Rewarding Care Work in Central America

Care for children and adults suffering from mental disabilities and physical illness. The centre looks after children and adults in various conditions, both mentally and physically disabled, who all need higher care than they could or would receive at home. The organization is run by youngsters and adults who have dedicated themselves to helping others.

• Center For Recovering From Malnutrition: cares for children with varying degrees of malnutrition.
• Centre For Handicapped Children: Care is provided for children with Down’s syndrome, quadriplegics, hydrophiliacs, spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and asphyxias perinatal.
• "Mente Sana" - for Adults and "Special" Youngsters: They take care of men and women with permanent incapacity, both physical and mental
• Centre for “Incapable People”: This works just the same as ‘Mente Sana’, in that they take care of men and women with permanent incapacity, both physical and mental. Most of the patients need round the clock care.
• Centre for Elderly Men: Here the men suffer from conditions and afflictions commonly found in men of an older age.
• Centre for Elderly Women: Primarily the centre works to accommodate women in their later years who don’t have anywhere to live.
• Recovery Area: Here they take care for all kinds of general illnesses.
• Special School: The school teaches the children who live in the hospital.
• Kindergarten: Just like any other crèche/kindergarten they take care of the younger children who are too young to go to school.
• Manual Work & Craft School: All kinds of crafts work is taught here at the centre.

Accommodation with host families means that Travellers volunteers get to eat, sleep, work, socialise and generally live like a Guatemalan. Most of the families take more than one volunteer or student at once (some up to 10!), so the atmosphere is somewhere between a regular family and a hostel... Often very social, but with the benefit of gaining insights into the Guatemalan way of life from the inside - the best of both worlds!!

You should have some Spanish to participate in this project. If you have a low level of Spanish or no Spanish at all, you are still welcome to come on the project, but it is a requirement that you spend some time learning Spanish at our language schools before starting work at the care centre. This is for your benefit and for the benefit of the children and patients that you'll be working with. Don't worry though; most volunteers start their project with Spanish lessons then move onto working at the centre - this can be arranged for you very easily.

Most situations can be accommodated, so please speak to your Project Co-Ordinator about your level of Spanish so that we can discuss the option that’s best for you.

You also need to have an interest/qualification or some knowledge about care work to take part in this project, as the work is quite specific and can sometimes be quite trying. No formal qualifications are required, but you should either have a strong interest in the area, be studying a related subject, qualified in a related subject or intending to peruse a related subject as a career or as study. Please talk to us about acceptance criteria, as we can usually be very flexible if your intent is there

Talk to us - We're there to help you. Most of our team are ex Travellers volunteers and are ideally qualified to offer advice and guidance because they know what you're looking for. They'll help you find your perfect project - and then make it all happen!

If you’d like to apply for this project. Visit our website and complete the application form. As soon as we receive it, we’ll liaise with you and then start making your travel adventure happen.

It’s as easy as that.