VOLUNTEER WITH GOALS FOR PEACE

THE GOALS FOR PEACE VOLUNTEERING

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE –

Combine Travelling with Community Service and Peacebuilding 

• Available all year-round, start whenever you want.

  • Possibility to gain  a university awarded certificate in Community Development and Peacebuilding.

• Six meaningful project options, get involved with things that you enjoy and that will make a difference.

• Project runs six days a week and is based in Bucaramanga, capital city of the region of Santander, Colombia.

• Comfortable, clean and safe accommodation in a backpackers Hostal with bar and cafe and social activities.

• Program fees include airport pick-up, training, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support.

• Affordable Program fees from £120 p/w including food, accommodation and transport.

• Spanish language lessons available both privately and in groups.

• Six years experience with hundreds of international volunteer placements organised since 2011.

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  • WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
  •  Breakfast and lunch
  •  Collection from airport on arrival and departure
  •  Transport to and from the project daily
  •  Mentored by experienced project staff 
  •  Accommodation
  •  Administration fees

WHAT EXTRA COSTS WILL I HAVE?

• Flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations and evening meals
• Transfer back to the airport at conclusion of the program
• Spanish lessons (optional)
• Spending money – Volunteers in Bucaramanga generally find around US$100 to be sufficient for weekly expenses.

 

VOLUNTEERING REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate.
It is not essential to speak Spanish to participate. Spanish classes are available and will help participants with their volunteering work on a day to day basis and also with their experience of Colombia in general.
Volunteers must have comprehensive travel insurance and an emergency contact.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why Volunteer with Goals for Peace?

• Affordable fees – we believe that volunteering should be available to as many people as possible and  our competitive fees reflect this.

• 24 hour support – your experienced bilingual Volunteer Manager, teamed with our local team in Colombia, will ensure you feel supported at every stage of your placement – from planning to practice.

• Grass Roots project – we have been working with the local community since the project started. This is as grass roots project that works on projects that the community themselves have requested.

• Comprehensive training – upon arrival you will complete our brief but comprehensive volunteer training course. This will ensure that you are ready to get the most of out of your time with the project.

• Be safe – volunteer safety is a top priority for us. You can feel confident that you are working in a project that has done full risk assessments and has experience and expertise both receiving volunteers and working with the local community.

• Make new friends – as well as enjoying your volunteering placement we also want you to have fun! Make new friends, improve your Spanish and leave with memories that will stay with you forever.

• Awesome weekend adventures – you’ll have your weekends free to explore Santander and the rest of Colombia and we can show you the best spots that this beautiful country has to offer

Where is the volunteering based?

We are based in the city of Bucaramanga, located half way between Bogota and the Caribbean coast. Bucaramanga is known for the being a safe, clean city with a perfect ‘eternal spring’ climate that guarantees sun all year round.
The city has a population of around 1 million (metropolitan area) and has a thriving university scene. There are great restaurants, bars and nightlife and an internationally recognized paragliding community. Bucaramanga is surrounded by beautiful countryside and has numerous hikes and natural swimming and outdoor activities that can be enjoyed all year round.

What is the duration of the volunteering?
Goals for Peace is a full time project that runs all year round. You can come and volunteer any time throughout the year. The minimum time that you can volunteer for is 1 week and there is no maximum.
What activities will I take part in?

Our projects cover a wide range of activities based around six main themes: Sport for Peace, Education For All, Enterprise and Life Skills, Learning Languages, Healthy Eating, Family and Community.
We are flexible in terms of which projects you chose to engage in. For us it is important that you are doing things that you enjoy! This could mean that you want to focus your time working on one of the projects for your whole placement or you may want to rotate between the projects to experience the full range of activities that we offer.
We also encourage volunteers to be creative. If you have a particular skill or interest that you want to introduce, just let us know and we can support you in developing a workshop or activity.

What happens when I arrive?
Volunteers are required to arrive in Bucaramanga at least one day before the placement starts.
We can advise on the best way to get to Bucaramanga and we will pick you up from either the bus terminal or Airport and take you to your accommodation. This is included in your program fee.
On your first day in Bucaramanga we will do a half day of training and orientation. This will focus on;
• An introduction to your placement and projects
• Practical advice on your stay in Bucaramanga – transport, food, shopping, entertainment and activities.
• Colombia – culture and customs
• Expectations and project rules
• Safety and security and health care
What does a typical day involve?

You will be volunteering five days a week Tuesday – Saturday
9am – Breakfast at your accommodation
9.45am – Transport to project
10am – Arrive at the project to work on the day’s activities
12.30pm – 2pm – Lunch at the project
2pm – 4pm Afternoon activities
* The schedule may vary if we have days out or other activities planned. Saturday’s activities will finish at 1pm.
When the volunteering day has finished you are free to socialize and explore the city and its surroundings. There are no curfews and you can come and go to your accommodation as you please.

