Assist in care and education of impoverished children in Brazil

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1 Blueberry volontär Assist in care and education of impoverished children in Brazil Översikt Volunteers joining this project will be working with children from kindergarten through initial primary school levels and, typically be working with children from the ages of 2-6 and upwards concentrating on basic education and literacy. As their teachers, those volunteers placed with kindergarten will be helping them master all the classroom basics, from holding a pencil, drawing lines, to their first letters and numbers etc. For those volunteers with more advanced Portuguese, you may be teaching more advanced children in maths, language and sciences. Classes are structured and interactive with lots of different activities for them to master. In addition to the enjoyment of working on the volunteer project our location makes for wonderful opportunities to explore Brazil.. Projektet GVI has committed itself to helping and assisting the the poor areas in Salvador. These areas are seeing a huge rise in migration as rural families try to find work in Brazil s cities. Sometimes, two grades of children are usually in the same classroom, and with the average number of children per classroom being close to 50, whole grades of children are being denied close attention. GVI s educational programme aims to tackle this issue. Volunteers will teach their own assigned group of children, swapping with or working with the local teacher as and when is necessary. You will usually begin your work with a previous volunteer, who you will eventually take over from. You will also be assisted by the local teacher, the GVI project manager and have full access to the teaching curriculum and materials. It is hoped that we have two volunteers working in each classroom with one local teacher. As this is a new GVI program, there will be plenty of opportunities to expand our role in the area, so volunteers need to come with open minds and the desire to get involved. Brasilianska barn som busar

2 Tidigare volontärer berättar If I could sum up my entire experience with GVI in Brazil it could only be expressed through a smile. As a professional teacher who has worked in numerous schools prior, never have I witnessed or been involved in a project that demonstrates more love, care, understanding and professionalism than the way GVI conduct themselves. These characteristics shine through not only in the classroom, but towards the actual volunteers. This is demonstrated though flexibility and the understanding that to gain the most out of your experience at the school you must also enjoy the rest of Brazilian culture. Not a day goes by when the smiles and laughter from the kids originating from such broken homes doesn t flash through your mind. This in turn makes you smile yourself and knowing that your involvement and time, however small has provided these children with the basic rights of every child to be loved, receive an education and reach their full potential, cannot be more satisfying. My overall time at the project was completed by the wealth of friends for life that I have made. Matthew Horspool I decided to do volunteer work while traveling South and Central America before I decided on the actual project to join and I am so glad I decided to volunteer with children in Brazil. I spent 7 and half months traveling and I did some amazing things: the Inca Trail, rock climbing in the Chilean Andes and in Cuba, swimming with pink dolphins in the Brazilian Amazon, partying in Buenos Aires, and too much to put down in one paragraph. However the highlight of my travels by far has been volunteering in Salvador! The kids are gorgeous, so warm and friendly. I really felt like I was making a difference in their everyday lives just being there to support them, listen to them and of course teach them. I didn t want to leave and have already started saving to go back! Erin Poultney Vilken skillnad gör detta projekt? With many rural families and children migrating each day to Brazil s urban areas, it means that schools quickly become overcrowded and the student/teacher ratio grows at an alarming rate. With volunteers helping out smaller groups of children with the basics of education, the education in the region should improve. A substantial part of the fee goes towards the day-to-day running costs of the projects themselves throughout the year, including daily transport when needed, food subsidies and fruit for the children, educational materials for classes and painting and maintenance. Höjdpunkter Living and breathing Salvador, teaching children, vibrant Brazilian culture, learning about Brazilian dance and cookery, world-famous Brazilian beaches, optional cultural workshops and excursions, amazing community interaction.

3 Plats Volunteers live in Salvador, or Bahia as the locals call it, on the North Eastern coast of Brazil, flanked by some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Salvador is a short flight to Rio de Janeiro and with such easy access to the beaches and surrounding areas, including the Amazon jungle, it is the perfect base from which to conduct our work. Inkvartering Living in an apartment in shared rooms, comfortable but basic. Washing facilities are available and a weekly food budget provided for shopping and cooking in-house. Förkunskaper No skills are required as sufficient training will be provided by GVI staff. You will be working alongside GVI project managers and local teachers to ensure high leaves of safety, quality and enjoyment. Livet på projektet Volunteers need to be in Salvador on the relevant Saturday start dates throughout the year. Pickups are included, either from the airport or from the bus station, by GVI staff. From there, you will meet your room-mates in the apartment and then taken on a brief tour of the necessary amenities, including the banks and internet cafes. Volunteers choosing to do Portuguese classes will spend the first week concentrating on them, before starting work in the second week. Those volunteers who have signed up for the Dance and Cooking classes, will then take these during the late afternoons after work. For the work, you will usually wake early to have breakfast before you take the transport to the project sites to arrive at around 7.30am. You will work throughout the morning, with GVI staff and teamteaching with current volunteers until you feel comfortable, before taking your own class of children. Lunch will be taken at the project site, then further classes are held for two hours. Aktiviteter som ingår Orientation Walk - During your first weekend GVI staff will take you on an orientation walk of the district of Barra, Salvador, where volunteers and staff are based. This walk will include all the local amenities as well as a scenic stroll along the beach, via the famous Farol da Barra lighthouse. Capoeira - Volunteers taking Portuguese classes will have the opportunity to learn capoeira. No trip to Bahia is complete without trying this unique Afro-Brazilian martial art, which was first brought across by African slaves. Set to traditional music, capoeira has an infectious rhythm and is not only a great way to keep fit, but also a fantastic insight into Afro-Brazilian culture and history. Classes take place once a week with an English speaking teacher.

4 Tillval på plats (mot en extra avgift) Brazilian Cookery Classes - The cuisine of the state of Bahia is reknowned throughout Brazil for its distinctive African flavours, delicious fresh seafood and mouthwatering desserts. With the help of local cookery teacher Carmen, volunteers in Salvador have the opportunity to learn how to prepare a whole range of local specialities. Each lesson begins with a caipirinha (Brazilian cocktail) and an explanation of the recipe, which is also a great time to practice your Portuguese, then the cooking begins! And the best bit once the meal is prepared everyone sits down and tucks in. Volunteers are also taught how to prepare fresh fruit juices using the huge range of local fruits. Brazilian Dance Classes - Nothing epitomises Brazil like the exuberance of Samba. Volunteers in Salvador have the opportunity to take weekly dance classes to learn this vibrant and rhythmic dance. In Brazil everyone dances, even the children at the project are masters of the samba steps and practice during breaktimes these classes, run by a friendly local teacher, offer volunteers the opportunity to try and keep up with them!

5 Foton från projektet För startdatum, priser och bokning, se