Union de los Pibes

– June 12, 2011Posted in: Argentina, Education, Free, Volunteer in South America, Young People

Union de los Pibes | Buenos Aires | Volunteer in Argentina

Project Description

Club Union de los Pibes is a non-profit project that aims to provide children and adults in the southern neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires with a place to come together and strengthen their community. The main objectives of our project are to teach the children the importance of community, to provide them with educational support and to help instil in them the values and self-confidence that will encourage them to make positive choices about their futures.

Volunteer Information

Want to volunteer for free in Buenos Aires?
Club Union de los Pibes is a small voluntary organisation. We will not ask for anything other than your time and commitment to the club. We rely solely on donations, on the fundraising efforts of our volunteers and, most importantly, on those who are able to give up a few hours of their time each week to spend with the kids at the club. People like you are vital for the survival of the club.

In Buenos Aires for six weeks or more?
In order to help create a stable environment for the kids at the club and to provide some continuity in the activities on offer, we ask that our volunteers commit to at least six weeks helping out at the club.

How can I help?
We help the older kids with some homework, do a volunteer led classes/activities, take a snack break and also allow the kids time to play and relax. When you arrive the existing volunteers will no doubt already have activities planned, so feel free to ask what’s going on and get stuck in!

There are often opportunities to help out outside club hours; sometimes we do trips for the kids, there are volunteers meetings, fundraising events etc.

We are currently hoping to raise enough funds so that we can move to a new building where we will be able to be open all week and hopefully (eventually) become more of a community centre than just an after school club. Your help and support in achieving this goal will also be greatly appreciated.

Ready to join us?
We are always looking for volunteers to help out. Get in touch and we’ll tell you everything you need to know. Our contact details (with some tips on how to find us) are copied below along with answers to some common questions.

Additional Information

What is the area like where the club is?
The club isn’t in the best area of town but follow the usual common sense rules (know where you’re going, don’t show off expensive looking belongings, watch out for pick pockets around the station etc) and you’ll be fine. For the first time you visit the club we can put you in touch with some of the current volunteers so that, if you’d like, you can meet up and go together. When you contact the club, if you can let us know what area of town you are staying in and your mobile number if you have one (to pass on to the current volunteers) that will be helpful for putting you in contact.
Do I need any experience or skills/qualifications?
Whether you have no experience working with kids or have been doing this for the last 30 years, it makes no difference to us! So long as you are patient, committed and enthusiastic that’s all you need. The classes we offer at the club depend very much on the skills/interests of the current volunteers; these have ranged from art therapy classes, theatre classes, singing, English lessons, cooking, taekwondo and more! If you have any skills/ qualifications/ interests that you’d like to work with just let us know.
Does it matter if I can’t speak very good Spanish?
Don’t worry if your Spanish is not fluent, just come along, and we’ll figure out a way for you to help. So long as you’re happy to try, the club is a great place to learn – and there are always other volunteers around who speak English (and other languages) and they will be able to help you out too…. Obviously, the more Spanish you can speak the more involved you can get in the activities and the more your relationships with the kids can develop. Be realistic in your expectations and remember that whatever support you can give will be greatly appreciated. Whether you can speak much Spanish or not (and whether kids realise it or not) the fact that you are willing just to turn up and be there on a regular basis will mean a lot to them.
Where should I stay?

As we are a small organisation, we do not have any associated accommodation and we are not affiliated to any hostels/hotels. There are plenty of hostel options all over town. Owner rented apartments can be cheaper than going through an agency and there are significantly cheaper options if you are happy to rent a room in a shared apartment. In terms of areas, Palermo is considered very safe and is perhaps a bit more ‘trendy’ – it’s a little more expensive but there are plenty of bars/restaurant options. Recoleta is a good area but a little more residential. Barrio Norte and the Microcentro may be a bit cheaper but are perhaps not as lively. There are a lot of options in/around San Telmo for both short and long term stay travellers – this area has the advantage of being a lot closer to Club Union de los Pibes too.

Location

Barracas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Contact

Website: www.uniondelospibes.blogspot.com
Email: uniondelospibes@gmail.com

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