Intern or Volunteer with a Grassroots Youth and Education Organization in Argentina

  Argentina

• All Other Regions of Argentina: 
La Plata

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: See FSD Website

Description: Examples of how you can support Youth and Education in Argentina:

* Work in a daycare center that provides meals, counseling, tutoring, English classes, arts & crafts, cooking courses, and computer science classes for vulnerable children and their mothers.

* Develop an athletic education program for vulnerable children and adolescents. Other extra-curricular activities include craftmaking, music, art, and environmental awareness through recreation.

* Continue an FSD project by spearheading an advertising campaign that will recruit new volunteers to serve as adult mentors for students ages 4-12, thus providing positive role models for marginalized and/or disabled children.

* Improve the level of education offered to working individuals and those who are otherwise excluded by giving capacity building courses in computer and English skills. Follow the progress of your students and support the scholarship program which allows marginalized students to enroll in classes.

* Develop ways to deliver resources to a community library for vulnerable children. Start a book drive, research funding sources, and/or create a book archive.

* Continue an FSD organic vegetable garden project that trains marginalized youth how to create a sustainable food source, offering hunger-relief, and a marketable skill for their future.

For more youth and education opportunities in Argentina, visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights: Development Issues Addressed by FSD in Argentina
Although Argentina has an extremely high literacy rate - ninety-seven percent - there is still a serious deficiency in educational support for marginalized children. After the economic crisis, those living at the bottom of the economic ladder ended up in poverty - creating a significantly larger percentage of children with inadequate living conditions and a need for greater educational support. There is a growing demand for tutor programs, community libraries, and supplemental educational programs in the arts, health, hygiene, physical activity, sex education, and peer mentorship. Many children are also in need of emotional guidance as they struggle to adjust to a life that was foreign to them before the crisis. This includes help in dealing with the pressures of drugs and alcohol.

The creation of community youth centers is an essential tool that can create community support, and divert Argentinean youth from substance abuse. NGOs working with youth and education projects are always looking for positive examples for Argentina marginalized youth a role that many interns and volunteers provide. Also, the food kitchens and shelters which have become the jewels of the La Plata community are in constant need of manpower in order to continue providing essential services to the children. FSD interns in Argentina can play an important role in creating a brighter future for Argentinean children.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range: 18-75

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

Participants Travel to Argentina Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement: FSD supports the efforts of grassroots organizations in the developing world that are working to better their communities, environments, and the economic opportunities around them. We believe community development is only sustainable if it empowers the people to effectively use and cultivate their own resources in a conscious manner. Through our programs, we aim to raise international awareness of the economic challenges in developing countries and to support cross-cultural communities in finding more effective solutions to development issues.

Year Founded: 1995