volunteering in BA

[braytrain]

I don´t really know who else to ask about this, besides foreigners who have a slightly less ¨egoic¨ and ¨superficial¨ sense of humanity.

There are no real volunteer opportunities here. And by opportunities I don´t mean for myself. In the states, I´ve volunteered my assistance since I was 14 even through school and work at the same time. I´m completely qualified to help...graduated engineering and sciences, 6 plus years in education, english/castellano bilingual

All volunteer opportunities here are bullshit...having to dedicate full time, or having to pay, or being something retarded like helping to plant gardens in a mental hospotal.

I mean, helping the community, people, etc...

does anyone know anything? I work full time and go to school, and the most volunteering I do is coaching a bunch of brats in soccer on the weekends.

 

[Roxana]

you can give a try to fundacion leer, phone 4777-1111, talk to Liliana (spanish) and tell her I gave you the name and number. They are very well organized to work, and they are achievers. Another option is AIESEC

 

[nyer4ever]

My boyfriend has been volunteering for years in the Villas, but he's Argentine. You will have difficulty securing "short-term" volunteer work that is of the substance you're looking for because most organizations that are really doing good things, want someone super long-term, especially if there are kids involved.

You can try talking to Manuel,
www.redsolidaria.org.ar, he helps feed a lot of people that live in the streets.

The animal rescue groups here are also an option.

Keep checking Idealist.org, also ... if you're passionate about something...why not start something yourself!

 

[AnalogDreamer]

Hi!

I find your comment "doing something retarded as planting in a mental hospital" a bit off putting...i dont know how valuable is your help if you have that attitude. I know that project and i think its great. There are lots of opportunities here, but you need to have something to offer, and speak the language. The ngos are going to destinate resources to train you, deal with you, etc, and if you just want to do it for 1 month, is not worth it.

You can try Fundacion Si, they go nightly to Congreso and assist homeless people. yo dont need to sign up or anythig. They meet every day at 8.30 in Riobamba y Mitre.

good luck

 

[Davidglen77]

I know some people here will blast me for this, but I volunteer at one of the sites of "La Cámpora". I give english classes weekly and once a month we put together a low cost bag of food for people in the neighborhood. It's not political at all, the people I've met are extremely nice and "sano" as I call them, don't care what brand of jeans or sneakers you wear, don't drink or do drugs, and do a lot of work in the community and surrounding neighborhood. They offer several workshops every week, guitar classes, after school homework help for kids, portuguese classes, etc. No cost to volunteer there.

 

[braytrain]

Thank you everyone who responded to this post, and I apologize if I offput anybody by the way I talk. The project is fine, but I truly believe that the only cost of ¨volunteering¨ should be time.

I probably should´ve mentioned that I´m bilingual and both Argentine and American, and I´m here for the long haul. The point I was trying to make was that I´m not looking to be trained, and I´m not looking for anything full time. I would like to give what I already know, and I think everything begins with education. I´m not looking to build a garden, or donate food. Teach, help, or create an environment to learn is all.

Thanks Nyer for the contact, and Davidglen... I see no reason why people would blast you? What you do sounds perfect, tbh.

Thanks again everyone!

Nick

 

[dk2]

You sound like an arragent asshole ,looking down your nose at people doing great work on the gardens at the hospitals ! They are doing it to make the patients surroundings more hospitable ! You say"retarded" , you fail the first step in humanity .

 

[braytrain]

speaking of retards , you spelled arrogant wrong .

and I apologize if I think that educated native english speaking college students could contribute more *FOR FREE* doing something that isn't planting vegetables in a psychiatric home . Just because someone slaps the word "organic" on something doesn't necessarily mean all the environmental students should spend 2000 bucks a month to "volunteer" there . !

 

[arlean]

Hi Braytrain, and congratulations on the "arrogant" comment. I am laughing! I'll keep that in mind and remember not to mess with YOU! ;D

My friend mentioned at the public hospital here in the Palermo area that I might be interested in volunteering. She said the woman in charge of volunteers was really interested. I don't know if it was working in the gardens but I don't think so. If you want the contact information, let me know and I will get it for you. Or you can just go and ask, since you are bilingual. I haven't pursued it yet so if you do, maybe YOU can tell ME what they have in mind. I didn't get the impression it was full time, I told my friend I could go an afternoon a week. If full time or they tried to charge me I, like you, would balk. And good for you to be thinking this way. My friend tells me that in the public hospital they are short handed and if you are a patient there you really need a relative or friend to stay with you. If that is the case, seems like there should be lots of opportunity to volunteer. BUT . . we have to remember we are in Argentina. Sometimes what SEEMS logical . . isn't!

 

[Jed]

"Voluntarios sin Fronteras" may be what you are looking for.