ORATORIO DON BOSCO | ACICRC11-20 | 2023-03-03 - 2024-10-31 | KIDS,SPOR,EDU | Age: 18 - 99

Our mission: We are a social non-profit organisation caring for children, teenagers and their families (psychologically, spiritually, by means of education, recreational activities and social education). The children attended in the center come from very difficult socio-economic situations, such as drug problems, sexual abuse, physical, sexual and mental aggression, domestic violence and neglect. Our vision: We try to improve the wellbeing of children in Costa Rica and we work against the people who destroy their lives and families. Our aim is to help them, their families and our country to create a secure and promising future. Our aims: Giving attention to our target group, in order to facilitate their individual, familiar, social and emotional development, which is essential for being integrated into society. The people we work with: They are children and teenagers from 6 to 15 years old, who have a difficult socio-economic background and are threatened by poverty. Usually, we support around 120 children who can come to Oratorio from Monday to Friday from 7:50 am to 4:45 pm. Our programme: In Oratorio, the child is seen as a social and spiritual (integral) human being which belongs to a family and the community. Due to this, the support given is strongly connected with the families and our community. We work with the following topics: Psychological and social, therapy, prevention, music, arts, sports, spiritual, health, academic education (we work according to the Sistema de Tutorias Educativas of the Education Ministry of Costa Rica and have three teachers for primary school, one for music and one for special support), recreation, individual attention and material to support (all for children, teenagers and their families). Our programme has three steps: 1. Patio: We get to know about the child who is in a difficult situation, give an introduction into the rules of the place and evaluate the following areas: health, education, physical, sports and music. 2. Academic education: In order to support the children s integral development, we integrate them into Costa Rica s educational system and offer academic tutorials which are given by certificated teachers. The aim of this part is that the children gain knowledge in these areas: Computer, Music, Arts and Crafts, Academics, Personal Development and Spiritual Formation. During this time, the children constantly attend spiritual workshops and therapies, as well as support in emergency situations. 3. Extern: We support the teenagers in finding a place for high school education, where they can grow academically and mentally, building a foundation for their future work and working together with their families, considering the economic situation. At the end of this step, the children become independent from Oratorio and are available to integrate into the community or a similar institution to Oratorio. Staff: administration, finances, teachers, psychologists, social workers, volunteers, miscellaneous and maintenance. Director: Gabriela Calderón Alvarado

Work: -Assist staff with everyday tasks. -Play games with the children, assist the teacher in charge of recreation. -Help with meal times. -Assist with cooking and cleaning. -Support teachers in the integral education process, academic assisting for improvement - help children with their homework and their development in classes, for example Maths, English, French, Spanish, Science, Music, History and Geography. -Assist in workshops related to arts and crafts, dance, music. -Support in maintaining the vertical garden. -Fundraising. -Volunteers should inform the project in which parts they are good and can support.

Accomodation and food: (x) Hosting situation provided by Local Family. ( ) Hosting situation provided by the Project. Families will always be located in San José, in order to keep a reasonable distance between the hosting situation and the project, so volunteers will normally need to take one or two local buses in order to get to the placement and go back to the hosting situation. Families can be very different from each other.

Location: SanJoseSanJoseProvinceCostaRica

Location and Leisure: The project is located in the centre of San José, the capital city of Costa Rica and also its biggest city, which means volunteers will have access to all kinds of services and facilities. It is important to mention that volunteers have to pay attention and be careful when walking around the neighbourhood, careful about the traffic and not paying attention to anybody in the street. The project is located very close to the ACI office, which means staff members from ACI can support the new incoming volunteers to enter the first day.

Airport: SJO

Train/Bus station: Volunteers will be picked up at the airport.

Requirements: -To have a lot of initiative, be proactive (very important) -To enjoy working with children -To be patient and tolerant -To be sociable -To be respectful towards the rules of the institution -To have at least a basic Spanish level, be willing to speak only Spanish in the project. -To be a good example for the children. -To dress appropriately.

Volunteers will be picked up at the airport.

Language: esp

Extra Fee: 300 USD

Oratorio Don Bosco permanent projects, so they receive volunteers all year long. They have a capacity of around 1-2 volunteers per week and there are no limitations in the number of female or male volunteers, but yes, we recommend volunteers to be adults (+18).