Early Childhood Development Center

The Center is located in Barracas, about 40-minute far from the center of Buenos Aires and accessible by bus. On your first day, the volunteer's tutor will take you to the project so you learn how to travel by bus, present you to the main coordinator and the teachers so you are confident to go by yourself the following days.

All volunteer projects start on Monday. You should, however, plan to arrive in Buenos Aires on a Friday as you have a Welcome Package. This is an excellent introduction to the city of Buenos Aires and a great way to start your volunteer project. It includes a welcome drink, free Wi-Fi, a bike tour and a walking tour of either Recoleta, Palermo or San Telmo.

The first day you will meet with the coordinator who will accompany you to the project in order to show you how to get there on your first day. Once you get to the neighborhood, you will meet with the project coordinators. You can discuss your schedule with them, and this also is the perfect time to ask questions about your tasks. Once you commit to the working hours, you have to respect the schedule you have chosen and never miss work. You should always work the minimum number of hours required and in some cases the NGO also recommends a maximum number of hours. Please remember you will also use time travelling to and from your project.

From 08:00 to 15:30, the kindergarten welcomes and educates the children from the area. You can do a multitude of things such as assist the teachers with organizing activities, play with the children, help to feed them during lunchtime, help in the cleaning process, and much more! Volunteers will be assigned a specific schedule according to the Center's needs. The kindergarten is a place of exchange between teachers, social workers, parents, and volunteers from the area, as well as members of the local volunteer organzination. They all work together for the safe upbringing of the children and this gives the international volunteers a unique opportunity for learning about this perspective and exchanging valuable experiences.

Like most educational programs, the Center remains closed during summer break in Argentina that is from mid-December to March. There is also a 2-week winter break in July.

The help of the volunteer is invaluable for the teachers and for the population of the area because it represents both practical support and cultural exchange. In this area where a variety of cultural communities live together, the volunteer learns about social diversity. Moreover, they can exchange with the local inhabitants about teaching methods and share their own experiences and ideas to improve the organization of the kindergarten. These different viewpoints represent wealth for this place and all initiatives are well received. This project is perfect to benefit from the company of children, who always have energy and whose smiles make us happy every day.

You have the option to add either 4-or 6-hours of Spanish lessons per week. Lessons are one-on-one or in pairs, and each lesson is 2 hours long.

Minimum age of 18
Basic Spanish
Volunteer application form that is approved by the volunteer organization
Police Clearance Certificate

Arrival transfer
Welcome Package
Accommodation during the volunteering weeks
Breakfast
Free internet and Wi-Fi access
City bike tour
Walking tour (Recoleta or Palermo or San Telmo) or a nightclub ticket
Briefing and 24/7 assistance from the volunteering organization
Donation to the project
4- or 6-hours of Spanish lessons per week, either one-on-one or in pairs (if chosen)

Daily transportation to/from the project (you can use public transportation)

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it's up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities.