Work with Street Children/Children At-Risk in Guatemala

Project At A Glance Location: Quetzaltenango/Xela Start Point: Guatemala City End Point: Guatemala City Duration: 2-12 Weeks Hours: 20-30 Hours per week Food: Local meals 3 times a day Room: Local host family Date: First and Third Monday of each month

Project Summary

In Latin America, hundreds of poor children live and sleep on the street. Street children in Guatemala and children at-risk projects focus on getting these children off the street and providing them with shelter, food, education and emotional support. There are many educational, recreational and health projects are ongoing to support these unfortunate children. IFRE places volunteers in Guatemala to help with this massive and ever-increasing social issue. We try to prohibit the numerous tragedies, resulting from a lack of a safe and positive home environment, which threaten children on the street: starvation, inhuman labor and the sex industry.

Volunteers willing and able to share necessary aid to Guatemala’s street children are very welcomed in these projects. These street children have needs beyond just support and attention. They learn a great deal from our volunteers in terms of real-world life skills, pertinent information regarding behavior, personal hygiene and English literacy. Volunteers are both a positive AND a motivating factor in these children's lives. Participants are often a driving force and shining example for these deprived children as they tackle the opportunity for a brighter future.

Skills/Qualifications Needed

No specific qualifications are required to join the street children's project in Guatemala. However, interested individuals should have a passion and eagerness to help less fortunate children, as well as have a strong personality to deal with these children's often unfortunate situations and demeanors. While Spanish is preferred it is not required.

Volunteers with skills and/or a background in child psychology and Spanish fluency have an amazing advantage – ensuring the highest level of contribution and effective interaction. Yet, while these skills are welcomed, they are not required of volunteers wanting to participate in this particular project.

Volunteer Responsibilities

Volunteers in our Guatemala street children/children at-risk projects help in the following ways: teaching basic English, supervising/creating games, assisting with creativity-based activities (painting, art classes, etc.) and homework, as well as acting as special companions to the children. Volunteers may also be asked to assist in daily routines within the designated center, possibly including cooking, cleaning, routine maintenance, laundry, etc.

Room/Food/Supervision

In Guatemala, all volunteers stay with well-screened host families. Our host families are socially respected and are well versed in the art of hosting international volunteers. Host families offer a safe home, private rooms (occasionally rooms will be shared with other same-gender volunteers) and shared bathroom facilities with running water and a “western” style toilet. Volunteers have the ability to do laundry at the house or the host family may offer to do it for you for a nominal extra fee. You receive three prepared meals per day. If you will be out of the house during lunch hour, you can request a lunch "to go" that you can take with you or eat out on your own. Host families provide typical meals that are traditional to Guatemala.

Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. With longer placements, we visit our volunteers every two weeks (when possible) and volunteers are always welcome at the local office. If project placement is local, we request that volunteers stop by the office once a week to keep us posted on how they are doing with their home stay and project. If project placement is very far, then our local staff members maintain communication by either email and/or phone.