Assist Teachers in a Kindergarten

There are three kindergartens in two locations. José León Suárez is situated outside the city of Buenos Aires. You get there by train, subway and bus. It is about 1h 30 min from our hostel in central Buenos Aires. Villa 21, Barracas which can be reached by subway and bus and takes 30 mins.

All volunteer projects start on Mondays. 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 the volunteer 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.

The volunteer is able to do a lot to help in this context. They can play with the children, organize activities to entertain them such as music, movies, sports or art activities. The volunteer can be the source of energy and good vibes for the children and they can also be a shoulder to lean on for the teachers. In addition to this, the volunteers can also exchange with them about their respective cultures and traditions, imparting their knowledge with those who do not have the same opportunities as them. Their viewpoint can be a positive thing for the improvement of the organization of the kindergarten and they can also provide a fun change in the daily routine of the children. There is an informal meeting every week where you will have an opportunity to talk with the team about your volunteering program.

Volunteer activities include:

Assist the teachers in the classroom
Interact with the children through games, songs, drawings and workshops
Help take care of the children
Play with the children in the kindergarten’s playground during breaks and when the teachers need to work alone
Help to plan the activities in the kindergarten
Teach the children numbers, the alphabet in Spanish, their first English words etc.
Help the older children do educational activities on the computer
Maintain personal contact and be a role model for the kids
Offer advice if necessary
Help the two teachers cook and serve the food, clean and do the dishes, or any other tasks there are to be done such as assisting in the maintenance and repair of the kindergarten.

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.