We cannot pretend to remedy serious social and economic conditions, but volunteers in Santa Elena have plenty of opportunities to make a difference to young people who would otherwise lack educational and creative opportunities. Community projects are typically under-resourced and under-staffed, so volunteers and resources are always welcome. The town’s Casa de la Cultura (Cultural Center) and Fundación del Niño (Children’s Foundation) are some of the organizations which are open to the input of volunteers. This includes English teaching, theater programs, music projects, computer instruction and ceramics classes. In the past, volunteers have formed teams working on community projects such as the maintenance and improvement of playgrounds and community centers, the organization of recycling programs, environmental education activities in local schools and the planning of cultural events in conjunctions with the town council. Improve the pronunciation and conversational skills of young children and adults. In addition to established community activities and programs, motivated volunteers who bring ideas for projects have the chance to set up their own volunteer opportunities in Santa Elena with the financial and organizational support of Aldeas de Paz.

Venezuela is one of the richest countries in Latin America. Natural resources are plentiful, and the government sponsors many social programs. This leads many to the question: why does Venezuela need volunteers and social development? While many Venezuelans live comfortably, there are many others who are neglected. Resources can never be divided equally, and social programs don't reach every citizen. Particularly in a region such as La Gran Sabana, many Venezuelans are largely forgotten. Our educational programs reach many children in communities which despite of the wealth of Venezuela, lack infrastructure or resources to properly promote education to youth and to make sure that children attend schools.We cannot pretend to remedy serious social and economic conditions, but volunteers in Santa Elena have plenty of opportunities to make a difference to young people who would otherwise lack educational and creative opportunities. In addition to established community activities and programs, motivated volunteers who bring ideas for projects have the chance to set up their own volunteer opportunities in Santa Elena with the financial and organizational support of our charity.

ACTIVITIES CAN INCLUDE:

• Help teaching simple wood work to young people at our Community & Therapy Center
• Assist teaching at the local music school or arts, craft and ceramics at the cultural center and our Community & Therapy Center
• Assist with supervising recreational, developmental and therapeutic activities for special need kids
• Help organize special events
• Bring joy and warmth to hospitalized children by participating in visits to the pediatric ward 
• Make and decorate wooden didactic toys and materials for our play-therapy program
• Play and take care of underprivileged children, bringing joy to local day care centers
• Help restore and maintain children’s playgrounds and school facilities.

Costs depend on length of stay. There are three accommodation options which include:

• Volunteer placement in the program/s of your choice
• Accommodation & meals depending on the accommodation option of your choice
• Placement introduction and hand-outs, supervision, regular briefings
• Regular free Spanish language classes
• Certificate and/or written reference upon successful completion of volunteer placement
• Free participation with excursions and cultural exchange organized by our volunteers
• Full support and 7 days, 24 hour back-up from our local staff
• Santa Elena bus terminal pick-up. Our staff will welcome you to our home-base upon arrival to Santa Elena and ensure that all of your needs are met - from a safe and comfortable place to stay, to unparalleled access to perspectives and insight about the local culture

Most volunteers will spend less than Euro € 60  a month on other personal expenses while here, but this depends on how you like to live. For more detailed information check http://www.aldeasdepaz.org/Financial.html

A typical volunteer with this program comes without previous experience but has enthusiasm, takes initiative and dedicates lots of caring and passion to the position. However, Volunteers with experience are strongly encouraged to apply. You don’t have to speak fluent Spanish as we provide full support and 24 hour back-up from on-site local staff. Adaptation is rarely a problem as we provide thorough support and free Spanish language classes. You do not need special skills, any necessary skills will be learned on the job. It is quite possible to volunteer and learn Spanish in parallel.

Volunteer Guesthouse on foundations grounds: Live and work in a cooperative and supportive environment: This very popular accommodation arrangement opens the possibility to live and work in a cooperative and supportive environment together with Aldeas de Paz long term local staff and volunteers from overseas. It is a great opportunity to share with fellow volunteers from all over the world and various cultural/ethnic backgrounds.
Our approach is focused along practical, harmonic and joyful lines. Cooperative living evolves day by day through group decisions. With Aldeas de Paz the managerial level is more horizontal than in most NGOs or businesses, and many decisions are taken by consensus. If you choose this living option you can be sure that you will be included in some important decisions which will shape the future of Aldeas de Paz as a charity and a significant social experiment of co-living. Inspiring exchanges and discussion circles are the settings for future development decisions and often take place spontaneously. It's our committed volunteers who assist in determining the next direction Aldeas de Paz will go in.

Facilities and Benefits: We offer outreach and service programs located in the nearby village of Santa Elena and on the Aldeas de Paz Grounds. Ground Facilities include: various gardens with spacey ambience, gym, wading pool, hammock-terrace, craft wood workshop, football, beach ball, frisbee and football field, creative kitchen facilities, camping grounds and fire-pits for meetings or recreational activities. These various environments around the ground are the settings for therapeutic activities, relatively self sustained living and social events, cultural exchanges and fellowship. Also regular Spanish language conversational classes will be taught at the cooperative living teaching facility.

This is a basic timeline that could vary depending on certain situations:

   1. Prospective volunteer fill online Application Form (Typically volunteers start at Aldeas de Paz within 14 to 180 days after application.)
   2. ADP responds to applications within 24 hours - As long as all requirements are met and all necessary materials included, applicant will be invited to volunteer with Aldeas de Paz.
   3. Next step will be for volunteer to buy tickets to Venezuela and let us know exactly what date you are arriving at and leaving from Aldeas de Paz in Santa Elena (see travel information). We than send a calculation of the total minimum volunteer donation.
   4. Volunteers secure their placement and accommodation arrangement by depositing part of the calculated minimum volunteer donation. We should receive the deposit as soon as possible, prior to arrival in order to make important commitments with beneficiaries and suppliers and start preparing for volunteers work placement and securing volunteers accommodation arrangement ahead of his arrival.
   5. Once the Deposit is received we will send volunteer a mail confirming the reception of the deposit and the definite booking of volunteers placement and accommodation arrangement.
   6. Volunteer makes trip to Venezuela to begin!

The town of Santa Elena de Uairén is the headquarters of our Foundation in Venezuela and the heart of La Gran Sabana National Park, the earths oldest surface where prehistoric mountains are ecological islands with endemic species. A high plateau with wide open spaces, tropical forest, spectacular mountains, rivers and gorgeous waterfalls, home to the Pemón indigenous people is a great place to arrange adventure tours with a variety of destinations and exiting activities. Some trips can be done on weekends, otherwise we will help you to schedule tours so that you can see everything you want to in Venezuela, while still achieving your volunteer commitments with us. It is always best to plan to be here for a longer period of time so you can fit in a tour and still feel satisfied with the impact of your volunteer work. We are not a tour operator but a volunteer charity! The Adventure Tours are organized and offered by local tour operators. We also assist volunteers to self-organize their trip if they want to safe money. Volunteers then share the direct costs of a guide, porter, food and transport, instead of buying a complete package.