and running water. A lot of these poor residents in urban areas migrate from rural regions to the city looking for opportunities for a better life. Unfortunately, there are few opportunities for employment. Poverty can lead not only to malnutrition, illness, delinquency, alcoholism and domestic violence, it also worsens environmental contamination.

We offer orphanage and teaching placements throughout the city.With our volunteer program we allow you to discover the wonders of Quito, while doing meaningful community work.

This is a great opportunity to enhance your Spanish knowledge, live with the locals and realize one person can make a difference.

We offer the following programs in Quito:

* Program Length : 1 to 24 weeks
* Program Date: Flexible Start and End Date
* Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 hour per day
* Accommodations: Local guesthouse or homestay
* Meals: Yes, 3 meals a day
* Requirements: 18 years + , Basic Spanish knowledge, an able body and caring spirit.

To be successful volunteering with a local NGO you need to be able to motivate yourself. Regardless of the country and program, to get the most out of your time abroad you need to quickly get to know the placement.

Find out where you can be of the most help and jump right in. Sometimes you might be the only person working on your particular project. You will have to decide what to do and how to do it. While our ABV Directors and local staff are a great resource for getting ideas and talking about your plans, you shouldn't be surprised when they leave the big decisions up to you. Successful ABV Volunteers all have one thing in common: they take advantage of this freedom to design really excellent projects or manage existing ones and are capable of working hard without a great deal of supervision.

Highlights

* Social Projects:
You can help children of scare economic resources who come from poor homes. In many cases they have been abandoned by their parents. You can help them improve their living conditions, through support of the special center for children care. These projects are offer volunteer options in institutions like orphanages, nurseries, juvenile homes, day care centers, street children centers, and the facilities for the elderly.

* Day Care Center for Poor Children:
We several projects, located throughout Quito helping the poor, underprivileged children or those with handicaps (blind and deaf children). Some projects work with kids age's 2-4years old. We also have project working with older children 5-16yrs old.

The parents of the children are so poor that they cannot afford to keep their children healthy or well fed. The projects serve as a day care, kindergarten and support center. Volunteers assist the local staff with the basic needs such as feeding, bathing and clothing, helping with homework, playing sports, as well arranges games and day trips with the kids. Teaching basic English, as well as manual labor (sweeping, painting, and gardening) may be involved. Basic in Spanish is required, as well as a positive and flexible attitude.

* Medical / Healthcare Program:
Experienced professionals and medical students are welcome to volunteer in a large hospital in Quito. The hospital can receive about 300 patients and has an occupation of 70%. The majority of patients are in seen in the Emergency, Gynecology and Pediatrics departments. Your placement in the hospital will be determined by you skills, knowledge and the need of the patients. Medical volunteers assist the local staff in whatever capacity they may need, such as taking medical history, checking vitals, assisting with medicine and supplies.

Medical and nursing students are accepted as well. Proficient Spanish knowledge is required. This is a great opportunity to gain first hand medical experience in a foreign country while donating your time and skills. Healthcare volunteers must be in the medical fields or studying, EMT trained, and provide their credentials or university enrollment letter.

* Street Children Program:
This project helps the abandoned, mistreated children that are forced to live in the dangerous streets every day.These shelters typically care for 40-50 children from 2 to 16 years old, providing them with meals, a place to live, and an education for a temporary time.

This project tries to reinsert them in their families as much as possible. These projects also support local schools with after school programs and meal. Volunteers help with providing the basic needs such as teaching basic math, Spanish, English, providing emotional support in a loving, caring surrounding. Arrange games, day trips and basically teach the children to be kids again. Proficiency in Spanish is needed, as well as a positive and flexible attitude.

* Education/Vocational Programs:
Teaching English is an educational program designed to help children of poor families obtain their principal right to an education, which would otherwise be difficult to obtain. The centers are located in very poor neighborhoods with scarce economic resources. These programs give a primary education to over 100 children between 3 and 12 years of age. Right now the schools are understaffed and appreciate the assistance of our volunteers. Volunteers are needed in the areas of art, music, ceramics, handcrafts, culinary and sports. Basic/Proficiency in Spanish is needed, as well as a positive and flexible attitude.

