My time in Argentina was so different from regular life but so amazing in every single way. It was a wonderful way to learn and live in a different culture and improve my Spanish. From forming close bonds with the local family and all the other volunteers to gaining healthcare experience and connecting with the doctors and nurses at the clinic, I can truly say that I had zero regrets from this experience, and if I could it all over, I would do it all in the same way. I would recommend this to anyone able to. It is something you will thoroughly enjoy from beginning to end.
Special Needs Care Volunteer Program in Argentina - Cordoba
Purpose
Start dates
Duration
Volunteer hours
Age
Accommodation
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
This program is ideal for:
Project details
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.
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
In Córdoba, providing effective and passionate support for individuals with special needs can significantly impact the lives of young people with disabilities. This support fosters skill development, independence, and greater integration within families and communities.
As a Special Needs Care volunteer, you’ll collaborate with local placement staff to care for disabled youth - a role that involves emotional challenges alongside immense fulfillment.
Special Needs volunteers might engage in various activities, such as:
- Leading workshops or classes
- Aiding with meal preparation
- Participating in recreational excursions and walks
- Assisting with personal hygiene
- Engaging in games
- Teaching activities like painting, music, dancing, or cooking
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 or 17 on their program start date are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional document 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.
Not sure which program to join?
Get personalized recommendations >
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Argentina photo gallery
What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience
I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone who feels like volunteering abroad. It was great and was well coordinated.
From this experience, I gained confidence and learned that people will find a way to communicate if they want to, even if you speak a different language. My advice would be to go in with an open mind and be willing to try anything!
I have definitely gained more self confidence and respect in such a short time. As a first time international trip especially by myself, there was some fear at first, however with the acceptance of everyone in Cordoba I felt right at home. Although I was only there for a week, I definitely feel like my week made an impact on the home I was working in. The residents looked forward to seeing me each day and their smile is what made it all worth it.
I really enjoyed my stay in Cordoba with Nadi and Pedro. They treated me as if I were a member of their family and it really felt like a home away from home. I felt incredibly safe and well taken care of from the moment I arrived to my departure. It provided an amazing opportunity to learn about the local culture while still feeling at home! I am incredibly grateful for my time in Cordoba and of course to Pedro and Nadi. I really hope to have the opportunity to return to them one day.
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!
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Academic course credit
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 creditLocation
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 travelling 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 socialising.
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
Experience the coziness of staying in a family homestay in the peaceful neighborhood of Barrio El Refugio, just a short 15 to 20-minute drive from Córdoba airport and a convenient 30-minute commute to the city center. With your hostess doubling as your coordinator, our local team is always at your fingertips, ensuring a seamless and welcoming stay.
This two-story homestay is equipped with fantastic amenities for volunteers, including a barbecue area and a refreshing swimming pool, perfect for soaking up the summer sun. Bedrooms are equipped with both single beds and bunk beds, typically shared with one to three volunteers of the same gender. Bathroom facilities featuring hot showers and western toilets are shared between no more than three volunteers, and bedding and towels are provided.
For those seeking a bit more privacy, you can also opt for a private room (without a private bathroom) for an extra fee of £57 per week for a single room or £85 per week for a double room. Payment should be made to our local team in Córdoba and arranged before your arrival.
Volunteers have access to WiFi at the homestay. Additionally, you can buy a local SIM card with data for your unlocked mobile phone to ensure you’re always in touch, no matter where you are.
Meals
Every weekday, enjoy a delicious breakfast and dinner served at the volunteer accommodation, offering a variety of tasty options to start and end your day.
On the weekend, savor a hearty breakfast to kickstart your mornings. For dinner, you’ll be provided with all the supplies needed to prepare a cozy, home-cooked meal in our well-equipped kitchen.
Please let us know ahead of time if you have any special dietary requirements, and we’ll make the necessary arrangements. We encourage you to embrace the opportunity to try new and exciting foods, and we’ll ensure you feel well taken care of throughout your stay.
Pricing
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately £239) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
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 | $360 Equivalent to $51/day |
2 weeks | $575 Equivalent to $41/day |
3 weeks | $760 Equivalent to $36/day |
4 weeks | $945 Equivalent to $34/day |
5 weeks | $1,130 Equivalent to $32/day |
6 weeks | $1,310 Equivalent to $31/day |
8 weeks | $1,660 Equivalent to $30/day |
10 weeks | $2,000 Equivalent to $29/day |
12 weeks | $2,300 Equivalent to $27/day |
16 weeks | $2,900 Equivalent to $26/day |
20 weeks | $3,500 Equivalent to $25/day |
24 weeks | $4,060 Equivalent to $24/day |
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$299 (approximately £239) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Cordoba generally find US$120 to be sufficient for weekly expenses, including in-country tours and optional Spanish lessons.
- Breakfast and dinner are served every weekday
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Personalised 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.
- Lunch and then dinner on the weekend
- Transport to and from your placement each day
- Return to the airport when your program finishes
- Flights
- Visa (if required), travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check.
- Personal spending money for snacks, laundry, public transportation, drinks and leisure activities during your free time.
Free-time experiences & tours in Cordoba
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with IVHQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Cordoba! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Cordoba program.
Experience a 2-day round trip tour to Buenos Aires.
Enjoy a captivating 10 hour guided tour to any of the six different valleys and towns that you have to choose from.
Enjoy a 4 hour guided tour to any of the six different valleys and towns that you have to choose from.
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): £64 per week
Check what's required to visit Argentina
Safety and support
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
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).