This is a unique opportunity for students motivated by values of participation and solidarity to invest their time and skills on building a better world. It’s also a single chance to experience the Brazilian Culture being close to the community at the same time you will enjoy the Brazilian beach lifestyle in one of the most beautiful cities in the World!
Our Partner Organization
Founded in 1996, the Communal, Cultural, and Educational Center attends to infants, adolescents, young, adult and elders in situation of social risk and people from the surrounding neighborhoods, an area deficient in nurseries and pointed by the lack of health and education assistance.
The Community center gives daily assistance to 442 students, distributed in the following stages: nursery, infant education and fundamental education. The groups are organized by the age group. The space is a service pole to the communities that live in a situation of vulnerability. Around 2.300 families are supported by the NGO, who offers food baskets, clothes and footwear and emergency duty to attend to their needs; promoting educational lectures about the Human being values; promoting meetings and courses of professional qualification, using programs such as the traditional “Charity Patrols”; and distributes the famous "Soup of the Poor Men", working towards solidarity against hunger for over 55 years.
What are Volunteers needed for?
The demand for each may vary according to the needs of the project. However, typically volunteers are needed for:
• Coaching sports
• Promoting leisure activities with children
• Act as history tellers
• Help at theater class
• Teaching and helping at the handcraft activities
• Teaching English
• Helping with homework
• Teaching how to play chess
• Promoting dance workshops
• Promoting lectures about different subjects to adults
• Medical attendance (for doctor volunteers)
• Promoting professional courses to teach adults activities for incoming source
Work Schedule: Morning or afternoon.
Volunteers are required for a minimum of 10 hours/week.
The maximum number of volunteers each organization accepts is 15. (Note: that we don’t know if positions are available until you apply)
Accommodation and Meals
During your stay in Rio de Janeiro, you will be accommodated in a host family, being able to experience the Brazilian way of life. All host families are carefully vetted and inspected by our partner representatives before any placement is considered. Accommodation may be in single or shared rooms. Host family accommodation is on a half-board basis (breakfast and dinner). The student is expected to provide their own lunch.
Host family accommodation includes normal facilities: shower/bath, laundry once per week as part of the family laundry, use of the telephone (as agreed with the host family), access to common living areas, etc.
All host families receive an orientation from our partner representatives on their obligations to the student, the student’s obligations to the family and the relationship between representatives, the student and the family.
Accommodation includes one night before the start of the volunteer program date and includes one night after the end of the program. It does not include accommodation for students arriving before the program start date and leaving after the program finish date, unless our partner has informed the volunteer to arrive earlier or leave later than these dates. Our partner will inform us of the program start and end dates.
What’s included:
• Airport pick-up and transfer
• Arrival Orientation
• Home stay accommodation with breakfast and dinner included
• 24 hour support number provided by our partner
OBS: The standard program includes 4 weeks of Language tuition in Rio prior to volunteering.
What is not included?
• Travel to and from Brazil
• Internal flights and weekend trips
• Local transportation
• Temporary Visa I (fees)
• Travel Medical Insurance
• Pocket money
Requirements
The volunteer organization uses the following as a guideline; however, exceptions can be made depending on experience, language skills and enthusiasm:
• Minimum age: 18 years.
• Minimum commitment: 4 weeks.
• Minimum Portuguese level: High-Beginner
• Compassion and genuine interest in helping.
Program Support
Our partner and its representatives will support you during your whole program in Brazil. You will have a 24 hours emergency number should you need to contact us.
Arrival dates
First Monday of the month (aim to arrive on the Sunday before). For other dates please contact the office.
• Project availability: the project in Rio is closed on January, February, July and December due to vacation.
• Different start dates:
September: the program will start on a Wednesday, September 8th, due to the Independency holiday on September 7th. Students can still arrive on the previous Sunday.
November: the program will start on a Wednesday, November 3rd, due to the “All Souls´ Day” holiday on November 2nd. Students can still arrive on the previous Sunday.
* In case of holidays, Portuguese classes will be compensated along the course.
