Collaboration on Solidarity Website Development

  Argentina

Esquel

Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: Flexible

Description: Host Organization Description: MAPU Association is a young non-profit founded in Madrid, Spain, in April 2006. The main objective of MAPU Association is to encourage and promote cooperation and development projects within the communities of Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia in order to foster local self-sufficiency, augment the locals´ resources, and improve their capabilities for positive and sustainable development.

The Solidarity Websites project is one of the regional development projects that MAPU Association offers. Solidarity websites are intended for non-profit organizations and groups in Patagonia who benefit from having a web presence to facilitate their activities and achieve their objectives.

Volunteering Placement Description: MAPU Association is looking for volunteers who have some knowledge of web development to collaborate on the design, organization, and development of various solidarity websites.

This volunteering placement includes the following activities:

- Working with CMS (Content Management Systems) on activities such as configuration, graphics design, module installation, etc.
- Writing code in HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- Creating new pages and content
- Editing and optimizing photos and other graphics
- Organizing, systematizing, translating, and editing text
- Coordinating virtual volunteers who help with the solidarity websites effort

Highlights: The objective of this volunteering placement is for you to help create useful and functional solidarity websites that allow partner non-profit organizations and groups to achieve their goals.

Qualifications: Requirements: Although your work will be coordinated by MAPU members who have ample expertise and experience working with websites, for this volunteering placement you need some knowledge of web development (please see placement details above for specific activities). You also need to be flexible, proactive, creative, and self-sufficient.

Languages: Intermediate Spanish

Minimum and Maximum Length: 1 month minimum, flexible maximum

Ideal Start Date: Please inquire; start dates depend on the timing of the Solidarity Website projects that MAPU undertakes.

Timetable: 20 to 25 weekly hours, from Monday to Friday, normally during the afternoon

Cost in US$: 360

Also, this cost includes...
* Before your trip to Patagonia:
- Organization of your volunteer work placement with clearly defined activities and objectives, according to your profile and preferences and to the needs of your host organization.
- If necessary, translation and/or edition of your Letter of Intent and Curriculum Vitae so that the host organizations can decide whether your profile is suitable to their projects and needs.
- Regular communication with the Patagonia Volunteer's Coordinators, who will answer your doubts, give you advice, tell you about their own experience as volunteers, and help you with the practical aspects of the organization of your trip.
- Access to orientation material which will help you have clear and realistic expectations about your Patagonia experience, and will provide you with some tools to get ready to give your best during your volunteer placement.

* During your volunteer work in Patagonia:
- Volunteers' orientation and preparation workshop: analysis of the different local realities and tools to interpret them, role and position of the international volunteer, information and preparation for the specific projects, etc.
- Guidance and supervision during your volunteer work from the Patagonia Volunteer's Coordinators and from your host organization coordinator.
- Contacts to find a local partner for practicing Spanish and making a language exchange.
- Organization of your accommodation with a local family (for about 150 EUR to 200 EUR monthly).

* After your volunteer work in Patagonia
- Possibility of keeping involved with the MAPU Association's projects through virtual volunteering.
- Opportunities to return to Patagonia to perform another volunteer work project in Patagonia, as often as you want or as often as you can, without having to pay again the volunteer organization placement fee.
- A network of friends with experiences and objectives in common who walk towards the same direction, sharing both interests and differences.

Experience Required: yes

Some knowledge of web development is required.

Age Range: 19-45

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Argentina Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

MAPU Association's Mission Statement: MAPU Association is a young non-profit, founded in Madrid, Spain, in April 2006. The main objective of MAPU Association is to encourage and promote cooperation and development projects within the communities of Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia in order to foster local self-sufficiency, augment the locals' resources, and improve their capabilities for positive and sustainable development. Patagonia Volunteer is a program developed by MAPU Association as a community, social and environmental development tool in the frame of International Cooperation. Its goal is to offer solutions to the locals' needs, problems and social interests, while contributing to fostering fairer relations between this southern region and the developed countries of the north.

Year Founded: 2006