Internship with Poverty Reduction & Sustainability- Bolivia
Organization: Sustainable Bolivia
Position Title: Internship with Poverty Reduction and Sustainability: Educating the Streets
Location: Cochabamba, Bolivia
Hours & Compensation: unpaid; minimum commitment one month
Application Deadline: not listed
Sustainable Bolivia (www.sustainablebolivia.org) is a non profit umbrella organization with over 30 partner NGOs. The following internship position is within one of our partner organizations: Educating the Streets.
About Bosques Foundation
Bosques Foundation is dedicated to the sustainable advancement in two non- excludable human development areas – poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. It focuses on social innovation projects, policy advocacy and advisory to the public and private sectors; at the same time that it is engaged in national and regional strategies for development. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen and assure a worthy live for all individuals and families, fostering and increasing citizen capacity and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen our community and society’s resiliency.
About the Project Educating the Streets – Building Society
Educating the Streets – Building Society is a social innovation project developed in partnership with Prolavie (Canada). It facilitates a work-study balance for working children, leading to an increase in their capacity and improved opportunities; while fostering engagement of the broader community across multiple sectors. We believe the greatest engine for change and social capital are Youth; and therefore a primary element of this project is the participation of youth, sharing knowledge and life experiences, as they develop long lasting relationships. Young international volunteers are welcome to participate in any of our project activities.
1. Technical Training + Marketable Activities
Working children receive training in various domains (entrepreneurial and technical), helpful to access the labor market and fulfill their interests, in partnership with private sector organizations, and as part of a common shared value creation strategy. These capabilities are applied in building and selling marketable products or services. Volunteers may help with the coordination and execution of such activities, according to the current needs and the volunteer’s interest. In addition, volunteers may conduct training workshops related to their own professional strengths, relevant to current working activities of children and if possible on skills for establishing social enterprises.
2. Education Support
Includes both support on school subjects where the children have difficulties and further information and education sessions on subjects related to the daily challenges the children are faced with.
Volunteers may become mentors of the children and help them with homework or school subjects and and may also organize and conduct specific education sessions, according to current necessities and own interests.
3. Performing Arts: Personal and Social Skills Development
We have developed a special curriculum with our theater partner Hecho a Mano called Confident, Strong and Free, and composed of several elements: body expression, vocal expression, acting, musical expression, mise en scene and creative collective techniques.
Volunteers with expertise in these areas may collaborate with the performing arts team in the development of the activities, or without expertise may participate in the performance itself, if their stay is long enough. Otherwise, they may still collaborate with logistics, coordination, or other activities as required.
- Socio-Environmental Training:
It includes weekly sessions that will cover important topics in any process of development. These relate to environmental sustainability and gender equity.
Volunteers with expertise may collaborate and conduct workshops or, otherwise, help with their organization.
In all the above activities, local youth volunteers will also participate and they are developed with the purpose in mind that volunteers be not just supporters, but rather active participants of activities in which everybody gains, learns and enjoys the experience.
In addition to the above, we offer different volunteer positions for more general activities such as:
- Marketing & Awareness Campaigns
- Fundraising
- Language lessons to children and local volunteers
- Administrative tasks
In exchange for your valuable participation, we offer:
- Again, the opportunity to participate in a unique life experience and learn from the amazing Bolivian working children.
- Possibility to participate in paid tutoring and guest speaking sessions at our University partner Univalle.
- Language exchange program with local university volunteers
- Cultural and tourist information (eventually guided visits with the children).
- Quechua and Aymara courses at advantageous prices
- Access to international network
- Participation certificate
- Did we mention the opportunity to participate in a unique life experience and learn from the amazing Bolivian working children?
- A fascinating time, working with wonderful people in a wonderful country, with wonderful food and a fun, dynamic team
What do you need to participate as a volunteer?
- Different activities require different levels of Spanish and different commitment requirements (for beginners and short-time volunteers we offer the more general activities mentioned above)
- You need to be interested in working with working children and passionate about contributing to reducing poverty issues
- You need to be flexible, patient, motivated, tolerant and enthusiastic
- Minimum commitment period of one month
How to Apply
If you are interested in this opportunity, please fill out an application on our website:
