Special Needs Care Volunteer Program in Cordoba - Argentina

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The IVHQ Argentina - Cordoba volunteer program is based in Córdoba city, the second largest city in Argentina. Córdoba is a very popular destination for volunteer travelers and has a wide range of volunteer work readily available.

Volunteers can begin the IVHQ Argentina - Córdoba volunteer program every Monday. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 12 weeks. For those wishing to participate on the program for longer than 12 weeks, this is ok, however the extension must be arranged and paid for directly to the local staff, once you are in Córdoba on the program. The first day of your volunteer program will be orientation, after which you will begin your volunteer placement.

The program orientation begins every Monday and volunteers need to arrive in Cordoba on the day before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Ambrosio Taravella International Airport (COR) in Cordoba. 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 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 transported to the volunteer accommodation Cordoba. 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 Cordoba on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our Cordoba team at the volunteer house in Saldan. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Cordoba – Introduction to Argentina, Culture and Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities, 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.

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 sight seeing, 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.

Please note, this schedule can vary as some projects take place in the afternoon. If volunteers are taking advantage of the Spanish language lessons, they will usually volunteer for half the day and spend the other half of the day (1 to 2 hours) taking Spanish lessons.

Volunteers are accommodated in a large home stay in Barrio El Refugio, a peaceful neighborhood, 15 - 20 minutes drive from Córdoba airport, and 30 minutes drive to the city center. This two-story house has great facilities for volunteers, including a swimming pool and barbecue area. Bedrooms are comprised of single beds and bunk beds and you can expect to share a bedroom with one to three other volunteers of the same gender. Bedding and towels are provided, and bathroom facilities are shared between no more than three other volunteers with hot showers and western toilets. 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.

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.

Your Program Fee covers breakfast and dinner during your program, which is served at the volunteer accommodation. Volunteers can purchase lunch from the several restaurants, bars (5-10 minutes walk from the volunteer house) and food deliveries close to the 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 open to trying new foods and be flexible with your eating habits and we will do our best to see that you are well taken care of. If you require any additional nights of accommodation before or after your program duration, this costs $20 per night, which can be paid to our local staff in country and should be arranged prior to your arrival.

“I would recommend it to others, especially if they were interested in improving their Spanish and getting to know Argentina. Overall, it was a great experience and I would like to thank IVHQ for everything they have done for me. The meals were excellent and the care provided by hosts exceeded my expectations by far. They created such friendly and comfortable environment, which really contributed to the quality of my experience in Argentina. My favorite moments were the times I spent getting to know the country/local community. Communicating in Spanish with the local people, including the staff members and the hosts was challenging but absolutely exciting. I also loved getting to know the fellow volunteers, and sharing our process of discovering Villa Allende, Cordoba and Argentinian culture.” - Sena Fukumoto (Community Development Volunteer in Argentina)

Read more reviews from IVHQ volunteers in Argentina here

Cordoba is one of the major tourist destinations in Argentina, hosting millions of tourists every year. On weekends, volunteers have free time to relax or explore this famous university city and cultural hub. From visiting Cordoba’s many museums and flea markets, to enjoying sports and cultural events, to experiencing the student nightlife, there is something to suit every volunteer. Volunteers can also spend their weekends exploring surrounding villages in the Sierras de Cordoba (mountains), like Alta Gracia (where the very popular Che Guevara museum is located), or Villa General Belgrano (a Bavarian style mountain village). Many volunteers also take advantage of the short flight or overnight bus to Buenos Aires (Argentina’s capital city), or pay a visit to Mendoza (near the Andes), or Rosario. Argentina offers plenty of activities for adventurous volunteers, including trekking, mountain climbing, horseback riding, paragliding, and abseiling - just to name a few! Our local team in Argentina will be happy to assist you in making weekend travel arrangements when you arrive in Cordoba.

See our Argentina Travel and Tours page for more volunteer travel options in Argentina!

Weather and climate: Argentina’s climate varies greatly, ranging from subtropical in the north, to humid in the central regions, to sub-Antarctic in the south. Winter is the driest period of the year (June to August). The coldest months are June and July and the warmest month is January. Average annual temperatures in in Buenos Aires and Córdoba range from 11°C (51°F) to 24°C (75°F).

Volunteers who are under 18 years old will be required to provide IVHQ with parental consent and two character reference letters in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team. All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a criminal background check to IVHQ’s local team on arrival in Argentina. Additional requirements apply for Healthcare and Teaching/Education volunteers, please review the project description above.

Fluency in Spanish is not a prerequisite for the IVHQ Argentina volunteer program, however​ on​ certain projects, such as Community Development, Special Needs Care, and Elderly Care, volunteer work will be restricted with limited language ability. The Healthcare and the Teaching/Education project requires volunteers to speak Spanish at least at an intermediate level. 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.

Free Interactive Volunteer Training - All volunteers are encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training, which is available exclusively to registered IVHQ volunteers. The training is designed to build an understanding of important aspects that need to be considered before embarking on an IVHQ program. It helps volunteers to prepare in the right way by providing advice on what it takes to be a safe, responsible and valuable volunteer. Try a sample of the training here.

Spanish language lessons are available for all levels. IVHQ strongly recommends taking Spanish lessons as they help you communicate and work more effectively 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 and paid for at orientation, through the local team directly.

• 2 hour, small group lessons (10 hours per week): $75 per week
• 1 hour, private lessons (5 hours per week): $80 per week