YOUTH CARE & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - Enhance the Lives of Children and Teenagers

Aldeas de Paz operates a Community Attention Center (CAC) as part of our “Breaking Down Barriers” project in Samana where our local team consists of teachers, therapists, social workers and a pedagogue who help our beneficiaries, children, youth and adults with disabilities living in disadvantaged communities, both individually and as families. In our Attention Center and also through educational support in the community, we provide psychoeducational, psychosocial, learning, participation, awareness, recreation and free time in which each participant can develop their own skills through play and the arts, active participation in the community and social interaction.

Aldeas de Paz offers educational support accompanied by awareness-raising activities on inclusion and diversity. Committed volunteers are always welcome as there is a constant need for individual attention and tutoring and sport classes. We... place volunteers to help our local team attend to our students in the care center and users in home visits. Whether it's due to poor study habits or lack of individualized help and special needs, in the Dominican Republic many children and youth with disabilities struggle to keep up. Often a student's lack of confidence is their number one obstacle, so we provide a warm fun learning environment filled with praise and encouragement. That's how our volunteers help children experience success in school.

Aldeas de Paz runs a successful humanitarian campaign and home care plan aimed at people with disabilities whose socioeconomic and health situation is threatened because of the current health crisis which has impacted heavily on the economic and social situation of our beneficiaries and their community. Facing the current health situation, our goal has been to bring physical and mental health, nutrition and inclusion. Now, the combination of our previous work at the Community Attention Center (CAC) and the action plan to alleviate the food, health and education crisis led us to develop the Youth, Community Care & Development program. In addition to our established community activities and programs, volunteers are welcome to develop new projects with the financial and organizational support of our charity. In the past, there have been projects like environmental awareness programs or sports activities for the local children provided by the volunteers. Additionally to volunteer opportunities at our own attention center volunteers may assist at a local school and daycare center as well as with English or German classes for the local public.

Volunteer placement, apprenticeship or internship

You can join this program as a volunteer, apprentice or intern. As a volunteer you are free to commit any number of hours per week. That's up to you! As an apprentice or intern however you probably have to fulfill requirements set by your school or university. Please inform us of your school or university internship requirements in advance so that we can work out your personalized work plan together. Also tell us about your personal expectations and goals. We are happy to give students academic credit or provide a report outlining the learning outcomes and deliverables achieved during the placement.

What to expect

We are constantly adapting our programs to community needs and volunteer numbers and capacities. If you wish to specialize we will do our best to accommodate your personal preferences, but you can be asked to be involved in a combination of activities while being placed at this program of your choice. Although project work will be provided, volunteers are encouraged to come up with their own ideas and initiative. This is an excellent opportunity to practice all your skills and learn new ones! Our main focus is on:
• Community Social Work: Direct family attention, monitoring, accompaniment and follow-up and referral of cases, Social Diagnosis, proposal of initiatives and projects, inter-institutional coordination and network for people with disability in Samana
• Education and raising awareness: Attention center Aldeas de Paz for children and young people with disabilities and special needs. acquisition and reinforcement of knowledge, promoting personal capacities individually and guiding them to the experience of inclusion and equal opportunities, Psycho-educational and psychosocial care, learning, participation, awareness, recreation and free time, public relation and media, talks/workshops, content creation and publications.
• Work and social inclusion: work inclusion, career advice, employment promotion, design projects, INFOTEP

Activities can include but are not limited to
• Work together with our team, teachers and psychologists providing attention to our special need students: Learning through play, development of activities to work on the socio-emotional, cognitive, phono-articulatory, sensory, psychomotor and practical life areas, support them in their own ideas to promote their self-determination, individuality & autonomy, the realization of the plans, projects and activities created in advance
• Help our team with activities for special need education on individual and group level at our Attention Center and/or on home visits
• Assist with presentation of talks and family intervention with different themes, according to context and needs
• Assist with educational and social support activities and take part promoting activities to create didactic materials using recycling techniques
• Help prepare and lead thematic workshops (some Spanish skills are helpful) and assist with direct attention, monitor and accompaniment of users to other goods and services
• Attend weekly meetings with other volunteers and staff to create weekly lesson plans and educational projects and help design and edit multimedia content
• Learn how to identify individual, family & community needs and help with case studies and Intervention to assess development and methodology
• Assist with recreational, developmental and therapeutic activities for children and young adults with special needs
• Assist children and spend time with them, playing, organizing, teaching and doing art & craft activities, singing and dancing helping them with their educational and social inclusion process
• Assist our team with youth, family and community development activities and engaging support for parents & caregivers on home visits. (basic Spanish skills are helpful)
• Help organize special events like fundraising parties, cooperating with other organizations and supporting community activities when help is needed
• Assist organizing and leading intercultural events and regular meetings for locals and volunteers with cross-cultural activities fostering exchange and integration
• Plan and execute workshops on disability and related topics based on the characteristics and needs of target groups (advanced Spanish skills are needed)

Requirements

No previous experience or special skills are required but basic Spanish language skills are very helpful. However, all that is truly necessary is enthusiasm, self-reliance, flexibility, patience and an open mind. Nevertheless, volunteers that already have experience in teaching, working with children or working with people with various challenges are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome individual volunteers, families and groups regardless of age, experience or background. We provide free Spanish classes on a regular basis, full support and 24/7 backup. An ideal volunteer is proactive, result-focused but still patient and willing to engage in activities autonomously while still having our support and supervision. You are welcome to bring some arts & crafts materials.

