Childcare Provider (Mexico)

  Mexico

• Cuernavaca: 
Cuernavaca

Durations of Program: 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 years

Description: The work as a caretaker for the kids (here we call them "tíos" and "tías" which means "uncles" and "aunts") is the most common volunteer job and it is our most basic need. Most houses have a Latino and a volunteer working in each section. Part of the work is taking care of the basic needs of the kids, waking them up, getting them ready for school, supervising their chores, helping them with the homework, playing with them, going on excursions, putting them to bed, talking to them, and creating a family environment.

The work differs very much from section to section. The smaller kids will require constant supervision throughout the day. The older kids might seem very independent and they often do their homework on their own as much as they can. However, they need to talk a lot as they are at a difficult age. The tíos and tías act as parents wherever they work, providing the children with a sense of stability. It is important to show the children that they are loved and that you will support them. Don't forget that most of our children have had traumatic experiences in their lives prior to coming to NPH. This means that they often need special support and understanding. Always set a good example by being optimistic. They need self-confidence and they will gain it if you show your appreciation for them.

Being a tía in the Babies house is very different from being a tío or a tía with the older kids. Our babies section consists of different groups of children aged from a few months or days up to 5 years. Tías in the baby section usually work from 6:30 in the morning to 7:00 at night. Work consists of fulfilling all the basic needs the kids might have such as waking the kids up, showering them, taking them to the bathroom, dressing them, cooking for them, helping them eat, playing with them and much more. Once a month each tía has to stay for the night to take care of the kids. Working in the baby section is very hard as the kids need your full attention every second. Many of them have had traumatic experiences and need special attention. If you are interested in working in the babies section you should have Spanish skills, experience in working with (small) children and a lot of initiative (activities must be organized).

    Some of the children are diagnosed HIV+. To keep our kids and our staff safe we organize talks and meetings on the issues of HIV and AIDS. By providing the necessary information risks are reduced to a minimum.

    As a tío or tía show creativity and initiative. Do activities with your children. Remember to always be flexible. The kids can be very finicky about what they like and don't like to do. Things that may have annoyed or bored you after minutes can fascinate them for hours. Be aware that over-structuring and over-organizing may lead to frustration and that it is always easier to start with a small group instead of the whole section.

    Taking care of the children is not a full-time job, it is more than that. Your hours will be longer than any office hours you have ever worked. It is also very, very rewarding. Always keep in mind that the kids already come from a family. They have a daily routine which was set out before you got there. Go easy at first, until you understand the system.

Highlights: Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos' first home was established in Mexico in 1954. An old, converted sugar plantation, Hacienda San Salvador, now serves as the main facility for the large family of approximately 1,000 children. Always bustling with activity, it is located in the small village of Miacatlán, 27 miles southwest of Cuernavaca, and 77 miles south of Mexico City.

NPH Mexico boasts an excellent educational system, with its own primary and secondary schools. Many of the paid teaching staff are former pequeños (those who were raised at the orphan home). Many older children attend the NPH vocational school in Cuernavaca and learn a trade to support themselves. Others go on to university in Mexico City or Monterrey.

Extracurricular activities are a valuable part of the pequeños' days. Aside from an active sports program, NPH Mexico can boast of its young people's talent as musicians and folk dancers. At least two times each year, a troupe of youngsters travels abroad to Canada, Europe or the USA, performing their own Ballet Folklórico to raise funds to help support their family.

In 1999, a program was begun to help the families living at the garbage dump of Milpillas, 15 minutes from the home of Miacatlán. Currently, 115 girls and boys are picked up by bus every day and brought to Miacatlán where they receive food and a shower before joining the rest of the NPH children in school. As these children must help their families earn a living at the dump, they return at the end of each school day to Milpillas.

Qualifications:
    * Comfortable working with children.
    * Comfortable working in another culture.
    * High levels of patience and flexibility.

Friends of the Orphans International Volunteers must be 21, and we prefer that they speak Spanish and/or Creole. Volunteers serve for at least a year in one of the 9 NPH homes. NPH offers room and board, plus a monthly stipend (US$50-$100, depending on the home), and access to health care. Volunteers are responsible for paying for their travel to/from the country, medical insurance and language school fees (if necessary).

Successful volunteers are cooperative, flexible and extremely patient. They have strong work ethics and are able to work with people from many different cultures.

Cost in US$: 0.00

Salary / Pay: Volunteers are paid a stipend that ranges from US $50- $100.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: The most effective volunteers come to NPH with a positive life-loving attitude, a strong work ethic, flexibility, realism and a sense of humor. Typically, volunteers may arrive with the expectation that living conditions are more primitive than they are. However, they are often not aware of how hard they are expected to work. We also seek candidates whose main motive is to help the children and be models. NPH volunteers are not rebellious to rational authority, disrespectful or insensitive to the cultures where we work and are guests. Affluent Europeans and North Americans can afford to be rebels, with long hair, tattoos and pierced body parts. In Latin America, this kind of self presentation can ruin chances for a job. Please remember, we accept volunteers only if we are convinced that they will be good for the children. We are not judging them as people, only as models for children who need to be prepared for their lives beyond NPH. We have numerous openings for long-term volunteers throughout the year. We are sometimes able to accommodate volunteer groups such as school and church or youth organizations for short-term volunteering as well. See our Volunteer Requirements, Volunteer Opportunities, or proceed directly to our Volunteer Application. If you are interested in helping NPH in your local community, please contact your nearest local fundraising office to find out how you can become involved. There are always positions available for translators, special event staff and office support. Working in your local office is a great way to get to know NPH better.

Age Range: 21+

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Mexico Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Resume

Friends of the Orphans's Mission Statement: Friends of the Orphans is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide funds and awareness for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH)- Spanish for Our Little Brothers and Sisters. NPH serves orphaned and abandoned children in 9 countries in Latin America: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Bolivia, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. NPH's mission is to provide shelter, food, clothing, healthcare and education in a family environment based on unconditional love. A worldwide community of donors, staff and volunteers enable NPH to help the children become caring and productive citizens in their countries.

Year Founded: 1954