Work with Children with Disabilities

Project at A Glance

Location: Córdoba, Argentina Start Point: Córdoba End Point: Ingeniero Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport – Córdoba (also known as Pajas Blancas) Duration: 2-12 Weeks Hours: 20-30 Hours per week Room: Local volunteer house Date: First and Third Monday of each month

Project Summary

With a large number of Argentineans living in poverty, it is often an impossible task to simply provide adequately for a healthy child. When disabled child is born into an already-impoverished family a new and enormous strain is introduced into the household. Much like in any limited healthcare system within many developing nations, Argentinean individuals with special needs often fall through the cracks of the system.

IFRE collaborates with a locally-operated service provider for disabled individuals – supplying various level of support via volunteers who work with disabled Argentinean children such as: physical/occupational therapy, education and recreational activities. Assistance is needed by the permanent staff to provide assistance to these young, disabled children in Argentina.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

Beginner to intermediate Spanish fluency is required. If you cannot speak more than basic Spanish, we suggest you enroll in our Spanish language course to make your stay more rewarding – both for you and for the children you are helping. No additional qualifications are needed to join the Children with Disabilities project in Argentina. However, interested individuals should have a passion and enthusiasm to help less fortunate and disabled children. Volunteers are expected to be flexible, adaptive, patient, loving and proactive.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Volunteers will assist the sometimes exhausted, permanent day staff members who provide a sense of hope and significantly important services to various disabled youth of Argentina. This project can often be both emotionally tiring and difficult at times. Keep in mind that volunteers must possess emotional strength to be able to adequately and effectively participate in this project. Volunteers will work alongside the grateful staff members at this particular center, volunteers will assist in a number of ways: caring for and serving as a companion to the disabled children, escorting the children on various field trips, assisting in physical/occupational therapy sessions, helping the children with gardening, arts and crafts, creativity-based activities, sports; as well as lending a helping hand in the center's kitchen (preparing and serving meals, routine clean-up, etc.).

Room/Food/Supervision

IFRE manages your living accommodations in Argentina. Your hostel or guesthouse is located in a charming neighborhood in the city of Córdoba. Córdoba boasts numerous exciting opportunities for volunteers to see a city with a bright future which maintains echoes of its colonial and culture-rich past. Córdoba's vibrant culture has produced a number of influential writers and its own musical style known as “El Cuarteto” (in addition to classical, jazz, rock, pop and techno). There are also many monuments, lively festivals, pleasant theaters and a pulsing nightlife. Volunteers reside in accommodations located just minutes from the downtown area. This unique living situation is often conducive to fellow volunteers getting to know each other. A must-do for Argentinean volunteers are the local Tango lessons provided for participants in IFRE’s living accommodations. These accommodations also house our local operator's headquarters – ensuring vital and constant contact with our in-country coordinators.