Argentina: Environmental Community Development

Introduction

In the vast country of Argentina, civil society has a long and vibrant history, with an abundance of NGOs and community organisations working together to hold governments accountable as well as striving to achieve better living conditions in vulnerable areas.

The NGO you will be working with supports various social initiatives in and around Buenos Aires, and they constantly need to attract volunteers and funding for their many activities. This project centres on a recently started cooperative to the north of Buenos Aires. The aim of the project is to offer opportunities to the young people of the community to gain the necessary skills and experiences to get a job and thereby support their families. The project focuses on sustainable community development in three dimensions; environmental, social and economical. The core belief of the NGO and cooperative is that empowerment is achieved through involvement in community experiences, inspiring youth to build their own, better future.

At the community centre, classes are taught teaching students how to use various gardening machinery, skills which will serve them well when looking for employment. They are also taught how to properly tend for and look after a garden. The centre also serves as an important meeting point, where members of the local community can get to know and interact with volunteers from many different countries and cultures. For most locals, international travel is out of the questions due to financial constraints and so the centre provides the opportunity for local people to learn about other countries and cultures.

Therefore, the Pacheco Community Center is a place that can provide a different perspective on life. Volunteers will be able to learn about many topics and maximize what they learn by helping us to maintain the garden and grounds. Volunteers will enhance their knowledge in practice, helping in the tasks of daily maintenance of the garden, in the organization of community space with the armed schedule, lists of participants’ management and administration tasks of space. They may provide art workshops, English, school support, orchard, and recycling.

Volunteers can be a source of motivation for young people who want to strive for a better future. The energy and knowledge that volunteers bring with them can be essential in changing young people’s perspectives. Volunteer can make students believe in a brighter future and instill in them the motivation and aspiration to achieve their goals, no matter how big and regardless of their current socioeconomic status.

Daily Life

Many young people in the community have not had the opportunity to finish a basic education; meaning higher education is beyond their reach. By learning a practical trade and how to work as part of a team, they gain a foot into the labour market and a new capacity to develop. Besides gardening, landscaping and machinery skills, the centre also offers language courses, workshops in arts and music and immersion in agro-ecology philosophy.

The centre maintains a greenhouse where students can plat fruits and vegetables, which they can later sell and thus generate an income.

As a volunteer on this project, you will be a vital part in the exchange of knowledge and experience, working together with local community members to create mutual solidarity. You will have plenty of opportunities to learn about a wealth of topics, both practical and philosophical. Your duties will include helping out daily in the gardens, help manage the community schedule, manage participants and other administrative tasks. Depending on your own background and preferences, you can get involved in workshops on art, English, school support, recycling and much more.

Most gardening activities will take place during the morning, with theoretical classes held in the afternoon. The centre is open year round, however naturally there is less activities outdoors during the winter months (July-August).

Travel & Accommodation

Location 

General Pacheco is a neighborhood located northeast of Buenos Aires’s Metropolitan area. It is about 90 minutes from the City of Buenos Aires, and 70 minutes from Ezeiza International Airport. Pacheco is a neighborhood located in the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Away from city noise and commercial areas, but connected to the city by bus, so it only takes 1 and a half hour to be in downtown.

Accommodation

Volunteers working at this project will stay in our Volunteer House. The Volunteer House provides accommodation for a maximum of 12 volunteers in spacious, and bright rooms overlooking the garden where you can enjoy the sounds and scents of nature. These are shared rooms with private bathrooms and showers for each room and exclusively for the use of volunteers. Breakfast and lunch are provided during workdays (5 days a week).

In addition to this, there is a completely equipped kitchen, which is a shared space for the volunteers and community members to enjoy.

The House also offers free WIFI, a TV, and a living room where volunteers can unwind and rest during their off-time.

Requirements

• Minimum age 18.
• Minimum 2-weeks commitment.
• Excellent organisational skills with strong working and personal ethics.
• Determination, self-motivation and ability to work in a team environment.
• Agree to write monthly report on your placement progress.
• Intermediate skills in Spanish (lessons available).
• Full travel & medical insurance, visas. Full assistance will be given in getting everything you need arranged if you opt for our Placement Support Package

Costs

Price is staggered per week:

* All payments incur a 5% bank transfer fee.

What’s Included:

Project Fee includes accommodation (if opted for), breakfast & lunch during weekdays (with accommodation option), project placement, in-country support, and a two-day orientation to Buenos Aires with weekend accommodation in the city.

What’s not included:

Dinner during week, food on weekends, flights, insurance, visas (if applicable), and vaccinations. Full support will be provided in getting all these arranged if you opt for premium support.

Premium Support Upgrade

We understand there’s a great deal to plan and organize for your trip. When booking a Placement, many of our participants choose to purchase our Premium Support Upgrade to benefit from the expertise, knowledge, and experience of our Project Coordinators.

We can provide the personal advice you need to ensure your trip is organized with excellence and planned with efficiency; ensuring the very best experience possible. Read more about how we can help you.