Qualifications

- Proactive: Jump in and maintain a positive attitude.
- Patient: Life in your host country moves slower than one might be used to. Relax and enjoy the slow pace. Remember, not everything is as organized and predictable as life in the US or UK.
- Flexible: Plans change, roads get flooded, and electricity goes out. Realize that not everything goes as planned, but good intention is always there.
- Considerate: Respect those around you and be a reliable worker at the program site. Tell your host family if you will be late. Advise the Project Coordinator if you are sick and can not work.
- Respectful: Remember that the local people you are working with, side by side, do so with little or no salary. They do this work because they believe in it. There are times when you may not agree with or understand the organizations decisions or direction. Although your suggestions are always welcome, your faith, respect and consideration for their long term work and commitment is appreciated.
- Friendly: In order to truly help someone you must get to know them. Do not be afraid to make friends with the local people. Smile, wave and see how fast you are welcomed into the community.
- Tolerant: The food, the culture, the smells and the sounds will be unfamiliar to you at first. We recommend that you dive in and experience life head-on. You will be surprised at how quickly you will adapt.

* Local Accommodation - You must:
- Respect the policies of the community and the rules of the host family in which you are staying.
- Ask permission before inviting guest to the homestay.
- Be aware that overnight guests are not allowed.
- Respect the accommodation, and pay for any damage you may cause.
- Keep your room clean and neat. Offer to help with chores around the home.
- Not smoke or use alcohol in your accommodation.

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

895 or Check Our Website for more details.

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

- Pre-departure Orientation Guide. Includes detailed travel, safety and cultural information and many tips that will make your trip planning easier.
- Detailed Fundraising Guide that will help you raise the funds needed to travel, as well as provide donations to the project.
- Accommodations: Home stay, shared volunteer residence, guesthouses. Safe, clean, comfortable local housing, inspected by our local coordinators.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Special meals at request.
Airport meet and greet by our ABV project coordinator (At any time, any day!)
- First night hotel accommodation *some programs
- Guidance and support of a local project coordinator, 24/7 in case of emergency
- Orientation/city briefing on arrival by our ABV project coordinator.
- Placement in a quality project, allowing you to maximize your time and efforts in a good cause.
- Transportation to project site with our ABV project coordinator. Includes introduction to local staff and community members with whom you will be working with.
- Volunteer Program: Half day (4 hours only) Spanish refresher Lesson. *Part of volunteer orientation on arrival. (*Some countries)
- Departure transfer by our ABV project coordinator.
- A Feedback page on our ABV website with pictures of your trip.
- The President's Volunteer Service Award lapel pin (Bronze, Silver or Gold)
- Personalized President's Volunteer Service Award certificate of achievement.
- Letter of completion from A Broader View Volunteers Corp·· ··By request, A Letter of Recommendation provided by the local organization detailing the activities developed by the volunteer during his or her stay.
- Language and Immersion Programs: include 20 hours a week of Spanish Lessons. Refer to the specific country/city page for more details and cost (this is not included in the general volunteer program). Make sure we offer this program in that country.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

In order to provide you with the very best service, we require that you read our policies. At the bottom of the online application you will be required to check the box that you have read and understand the terms and conditions of volunteering with A Broader View (ABV). You must be 18yrs old to participate. Children accompanying their parent/legal guardian must be 12yrs old. Travel insurance and medical coverage is not included in the program cost. These are the responsibility of the volunteer. ABV is not responsible for loss of property, personal injury, illness, accident, delay or expense sustained by the volunteer while participating in our program. ABV and its agents are not responsible for any financial obligations or liabilities the participant may incur including damages to property, or injury to others while participating on this program. ABV is not responsible for the cost of extra activities (sightseeing, language class etc) incurred during the course of your program. Daily transportation costs are the volunteers' responsibility, although we try to confirm accommodations within walking distance to work site or bus transportation (very cheap in each country). Volunteers agree to follow the laws of the host country, the policies of the community in which they volunteer, and/or the rules of the host family, failure to do so will result in the termination of your program and forfeiture of all program fees. A non-refundable deposit of 120 USD is required along with your application. Program costs paid in US dollars only. We begin the confirmation process once the deposit is received. Final payment is due 45 days prior to departure. Volunteers agree that no part of the program fee is refundable once the program has commenced. Cancellations must be received in writing. No refunds are issued for cancellations received less than 45 days prior to departure. Prices on the website are subject to change without warning. Once the deposit is received, the program fee cost is guaranteed and will not change.

Age Range

18 to 65

This Program is open to

Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Resume
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

24-48 hours

A Broader View Volunteers Corp's Mission Statement

Decided to create an affordable, safe and worthy program so that anyone who wished to travel and volunteer - could easily afford to do so.

Year Founded

2007