Description

Background
P.A.I. Tarpuy was founded in 2005 by a group of professionals who found the need to reach out to children living in the streets of Quillacollo, a town outside Cochabamba that particularly lacks support services for such children. A center was subsequently opened to serve as a recreational and educational space for street children both living and working in the area.

Objectives
The objectives of P.A.I. Tarpuy are to provide a space for children and adolescents at social risk with activities that stimulate their learning and development, including physical, emotional, intellectual and creative skills. Through increased social, educational and ludic interaction, young people are gradually encouraged to stay away from the streets and change their lives.

Who does P.A.I. Tarpuy help?
Tarpuy works primarily with those children and adolescents who have been thrown out of their homes and who go on to the street in search of a new life. Once a permanent contact with the street is established, these young people adapt to a new habitat and take on a very fixed and enclosed form of life. They are unable to continue school studies, and often suffer from learning difficulties and an inability to adapt socially.

Working conditions
P.A.I. Tarpuy's center is located in Quillacollo, approximately 13 kilometers from Cochabamba and 40 minutes from the city center. The center includes a kitchen, office space, two areas for educational activities, an eating and play area, and a garden where fruit and vegetables are grown. The staff consists of two professionals, a teacher and a psychologist.

Programs/Projects
P.A.I. Tarpuy is currently running two programs. The first takes place on the street and involves making contact with young people living on the street, establishing their identities, and developing a relationship based on support and trust, working with them gradually to raise their awareness of their environment and helping them reflect on their family relationships. The second program is the provision of educational activities for young people of the community, including help with school work, a library and alternative workshops in music and handicrafts.

Qualifications

* Intermediate level of Spanish
* Ability to adapt to difficult situations
* Creativity
* Empathy
* Desire to have new experiences
* Knowledge/experience of psychology and/or education (desired but not required)
* Minimum commitment of one month

Intern Types

Languages

• Spanish

Cost in US$:

450

Program Fees Include:

Long Term Volunteers/ Interns (Monthly Prices)
Shared Room = USD300 a month
Private Room = USD400 a month
Family Home Stay = USD500 a month

Short Term Volunteers/ Interns (Weekly Prices)
Shared Room = USD100 a week
Private Room = USD125 a week
Family Home Stay = USD150 a week

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Resume

Sustainable Bolivia's Mission Statement

Sustainable Bolivia is a developmental institution headquartered in Cochabamba, Bolivia. With projects in the Andean highlands and the Amazonian lowlands, our primary objective is to assist local communities in the development of environmentally, socially and fiscally sustainable ecotourism programs. Through the promotion of sustainable tourism, language studies and volunteer placement, our mission is to provide the conscientious traveler a way to experience the immense natural and cultural wealth of Bolivia in a way that is non-intrusive and environmentally, socially and fiscally sustainable.