Description

Joining Projects Abroad as a care volunteer in Mexico you will have an important role to play. Volunteers at all the care placements in Mexico are engaged in helping children who have precious few other people to whom they can turn, and, for this reason, volunteering in Mexico should be considered a challenging but also an incredibly rewarding pursuit.

We do not require you to have previous experience, provided you have passion and commitment to the job and the people you are trying to help. Whether you are on a gap year or coming to development work as an older volunteer on a career break or even during your retirement you will have a role to play and your contribution will be valued.

Voluntary Special Needs and Orphanage Work with Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad has a variety of care placements in Guadalajara - Mexico's second city - and in Ciudad Guzman, a smaller town in the volcanic region a couple of hours to the south. Volunteering in Mexico could see you working in an orphanage, a kindergarten, a paediatric ward or a centre for children with mental and physical disabilities. Our partner organisations include the Red Cross, who operate care centres in the region.

The range of skills that you may require throughout the duration of your placement may be as varied as the problems encountered by the children you are helping. Many of the children are desperate for attention and there will undoubtedly be children present who have health problems and who need special attention due to both mental and physical disabilities.

Volunteering Abroad on a Care Project in Mexico

One of the organisations we place volunteers in is for children whose parents are in prison. At times it must seem to these children that, apart from the nuns who run the centre, they have very little stability in their lives. Volunteers can help to break the monotony of everyday life by taking children out on trips, playing sport with them or introducing them to music - why not bring your guitar or clarinet with you! These are the sorts of things that the children will remember for a long time.

We also place volunteers at a day care centre for children receiving treatment for cancer. You are needed to assist the dedicated staff here, helping to keep the children entertained with a variety of activities while they wait for treatment and generally helping to add some positivity and fun into their difficult daily lives.

The vast majority of the children we work with seem to have limitless energy and you are sure to get tired out before they do! Help the children with everything from brushing their teeth to learning the words to the latest pop song. Any encouragement you can offer goes a long way towards building a child's self-esteem and confidence. However exhausted you feel at the end of the day you will always feel that it has been well worth it.

Highlights

Mexico is a real meeting-place of cultures: a modern, industrialized and well-educated country that's full of history. American, Spanish and Indian influences all come together to make it a fascinating place that mixes developed and developing worlds. Mexico is a stimulating mixture of wealth and poverty, and offers amazing opportunities for volunteers to learn and travel within its expansive borders.

It's a paradise country of mountains and volcanoes, deserts and beautiful beaches and ancient ruins and civilizations, with nearly 30 World Heritage Sites. It is one of the most diverse countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, with over 200,000 different species of flora and fauna.

Qualifications

No qualifications, experience or languages required.

Type of Programs

• Community Service / Volunteerism

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

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

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range

16-70

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992