Availability

This program is ongoing throughout the whole year

Time Commitment

A minimum time commitment of 2 weeks is required and can be extended up to one year

Placement Location

Samaná

About your Placement Location

The Aldeas de Paz Foundation headquarters are located in the villages of Samana and Las Terrenas where this program is located. The town of Samana is the center of the Samana province and peninsula in the north-eastern corner of the Dominican Republic. These villages with about 15000 inhabitants are very peaceful and safe and are constituted by a community with a strong sense of social responsibility. The people themselves consider their towns very safe, there is no more crime here than in any average small European town. The Dominican Republic's countryside as a whole is very peaceful, and certainly one of the safest regions in the Caribbean.

Our Volunteer Guesthouse Apartments and our Host Family home stay

The Foundation’s popular volunteer guesthouse apartments are located in the center of the seaside towns of Samaná and las Terrenas, both scenic, laid back and peaceful towns, with friendly and easy-going Dominicans, living their life with tourism, agriculture and fishing activities, all set to the beat and rhythms of Merengue, Bachata and Salsa music. Our Volunteer Guesthouse Apartments are extremely conveniently located only a few minutes from school or the hospital, the village center and to the beaches and the Malecon, the gorgeous seaside walking promenade, where you will find a lot of restaurants, bars and shops. The villages and their surroundings are very safe and our apartments in Samana and Las Terrenas have lovely neighbors who constantly look after us. All important locations are only minutes away and it’s safe to walk at night. A shared room with three beds is the standard option. Upgrades are available for double and single room occupancy and home stay with our lovely host family. Free wifi and access to a washing machine is, of course, standard at all Aldeas de Paz facilities. Living together with volunteers from all over the world is a unique chance for cultural exchange and can be an exciting and new way of living compared to anything you’ve ever experienced before. It has certainly been a key experience in the lives of many past volunteers! Volunteers work and live together and learn how to be empathetic and considerate of others’ needs. They often share their free time, house cleaning tasks and cooking (optional). It means they also become close, develop lifelong friendships and have immense fun along the way! We feel that it is important to highlight that we have created an environment of respect and consideration.

Program Highlights
• Experience the Dominican style of live and chill by the rhythm of Caribbean music!
• Gain Spanish fluency with the help of our free Spanish classes and share daily life with locals
• Become more passionate about your studies and propel your career with international experience!
• Make memories you never forget during weekend excursions with your fellow participants!
• Enjoy the gorgeous beaches of Samana, climb the mountain peaks of Pico Duarte and visit historical sites in Santo Domingos' colonial town!

Travel Logistics

The Foundation will do everything to make sure our volunteers remain safe during their arrival and stay in the Dominican Republic. On arrival at the airport you will be welcomed by our english speaking driver who will help you personally during your transit from the airport to the bus terminal granting you peace of mind and tranquility. The driver will purchase your bus ticket while you catch the direct and comfortable bus to Samana, your placement location. Travel-time on the bus is two hours only. On arrival at the placement location, fellow volunteers and our Staff will welcome you and bring you to your accommodation.

Costs & Benefits

Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and to offer financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The minimum contribution starts at €155 per week (after the second week) and includes Spanish language classes and accommodation at our fully equipped guesthouse apartments, a special program donation as well as a personal welcome service and pick-up at the airport, transfer to the bus, bus fare and free transfer to your placement location.

This is included:
• Airport welcome service & transfer to your placement location 

• Fully equipped Accommodation in Las Terrenas or Samana depending where you will be placed
• Free WiFi (50Mbps) & access to washing machine
• Free regular Spanish lessons throughout your placement
• Placement introduction, certificate & student credit
• Full support and 24/7 backup from local staff
• Information about adventure packages & in-country travel

Special Offer

Volunteers and interns receive free language lessons throughout their placement duration. Classes focus on developing four basic communication skills: listening, comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. Students are encouraged to speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations as soon as they step outside the classroom where learning continues as they are immersed in the Spanish language and the Dominican culture.

Description Video of the program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGXTmnEbBsA

Description Video of Our Mission & Vision: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVj9K0VDEio

Contact Information

Project/charity name: Fundación Aldeas de Paz

Address: Samana, Dominican Republic

Whatsapp: +1 829 7055 123

E-Mail: mail@peacevillages.org

Webpage: https://www.peacevillages.org/mexico-community-resilience/

Facebook: https://www.facebook/AldeasdePaz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AldeasDePaz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AldeasDePaz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Peacevillages
Samana Dominican Republic

Salary Criteria