Boomers Abroad

Description

International Volunteer HQ has a wide range of volunteering opportunities available in working with children placements, sports programs, environmental placements, Carnaval program, teaching English placements, arts placements and community development projects.

*BRAZIL SPORTS PROGRAM

Sport has become vital for Rio's lowest income communities, as they provide children and adolescents with recreational outlets. At just about every corner of Rio de Janeiro, you will find the locals playing Brazil's national sport, futebol. Sports have become an essential part of favela life, especially for children and adolescents because there are so few entertainment options for youth in low income communities. With a lack of entertainment and job options, children more and more are getting caught up in illegal activities to pass the time. The sports volunteer program has become a vital outlet for children; it provides them with friendly competition in a safe and fun environment. By no means do you have to be a sports star to participate in the sports programs, but a little talent goes a long way! Our sports projects include popular programs such as capoeira, football, basketball, beach volley ball and surfing. Volunteers can expect to participate in a little of each of these sports or if you have a specific sport you would like to focus on, please notify us when you apply.

*ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM

This program is for volunteer who enjoy the outdoors and want to help preserve the natural wonders of Brazil. Volunteers will have the opportunity to work in variety of conservation and urban renewal programs. Rio de Janeiro boasts one of the most magnificent contrasting landscapes in the world: cascading forests on massive mountains adjacent to a world class city. However, this contrast is not always mutually beneficial, as many of Rio's treasured green spaces are damaged by urban sprawl. Volunteers can work in various areas including reforestation, forest protection, environmental awareness and recycling programs and in community (favela) gardens. As a volunteer on the environmental program, you can help to support and develop some of the most precious natural spaces, while providing alternatives to low income communities for how to dispose waste and recycle.

*WORKING WITH CHILDREN

Helping in child development is undoubtedly the most beneficial way to increase the quality of life in children living in Brazil; a country with one of the most pronounced wealth gaps in the world. Children in Rio attend school either in the morning or the afternoon  leaving them unsupervised for long periods of time if their parents work. The working with children program ensures that children have a safe, educational, supervised environment in which to spend this time constructively and allow parents to work. As a part of the program, your objective is to provide children with the care and attention needed to develop their social skills, to encourage them to develop an enthusiasm for higher education, and to teach vital skills to be competitive in a rapidly developing economy. Work in this program ranges from community creches with babies right through to community centers for children and teens. As a volunteer in this program, you will work with children from favelas, providing them with the essential attention, support and guidance needed for healthy child development. Volunteers, although not conducting strict written lessons, will also teach English though educational play such as copying, tracing, games, drawing and role play. Child development projects require volunteers who are dedicated and willing to give a lot of care and love. These projects generally have few resources, so you must have a lot of initiative and creativity with the facilities that are available to you.

*CARNAVAL PROGRAM (NOVEMBER TO FEBRUARY)
Carnaval is an event that breaks all economic and social boundaries  a love and passion for Samba makes everyone equal. The Carnaval Program allows volunteers to get involved in the preparation and hard work that goes into one of the biggest parties on the face of the earth! Samba schools competing in Carnaval have a full year of intense work to prepare the many floats, costumes, music and dances. Samba schools are born from the local favelas (urban slums) and most of the schools take their names from the community they represent. Each school unifies and proudly represents people from that community, and all Cariocas (Rio-born Brazilians) also have their favorite school. Volunteers help some of the leading samba schools in the preparation of costumes or decoration of the floats  you don't need any special skills, just a willingness to work hard. Whilst you are hard at work you can also engage in some Portuguese and English language exchange with your fellow workers. There are many large warehouses available where each school of the Special Group (the best schools) has the space to build and store their floats and work on their costumes. Volunteers are also welcome to go to the rehearsals at the Samba school to see the amazing samba dancers, hear the bateria (drum group) and hopefully learn some new moves. NB The dates for Carnaval change every year (it is held 40 days before Easter). Volunteers do not get to participate in the Carnaval parade for free; this is an extra and needs to be arranged separately in country with the local staff.

*ARTS PROGRAM

There is a palpable obsession with the arts in Rio de Janeiro - as music, dance, and theatre are central to what it means to be Brazilian. However, the arts are far more than just entertainment; it can be a powerful force for community building, nurturing human creativity, and social empowerment. Volunteers in this program can work in a number of arts programs around Rio de Janeiro dedicated to providing access to the arts for diverse populations so that all Cariocas (locals from Rio) may be empowered by the positive impact of the arts. There is certainly plenty to offer on an arts project which uses an invigorating mix of music, dance, and theatre to support the city's most at-risk youth. Working with children from a number of favelas (urban slums) your efforts will play a valuable part in helping a project desperately short of resources, while allowing you to absorb the artistic vibes of Rio. As a volunteer on the Arts program, one of your main roles will be to help educate and support the children of Rio by offering a cultural and artistic education that reinforces positive interests, in an effort to provide an escape from the omnipresent drug trade and under-employment. The vast majority of our programs in the arts require no prerequisite skills, however, if you have a special artistic ability that you would like to share, please let us know. NB This program has a minimum requirement of 3 weeks.

*TEACHING ENGLISH

As an English teacher, you will also be exposing your students to one of the world's most commonly spoken languages, one that fuels the global economy. In the next few years Brazil will play host to both the World Cup and the Olympics - these events hold many opportunities for English-speaking Brazilians to find work in the tourism industry and give them a skill they can use for life! You will be working side-by-side with your students, sharing perspective and encouraging cultural understanding. Students range in age from primary school age to the elderly - but no matter who sits in your classroom, teaching English is bound to be an extraordinarily fulfilling experience. English instruction in Brazilian government schools is flaky at best, so volunteering to teach English will provide young students with a supplement to what they learn in school and will give people who never took English courses the opportunity to learn the language. It is also an excellent opportunity to give those living in the favelas a chance to have access to the language that fuels the global economy enhancing their work prospects. The English teaching placements are flexible - from tutoring a few students, to teaching an entire class. Volunteers also often help each other in planning lessons and activities - but the simple fact that there is an English speaker leading discussion makes a tremendous impact on language acquisition. NB Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or experienced teacher. This program has a minimum requirement of 3 weeks

*COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

There's no doubt that local organizations in Brazil are making significant impacts in their communities but with your help and creativity, their programs could develop even further - making them markedly more sustainable and impacting. Volunteer opportunities in community development range from helping partner organizations to create new community development programs, develop existing ones, make performance indicators, and work in outreach and promotion. The local organizations volunteers work in provide essential resources and programming to their communities, but staff members are often swamped by day-to-day operations and have little time to focus on the "big picture." As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to help them accomplish objectives that they may have not otherwise had the time or the manpower to do without you. The time commitment and reach of your work is largely up to you, but creative and industrious go-getter types are always needed for this kind of role. Projects include health education and awareness; technology, media and design as well as NGO development. NB This program has a minimum requirement of 3 weeks.