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About Us
VE Global (VE) recruits, trains and organizes volunteers worldwide to achieve our mission of fostering the positive development of children at social risk in Chile. VE has successfully integrated nearly 450 full-time volunteers from more than 35 countries into our network of eight local social service organizations including: children’s shelters, community centers and schools in the most vulnerable neighborhoods of Santiago.
VE Global volunteers can have a truly transformational experience working with the children in our community. The work our volunteers do and the relationships they create develop valuable skills that serve them long after they leave VE. Our volunteers are more than just an extra set of hands at the organizations we serve—they actively and positively change the way that hundreds of children experience the world.
With an average on-the-ground presence of 25 full-time volunteers and four dedicated staff members, VE provides more than 70,000 hours of volunteer support each year and serves more than 300 children daily. Through this work, VE strives to contribute to a brighter future both for the children it serves and the volunteers that work with them, a goal achieved by training volunteers to become educators and role models that serve children both now and into the future.
Volunteer Program Highlights
The skills our volunteers learn during their volunteer program help them become strong mentors and educators for the children. Our workshops and programs are hosted in all the social service organizations we serve and are geared toward encouraging the children to learn while having fun.
Volunteer training sessions: Volunteers are taught by qualified social workers, educators and community leaders through a series of monthly training sessions on relevant topics such as: Chile’s education and child protection systems, social work practices, related history of Chile and current events that affect the work we do.
Children’s workshops: VE offers volunteers the opportunity to develop and submit workshop proposals based on the needs that volunteers see at their placements in the children’s homes, community centers and schools we serve. Volunteer workshops vary greatly based on interest and have ranged from introducing the children to synchronized swimming and career days to learning how to cook food from the volunteer’s home country.
Committee projects: In addition to the work volunteers do with the children, they have the opportunity to work directly with the VE staff on operational or resource development projects. Administrative projects depend on the needs of the organization, but can include anything from implementing the children´s programming to helping with fundraising and public relations.
Core Children's Programs
Our children´s programs are implemented year-round by our volunteers. These programs were developed to offer additional educational activites and motivational support for the children we serve.
Liga de Deportes: Our monthly health and wellness league offers children a safe outlet to engage in games and competitive sports, while building their self-esteem and knowledge about healthy living.
¡Vamos a Leer!: During the summer, we host our literacy program to show the children the joy in reading. We encourage the children to select their own books and motivate them to finish the stories they choose, giving them a sense of individual achievement and helping improve their overall reading proficiency. We finish the program by throwing Carnaval, an exciting festival to celebrate their achievements.
Festival de Arte: To celebrate artwork that children and volunteers create together during ongoing art workshops, VE hosts an art festival twice a year, providing a supportive space to build children’s confidence and show off their creativity.
English in Motion: Chilean school children are required to learn English; our English program provides a fun, interactive way to support what the kids learn in class. Practicing grammar might be a game of Simon Says, and learning vocabulary could have the children off on a scavenger hunt. Lessons vary depending on the volunteer, but they are always educational and entertaining.