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 $350 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
Key information
This program is ideal for:
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 that the Special Needs Care project is unavailable over the two week school holiday period in July. Those looking to volunteer during this time will change to a different project.
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
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Apply For FreeNot sure which program to join?
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Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course creditRead reviews from Special Needs Care volunteers in Cordoba
”Do it! It is an experience like no other. You constantly leave your comfort zone as it is a whole new place with new food, languages and surroundings. It was such an eye opening experience and I would 100% do it again!”
Jake, British, 24
Read reviews from Special Needs Care volunteers in Cordoba
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 family homestay in Barrio El Refugio, a peaceful neighborhood, 15 - 20 minutes drive from Córdoba airport, and 30 minutes drive to the city center. Your hostess is also your coordinator so our local team will be very easy to approach and always available in case you need anything.
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.
A private room (without a private bathroom) can also be requested at an additional cost of $70 (approximately $70) per week for a single room or $105 (approximately $105) per week for a double room. This needs to be paid to our local team in Córdoba and needs to be arranged prior to arrival.
WiFi is available for volunteers to use at the homestay. 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 | $350 Equivalent to $50/day |
| 2 weeks | $565 Equivalent to $40/day |
| 3 weeks | $750 Equivalent to $36/day |
| 4 weeks | $935 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,120 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,300 Equivalent to $31/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,650 Equivalent to $29/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,990 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,290 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
- Discounts on language lessons
- Discounts on travel and tour add-ons
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) 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$50 to be sufficient for weekly expenses, including in-country tours and optional Spanish lessons.
Recommended activities and tour add-ons
Visit Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires, on IVHQ’s 2-day & 1-night tour. The tour price includes round-trip transport on a bus, a shared double room in a 3-star hotel and breakfast. Lunch and dinner are not included.
If you want the chance to explore Buenos Aires and all that it has to offer, the local team also recommends that you do a hop on/ hop off city tour by bus which you can book once you have arrived at the hotel or online. For around $20 (approximately $20) the city bus tour will take you to 20+ of the most emblematic neighborhoods of the city of Buenos Aires and you can hop on and off the bus as many times as you would like.
Enjoy a 10 hour guided tour to any of the six different valleys and towns that you have to choose from. You can choose one of the following 10 hour guided tours:
Punilla Valley - Start by visiting La Calera, a hydroelectric power plant, and San Roque Lake, the oldest reservoir in the province. Then pass through Bialet Massé and Santa María de Punilla until you reach Cosquín, the National Capital of Folklore. Continue through Valle Hermoso to La Falda, where you will cross the classic Av. Eden. You will then cross Huerta Grande and Villa Giardino to arrive at Capilladel Monte, at the foot of the mystical Uritorco hill, where you will see the original roofed street, the El Zapato complex and the El Cajón dam. You will then continue visiting Los Cocos (optional Aerosilla ascent) Cruz Grande, Cruz Chica and La Cumbre, with their stately European-style mansions, arriving in the late afternoon at Villa Carlos Paz.
Traslasierra Valley - Pass through the picturesque towns of Villa Carlos Paz, San Antonio de Arredondo, Mayú Sumaj, Icho Cruz and Cuesta Blanca. You will then begin to walk the Camino de las Altas Cumbres, enjoying it’s impressive panoramic views and visiting different points along the way, such as the Lágrimadel Indio waterfall, the Fundación el Cóndor, the Pampa de Achala and the source of the Mina Clavero river. You will then arrive at Mina Clavero, where you will visit the Elefantes spa and the shopping center. In Villa Cura Brochero you will pass by the church where the remembered Cura Gaucho preached. You will then continue through Nono, spotting the typical Ñuños hills and touring the Rocsen Multifaceted Museum. You will then return to Córdoba along the Bosque Alegre road, with views of the earth station and the national observatory.
Alta Gracia and Villa Carlos Paz - Pass by the monument of Miryam Stefford while heading to Alta Gracia, where you will see the most important testimonies of it’s rich cultural heritage: the Tajamar, an old artificial lake built by the Jesuits, the Alta Gracia Jesuit Estancia (Historical Museum Casa del Virrey Liniers), the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, the house where Ernesto “Che” Guevara lived his childhood, the museum of the famous musical composer Manuel de Falla and the Grotto of the Virgin of Lourdes. In the afternoon you will go to Villa Carlos Paz, the most important tourist centre in the province, where you will visit it’s shopping centre and residential neighbourhoods; and visit the classic Cu-Cu clock, an alfajores factory and the Aerosilla complex (optional ascent). You will then return to Córdoba via the Justiniano Allende Posse Highway.
La Cumbrecita - Pass by the monument of Myriam Stefford, Alta Gracia, Anisacate, La Bolsa and Villa Ciudad de América. You will then continue the route crossing the four tributary rivers of Lake Los Molinos and the towns of Potrero de Garay and Los Reartes. From there you will ascend through the Sierras Grandes, crossing a picturesque region of coniferous forests. You will pass through Villa Berna and arrive at La Cumbrecita, a small alpine-style town that has the uniqueness of being one of the few pedestrian towns in the world. You will also visit the La Olla spa, the traditional La Cumbrecita hotel and the ecumenical chapel. Then you get to know Villa General Belgrano, with its particular Central European physiognomy. Return to Cordoba via the Curve of the Wind, enjoying a spectacular panoramic view of the lake and Los Molinos Dam.