What accommodation will I stay in?
All volunteers will stay at a youth hostel that has 10 years experience working with tourists and volunteers from across the world. The hostel is comfortable, clean and safe and will be able to help with anything you may need, from tourist information to ordering a takeaway and where the best nights out are. They are also part of the Colombian Hostel Association and share travel tips about the best spots to visit around the country.
Whether you chose dormitory accommodation (maximum 4 people sharing, female only option available) or a private room (additional cost) everything you need will be taken care of. All rooms have private bathrooms with all linen and towels provided. The hostel has hot water, communal kitchen, Wi-Fi, lockers, cable TV and DVD and a 24 hour reception. There are social activities such as salsa classes and film nights. There is also a bar in the Hostal with free pool table and great cocktails. You will also find a vegetarian cafe serving delicious food such as falafel and hummus wraps with a range of salads and fresh juices.
What meals are available?

Breakfast is provided seven days a week at your accommodation and typically consists of eggs, bread, fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and fresh fruit juice,
Lunch is provided for everyday that you are volunteering (Tuesday to Saturday) and will consist of a soup, main course, salad and fresh fruit juice.
For evening meals and days when you are not volunteering you can either prepare your own food in the hostels communal kitchen or eat out in the many restaurants that Bucaramanga has to offer. A typical evening meal with drinks costs between $5 and $10 USD

What meals are available?
Breakfast is provided 7 days a week at your accommodation and typically consists of eggs, bread, fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and fresh fruit juice,
Lunch is provided for everyday that you are volunteering (Tuesday to Saturday) and will consists of a soup, main course, salad and fresh fruit juice.
For evening meals and days when you are not volunteering you can either prepare your own food in the hostels communal kitchen or eat out in the many restaurants that Bucaramanga has to offer. A typical evening meal with drinks costs between $5 and $10 USD

WHAT OUR VOLUNTEERS SAY!

"It develops beyond just this “skill” and encourages more important values such as respect, discipline and positive character traits"

When I decided that I was going to volunteer abroad I had a number of options throughout the world. I decided to opt for a type of experience where I could meet new people, learn a new language, discover new cultures and most importantly feel more human with a capital ‘H’. The opportunity to volunteer with the Goals for Peace project caught my attention because I always wanted to have the opportunity to develop sports with children. After working here, I realized that the project is much more than football. It develops beyond just this “skill” and encourages more important values such as respect, discipline and positive character traits in children and things that can help their progression in life. I feel very grateful to know that even for a short period, I was part of the process in the formation of their lives, I thank Goals for Peace for the opportunity to see the world from another perspective.

Ramon, 20, Brazil.

Goals for Peace has made me see life in a different way and value all the things that I have.

I decided to come to Colombia for three simple reasons the first of which I was to get to know another country as I had never been abroad before. The second reason was that I like social work, especially working with children and sport. The third reason is that I was very shy and I it was holding me back in life, this experience has helped me to develop a lot as a person too and I now feel a lot more confident.

Goals for Peace has made me see life in a different way and value all the things that I have. I think opportunities like these are important as little by little with the help of everybody contributing a small amount we can change the world for the better.

Ulises, 21, Mexico

It was a truly rewarding experience and I wish I could have stayed to volunteer every Saturday!

I volunteered with their foundation, Goles por la Paz and had a great time with the kids, teaching English and playing various games. The foundation has already made an incredible difference for these kids and its potential is huge! It was a truly rewarding experience and I wish I could have stayed to volunteer every Saturday!

Nicole, 24, Australia

In my opinion Goals for Peace is the example of how it should be done though: impactful, locally involved with 1 of the founders being from the neighbourhood

When I decided to volunteer in Colombia I started looking for a local foundation that aspires to achieve high impact on a small scale. I was aware of the critique that volunteerism is receiving, as not being useful and being an industry where adolescents pay money to get a good experience for themselves abroad.

In my opinion Goals for Peace is the example of how it should be done though: impactful, locally involved with 1 of the founders being from the neighborhood and truly developing the children in the way that best fits them. I am convinced that the work I did and the foundation is doing helps and I am proud to have been a part of it.

The work I did in those 8 weeks was really varied: football training with young and older kids, helping with English lessons, individual guidance for English and other school work, arts & crafts, cooking and education on healthy nutrition and leadership/entrepreneurship. I was stimulated a lot to take initiative and start activities that would benefit the children and are my passion and expertise.

Joren, 23, the Netherlands

Definitely, it was a positive impact for both the Foundation and me, and for that I thank Tim, Milo, Willy, all the children and young people of the Foundation.

I really like to travel and this time I wanted to do it in a different way, I wanted it to be very impressive. For that reason, I decided to do it as a volunteer.

Being a volunteer of the “Goals for Peace” Foundation in Bucaramanga-Colombia for 6 weeks was an excellent experience, I could say it was the best. I learned a lot about different cultures, I met amazing people and in such a short time I really made very good friends. The Foundation taught me to lead groups of children and young people since it was not only about planning sports activities, but also about treating values ​​such as respect and honesty, as well as contributing in some way in the academic part.

Day by day I learned many things and shared many good times with the other volunteers (Frank, Thuani, Eduarda, Andrea, Lauren, Renzo). Definitely, it was a positive impact for both the Foundation and me, and for that I thank Tim, Milo, Willy, all the children and young people of the Foundation. It was a great team effort which I feel satisfied to have participated in. Thanks for the best experience.

Stefano, 20, Peru

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