Project Overview

About the Project    Usual Volunteer Tasks    Your role as volunteer    Requirements    Daily Routine  

Project Highlights

  • Be part of a special project taking care of children with disabilities of poor resources
  • Assist the professional staff with all sorts of activities and create bonds that will last forever
  • Contribute to solving a quite forgotten and neglected problem within Guatemalan society and the world
  • Get immersed in a new culture while you do your bit for these children's wellbeing

About the Project

Get involved on this project in Antigua and benefit from how much you'll learn and all the friends you'll make. You'll have the chance of working with an organization that takes in children (and occasionally some adults) that mentally and physically challenged. There are many people in need that spend their lives at this refuge. These people have little resources to get assistance at a private institution so this is a great solution for them.

The staff is formed by local and international volunteers and professionals specialized in the matter. The nurses, doctors, dentists and physiotherapists work at this extremely well kept and clean home. Their main goal is to help people with special or different psychological needs, as well as their families, providing them a more dignified life by taking care of them daily. They look to attend the health and physical needs of children, with responsibility, care and efficiency.  They also try to help parents, who are scarce economic resources and are limited to help their special child properly.

They provide many services. Some of them are permanent care, daily medical assistance, dental clinic, daily physiotherapy and free medicines. They also pay special attention to the nutrition of the children keeping them on a balanced diet, adapted to fulfill their growing needs. Besides they provide personal assistance in the daily hygiene of each child.

Moreover, they have a day care center for children that assist every day but don't stay overnight. On top of all this the professional and caring staff provides alternative therapies for the people at the refuge and special education. They assist them with physical therapy to improve their motor skills and speech therapy to help them to improve their communication skills. When they reach a certain age and are in good conditions they also help them to find a job so that they build their self esteem and feel they are capable of doing things. This is very important for their personal growth.

As a volunteer you can participate in any activity you feel comfortable with. You'll be required to be committed to the project and to be open to this problematic and to learning from the professionals. They are used to work with volunteers so they know how to help you have the experience of your lifetime. At the beginning of the program you'll be trained so that you become familiar with the different methods that they use with the children.

Among your tasks will be assist on the daily care of the children, spending time with patients doing different activities, assisting patients in all daily cleaning activities, changing their clothes and the bed linen, positioning Patients and feeding them. You'll also be able to play games with the children and preparing special activities like reading books, painting and making crafts. You can also propose other activities such as sports, workshops, taking walks with the patients or alternative therapies like music, dance and painting. Everyone is welcome to help and we bet your dying to do it!

 

 

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Usual Volunteer Tasks

  • To watch out for physical and mental health of the disabled
  • To assist on rehabilitation activities
  • To work on maintenance activities
  • To get involved with the disabled
  • To spend time with them making them happier
  • Preparation of recreational and sports activities
  • Assisting the staff and other volunteers on routine duties
  

The tasks named above will be arranged with every volunteer according to each one's skills and special abilities.

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Your role as a Volunteer

On this volunteer project you'll have to work on your empathy. You need to walk on these people's shoes and try to think what would need or like if you were them. You need to listen and to spend time with them to be able to fulfill their needs. The staff is very savvy and open to help you in everything you may need. But it is important for you to be perceptive and proactive.

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Requirements

  • Over 18 years old
  • High school degree
  • Health insurance, accident and liability
  • Commitment to the Host Organization,its rules and tasks
  • Have skills to work with people with disabilities
  • To be creative and have an affinitty with disabled people
  • To be motivated, patient, resourcefuland willing to join in a wide range of activities
  • To be a committed and responsible person willing to help
  • To have skills to organize recreation events
  • Enthusiastic spirit and lots of energy
  • Students or health professionals are welcomed to help
  • n intermediate Spanish level is recommended
  • Fulfill with all legal and formal requirements for your Volunteer*

    *Latin American students applying for Volunteers in Spain must have a valid EU passport.

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Daily Routine

Usually volunteers have 6 hs shifts in the morning. In some cases it can be arranged a change of schedule if you prefer to work in the afternoon. Any extra time you're willing to do will be highly valued.

Usually volunteers work from 4 to 6 hours per day, from Monday to Friday. You can be asked to work some weekends if needed. You can start your day early in the mourning or work in the afternoon shift. Give a useful hand every time is necessary, it will be really appreciated! And be flexible enough as you won't have every minute of your work day planned and resources are scarce.

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