Jesuit Estancias - Start by visiting Colonia Caroya, a town inhabited by descendants of immigrants from northern Italy and famous for its artisan salamis. There you will visit the Casa de Caroya Jesuit Estancia, which serves as a summer residence for the students of the Monserrat school. Then you will visit Jesús María, famous for its Horse Training and Folklore Festival, where the San Isidro Labrador Jesuit Estancia is located, a pioneer in wine making in the region. You will continue visiting the historic Posta de Sinsacate and the area of Barranca Yaco, where the caudillo Facundo Quiroga was assassinated, to then arrive at the Estancia de Santa Catalina, recognised for the beauty of its baroque church. You will continue bordering the Sierras Chicas, passing through the picturesque towns of Ascochinga, La Granja, Villa Animi, Agua de Oro, Salsipuedes and Río Ceballos.
Calamuchita Wine Roads - The Calamuchita Valley offers dreamlike landscapes where the imposing mountain ranges are combined with green valleys. In this environment you will visit several family businesses where high quality, healthy and natural wines are produced while getting to know the history of each wine project and the people who carry it out. This is a great experience for those who want to discover a new place with all of their senses, enjoy good company and learn more about the fascinating world of wine. You must be 18 or older to join this tour.
Enjoy a 4 hour guided tour to any of the six different valleys and towns that you have to choose from. You can choose one of the following 4 hour guided tours:
City Tour - Visit the most important points of the city: the Historic Foundational Center, made up of Plaza San Martín, the Cabildo and the Cathedral; the Civic Center, the Palace of Justice, the Plaza Italia, the La Cañada stream and the Plaza de la Intendencia. You will then pass by the Libertador General San Martín Theater and enter the student neighbourhood of Nueva Córdoba where you will visit the Iglesia de los Capuchinos. Continue through the Sarmiento Park, the Government House and the University City. You will also observe the monument to the “Urban Man”, and border the Suquía River Coast, arriving at the popular Alberdi neighbourhood. From there Av. Colón will take you to the Córdoba Olympic Stadium, the Fair Complex, the Free University of the Environment and the City’s Botanical Garden. You will then cross the river and enter the elegant Barrio del Cerro de Las Rosas, where you will see the monument to the “Urban Woman”, Av. Rafael Nuñez and the viewpoint of the Parque Autóctono.
Jesús María and Colonia Caroya - Visit Colonia Caroya, a town inhabited by descendants of immigrants from northern Italy and famous for its artisan salamis. There you will visit the Casa de Caroya Jesuit Estancia, which serves as a summer residence for the students of the Monserrat school. You will then visit JesúsMaría, famous for its Horse Training and Folklore Festival, where you will visit the San Isidro Labrador Jesuit Estancia, a pioneer in wine making in the region.
Villa Carlos Paz - Visit La Calera, a hydroelectric power plant, and San Roque Lake, the oldest reservoir in the province. You will then take the Camino de las Cien Curvas, which borders the lakeside, to arrive at Villa Carlos Paz, the most important tourist centre in the province, where you will visit its shopping centre and residential neighbourhoods; and we visit the classic Cu-Cu clock, an alfajore factory and the Aerosilla complex (optional ascent). You will then return to Córdoba via the Justiniano Allende Posse Highway.
Alta Gracia - Pass by the monument of Miryam Stefford, heading to Alta Gracia, where you will see the most important testimonies of its rich cultural heritage: the Tajamar, an old artificial lake built by the Jesuits, the Alta Gracia Jesuit Estancia (Historical Museum Casa del Virrey Liniers) the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, the house where Ernesto “Che” Guevara lived his childhood, the museum of the famous musical composer Manuel de Falla and the Grotto of the Virgin of Lourdes.
Sierras Chicas - Visit La Calera, a town that keeps historical monuments such as the Old Chapel and the Double Mill. Pass through the Mal Paso Dam and visit a series of picturesque towns that follow one another at the foot of the Sierras Chicas mountain range: Saldán, Villa Allende, famous for its Golf Club, Mendiolaza and Unquillo, chosen by numerous plastic artists as their place of residence and inspiration. You will then arrive at Río Ceballos, a traditional tourist centre located at the foot of the ÑuPora hill, to which you will ascend to appreciate the carving of Christ on its top and enjoy a spectacular panoramic view. Finally you will visit the Quebrada Dam, Provincial Water Reserve before returning to Córdoba.
Northern Wine Trail - Wine arrived in Córdoba from the hand of the Jesuits. At the beginning of the 16th century, the wine populated the ground of the Jesús María ranch, near Colonia Caroya, 54 km from the capital of Córdoba. In the 19th century, immigrants who arrived in the province from Italian Friuli bought with them their own customs and traditions, which lead to a type of artisan wine production that was based on non-traditional wines such as the raspberry grape. Since then, regional wines have been produced there that are part of the Cordovan identity and cultural heritage. The intensity of its flavour is enhanced by that of the cured meats, sausages and cheeses from Colonia Caroya, where most of the local wine production is concentrated. You must be 18 or older to join this tour.
Please contact us or your IVHQ Program Manager to sign up or to get more information about any of these activities and tours.
Spanish language lessons
Fluency in Spanish is not a prerequisite for the IVHQ Argentina - Córdoba program, however on certain projects volunteer work will be restricted with limited language ability. IVHQ, therefore, strongly recommends that volunteers take advantage of the very affordable language lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons help immensely with day-to-day volunteer work and communicating with local people. Taught by professional Spanish teachers and tailored to each person’s specific needs, the classes run for one hour a day, Monday through Friday. The lessons are arranged with your IVHQ Program Manager prior to departure.
- 1 hour, private lessons (5 hours per week): $78 per week
Check what's required to visit Argentina
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.
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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