Description

Embrace life in Argentina while you work side by side with local organizations that offer support to underprivileged families. Examples of how you can support Community Development in Argentina:

* Assist a (university) student and faculty-run radio station that works with groups as diverse as children from local shelters, to adults who attend a night school in poorer sections of La Plata. Create radio production workshops that identify community issues and facilitate knowledge exchange to raise self-esteem and capacity building. Give youth in marginalized neighborhoods a chance to express opinions regarding local issues.

* Work with a program that provides meals for impoverished families. Bread-making, computer science, and adult education courses are also offered to help the families gain useful skills.

* Support the local cultural center by hosting community events, workshops, conferences, expositions, and/or book presentations by local authors. Teach capacity building courses in a wide variety of subjects such as piano, sewing, craftwork, theatre, small farming techniques, and English. Expand the community library and resources offered to the community.

* Work with an organization that provides resources for over 58 local food kitchens to confront malnutrition, particularly with children. Connect agriculture producers, schools, and dining halls to feed those in need.

* Get involved with an organization's many community empowerment objectives which include: promoting social, political, and scientific research; offering professional assistance to popular organizations; teaching courses that empower youth groups; and supporting publications that enhance community development.

For more community development opportunities in Argentina, visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights

Community Development Issues Addressed by FSD in Argentina
Argentina is a culturally rich country with an extremely educated population, abundant natural resources, and a growing economy. However the country is still drastically divided by a gap between the rich and poor, unresolved national human rights violations, a recent economic crisis, constant political instability, and unenforceable laws and legislation. The most unique condition of Argentina's recent economic crisis is that it created a "new" kind of poor - a highly educated middle class that lost its privilege and was forced to live with a greatly reduced quality of life. This new poor amplified the presence of social movements and political expression. With masses of Argentines coming together to find solutions on their own, the country is growing into a rich resource for nonprofit development and grass roots movements.

FSD is working with many of these NGOs to confront community issues and aggregate resources that empower and give rise to sustainable solutions. Making use of cultural centers for development activities, utilizing radio to mobilize action, supporting job skills programs, empowering youth to become community leaders, and providing food programs for struggling families are ways that FSD supports growing communities in the La Plata region. It is an exciting time to engage in Argentina's redevelopment and take part in a community movement that offers hope for a better nation in the new century.

Minimum Education

High School

Intern Types

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Living stipend
• Medical insurance
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Your contribution fee covers all program costs (excluding airfare) and is 100% tax deductible for U.S. residents. Included in the fee is: a one-week orientation; family homestay will all meals provided; language lessons (not available in Latin America); development trainings and workshops; group sessions; midterm retreat (9+ weeks only); final debriefing session; on-going in-country support from FSD site team and U.S. staff; USD 200 mini-grant; eligibility for additional project funding up to USD500, medical evacuation and limited health insurance; and pick-up from the airport.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range

18-75

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Phone/Video Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 months

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement

Founded in 1995, the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) supports the efforts of more than 300 grassroots, community-based partner organizations throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. FSD's programs provide multi-faceted support that relies on active community participation to mobilize lasting solutions. FSD programs include:

• Capacity Building: Our professional field staff provides on-site training and networking opportunities to more than 300 community-based organizations worldwide.
  
  
• Training Programs Abroad: FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers who seek hands-on development experience.
  
  
• Grantmaking: Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support sustainable projects led by our partner organizations.
  
  
• Engaged Philanthropy: FSD Giving Circles organize groups of donors who pool their time, talent, and resources to make international grants to our partner organizations.

• Year Founded

  1995