Description

Interested in volunteering with a grassroots organization? You would be helping our hard working and dedicated staff improving the lives of disadvantaged Colombians. All the while improving your Spanish, exploring our uniquely beautiful country and experiencing its culture.

Let's Go Volunteer is a Colombian non profit organization that helps out in diverse grassroots projects. It takes place in a sunny mid-size city named Ibague, located 200 kilometers south of Bogota, capital of our country. We take volunteers from all over the world who want to help others, while having a great time, learning, traveling and enjoy themselves.

Our volunteers will help out in our Children Center, where we provide educational, nutritional and emotional support to small children from marginal neighborhoods in Ibague. The purpose of this program is to prevent children from spending their time on the street and making them future leaders for their community.

Volunteers who participate in this program will help out in the following activities:
* Help them with their homework, setting up educational games, arts and crafts, coaching them in sports and teaching conversational English.
* Helping in the feeding program for less fortunate children; yes this is what you imagine: you'll cook, wash the dishes and help in the serving of meals, all for the benefit of the kids.
* Help us in our afternoon program in which we play with the children, take them to the park, play sports, watch movies... direct the reading club and just have fun.

Through these game activities, volunteers can become friends with the children and earning their love and respect. As well as helping them build self-confidence.

Volunteers can take courses of their interest in The University of Ibague, which are included in the fee. As we work in association with the university.

We are waiting for you, sign up and become part of our Let's Go Volunteer family.

Highlights

You can travel around the country, meet locals, and enjoy all the things Colombia can offer such as nature, food, cultural activities, and folklore, among others. While volunteering you can take Spanish lessons and attend a private university, following courses of your interest while meeting young people, taking part in sports and social groups, and enjoying all the campus' different facilities. If you are interested in acquiring experience in humanitarian work, this is the type of program for you.

If you plan to pursue a career and gain experience in order to work for NGOs, we can provide the opportunities that you might need. If your university requires work experience in order to obtain your diploma, we will give you an individual certificate of accomplishment with all relevant details about your work as a volunteer. And more importantly, from a human perspective, you can help alleviate the suffering of other human beings and have the experience of a lifetime.

Living with people of a different culture can open your eyes to a new reality that you might not experience back at home. By viewing the world from a more caring and understanding perspective, you will develop a sense of social responsibility and activism.

Qualifications

We take people from all over the world that enjoy traveling, are energetic and sensitive, have a good sense of humor, motivation, enthusiasm, tolerance and love.

Minimum Education

High School

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

from as low as USD 150 per week

Cost Includes:

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

Program Fees Include:

* Food: Two local meals, with fresh and healthy groceries from the local market.
* Accommodations: you can stay in our Center, at a home stay family, or in a house shared with other volunteers and depending on the availability it will be in a single or shared room. In any case it will be clean, bright and comfortable, we also provide linens.
* Local phone calls and utilities.
* Free access to Computers and Wireless Broadband Internet
* Laundry
* Airport pick up, a night in Bogota and tour of the city. Transportation from Bogota to Ibague and orientation and tour of Ibague, as well.
* Access to a local tutor in Spanish
* Personalized Volunteer Placement in our Programs, based on your skills and interests.
* Unconditional support from staff and coordinators who will help you in any situation and who will be there for you through out all the process.
* An emergency line, 24 hours 7 days a week, for you and your family abroad to call.
* We will provide all the information you'll need about the country; how you can travel to different areas in Colombia, sight seeing and tourist information.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Enjoys traveling, energetic, good sense of humor and sensitive.

Age Range

18 - 70 years old

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat
• Group living
• Home-stays
• Independent living

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of Three

Scholarships are Available

There are two parcial scholarships avaliable for the Children Program.

Application Process Involves

• Phone/Video Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

2 days

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Let's Go Volunteer's Mission Statement

Let's go volunteer is a group of young, enthusiastic people who have discovered the joy of helping, giving and sharing with those in need. We believe that through the experience of volunteering and serving we can find meaning in our lives, thereby fulfilling the emptiness generated by the individualism and selfishness of modern society and learn about ourselves while expanding our horizons.

Year Founded

2001