Special Needs Care Volunteer Program in Argentina - Cordoba
Want to be a Special Needs volunteer in Argentina - Córdoba? International Volunteer HQ’s Special Needs Care project empowers volunteers to assist and interact with young disabled people who benefit from extra support, connection and care. Volunteers will gain experience of working with people with disabilities, as well as helping them gain independence, learn new skills and become more a part of their community.
Highlights:
- Programs start every Monday
- Affordable fees from $325 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Care for and connect with young people with disabilities
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Discover Córdoba’s historic Jesuit Block
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Relax by the pool at the large volunteer homestay
Who is this program suited to?
Key information
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
In Córdoba, effective and enthusiastic special needs care can make a real difference to the lives of young people with disabilities. This kind of care can help them develop and learn new skills, gain independence and become more involved with their families and communities.
As a Special Needs volunteer you’ll be assisting local placement staff in the care of disabled young people - an undertaking that can be both emotionally challenging and extremely rewarding.
Special Needs volunteers may find themselves helping with a range of tasks including:
- Facilitating workshops or classes
- Assisting with meals
- Taking part in recreational outings and walks
- Helping with personal care
- Playing games
- Teaching painting, music, dancing or cooking
Please note some placements close during the Christmas and New Year holiday and from January to mid February. During this time, and for a two week holiday period in July, volunteers can supplement their time on other projects, subject to availability.
Why do Special Needs Care volunteering in Cordoba with IVHQ?
While volunteering on the Special Needs project in Córdoba, you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Supporting young people with disabilities
- Practicing your Spanish
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining experience caring for disabled youth
- Immersing yourself fully in Argentinian culture
- Exploring the beauty of the Córdoba region
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16-18 are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
Fluency in Spanish is not a prerequisite for the IVHQ Argentina volunteer program, however on some projects volunteer work will be limited by a lack of language ability. We strongly recommend that all volunteers take advantage of the free Spanish lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers by our local team in Argentina. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons help immensely with day-to-day volunteer work and communicating with local people. Volunteers interested in taking the free Spanish lessons can arrange these directly with the local team once in Argentina.
Argentina photo gallery
”For future volunteers, I would say that I know you are all worried about who you are going to meet and what it's going to be like. But just know that it's going to be the best experience of your life! You get to travel on weekends and volunteer. It's a win, win situation. You get to step outside of your comfort zone. And get to experience a new culture.”
Kaylin LaDuca, American , 19
Read reviews from Special Needs Care volunteers in Cordoba
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Location
In the middle of Argentina, IVHQ’s Córdoba projects are set against the breathtaking backdrop of rolling hills and valleys which surround the city. Córdoba is home to Argentina’s second largest university and hundreds of thousands of students who give it a lively, modern flavour. You’ll find great markets, picturesque parks, pumping nightlife and masses of museums, cathedrals and cultural icons just waiting to be discovered.
Arrival and orientation
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Ambrosio Taravella International Airport (COR) in Córdoba. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter of consent from their parents to support their documentation.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and taken to the volunteer accommodation in Córdoba. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Argentina prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Córdoba on the day before your program orientation. Orientation is hosted by our Córdoba team and begins on the morning of your chosen start date. It covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Córdoba – an introduction to Argentina, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities, and an introduction to project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays
Volunteers will have a morning or afternoon shift, which will last around 2 to 5 hours. A typical morning schedule is as follows:
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer accommodation. |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers travel to their placements to join local placement staff. Start time and daily workload depends on the project that the individual volunteer is participating on. |
| 1:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to the volunteer accommodation, go sightseeing, or do some shopping. If volunteers are taking Spanish language lessons, they will usually do this in the afternoon (or in the morning if they are volunteering in the afternoon). |
| 8:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation. |
Weekends
Maybe the rhythm of Córdoba’s famous cuarteto music will call to your feet, maybe you’ll forage for a flea market bargain, take a trip to the Che Guevara Museum, adventure in the mountains, try Argentina’s beloved Fernet and Coke or spend your time discovering the Jesuit Block. Maybe you’ll do it all and more, or just relax in a peaceful park and sip a coffee. In any case there’s no shortage of things to see and do during your free time in Córdoba. But if it’s time for a change of scene, Córdoba’s central location means it’s easy to hop on a plane or jump in a car or bus and visit Argentina’s buzzy capital, Buenos Aires, or pay a visit to the Mendoza wine region or the city of Rosario. If the outdoors are your thing, there’s plenty of trekking, mountain climbing, horseback riding, paragliding, and abseiling fun to be had in the Córdoba region and nearby.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in a large homestay in Rivera Indarte, a peaceful neighborhood, 15 - 20 minutes drive from Córdoba airport, and 30 minutes drive to the city center.
This two-story homestay has great facilities for volunteers, including a barbecue area and a swimming pool which is available in the summer. Bedrooms have single beds and bunk beds and you can expect to share a bedroom with one to three other volunteers of the same gender. Bathrooms with hot showers and western toilets are shared between no more than three other volunteers, and bedding and towels are provided.
Single or double private bedrooms can also be requested at an additional cost of $70 per week, to be paid to our local team in Córdoba and needs to be arranged prior to arrival. If you would like additional nights of accommodation before or after your program duration, this costs $20 per night, which can be paid to our local staff and should be arranged prior to your arrival.
WiFi is available for volunteers to use at the volunteer house. You can also purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone to keep connected.
Meals
Breakfast and dinner are served each day at the volunteer accommodation. Volunteers can buy lunch from the restaurants, bars and food deliveries within a 5-10 minute walk from the volunteer house.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you. Remember that you should be flexible and open to trying new foods and we will do our best to see that you are well taken care of.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $325 Equivalent to $47/day |
| 2 weeks | $540 Equivalent to $39/day |
| 3 weeks | $725 Equivalent to $35/day |
| 4 weeks | $910 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,095 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,275 Equivalent to $31/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,625 Equivalent to $30/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,965 Equivalent to $29/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,265 Equivalent to $27/day |
- Accommodation
- Breakfast and dinner
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteering
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of $299 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, lunch, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Cordoba generally find US$80 to be sufficient for weekly expenses, including in-country tours and optional Spanish lessons.
Spanish language lessons
Spanish language lessons are available for all levels. IVHQ strongly recommends taking Spanish lessons as they help you communicate and make a bigger impact in your volunteer placement. Taught by professional Spanish teachers and tailored to each person’s specific needs, the classes run for either one or two hours, Monday through Friday. The lessons are arranged with the local team and paid for at orientation. You can choose from:
- 2 hour, small group lessons (10 hours per week): $75 per week
- 1 hour, private lessons (5 hours per week): $80 per week
Check what's required to visit Argentina
Fill out the quick form below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Argentina, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Protecting against COVID-19:
Volunteers tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel
Health & safety information provided during orientation
Strict disinfecting standards for programs & accomodation
Greater physical distance between volunteers
Essential country information
| Capital | Buenos Aires |
| Population | 45.1 million |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Currency | Argentine Peso |
| Time zone | UTC-03:00 |
Weather and climate
Like its topography, Argentina’s climate varies greatly. The climate ranges from subtropical in the north, to humid in the central regions, to sub-Antarctic in the south. Winter, from June to August, is the driest period of the year. The coldest months are June and July and the warmest month is January. Average annual temperatures in Buenos Aires range from 51°F to 83°F (11°C to 28°C).
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