Volunteering

Where can I volunteer with VE Global?
At this moment, the only possibility is to work within the city of Santiago, Chile. In the future, we hope to expand our scope of action.

Do I get paid for volunteering with VE Global?
No, we do not currently have the resources to pay our volunteers. However, we provide small stipends to our directors and coordinators. The only fully paid position in VE Global is the Executive Director.

How much time will I work weekly?
An intensive volunteer works approximately 40 hours, developing full and essential relationships with the children and participating in VE committees and projects. Volunteers work, on average, 30 hours a week in an institution and 10 hours a week on VE projects. Volunteers in other roles, such as coordinators, have varying schedules and frequently split their time between the office and their institutions.

What kind of work will I do? 
Volunteers’ day-to-day tasks vary greatly depending on the institutions in which they work. In general, volunteers provide support in childcare, education, mentoring and administration. Tasks can involve cooking, cleaning, bathing, helping the children with their homework, diaper changing, etc. Volunteers working with teenagers will spend some of their time leading activities such as sports, playing cards, or art projects.  One of the main jobs of the volunteers is, however, to be a friendly presence for the children and serve as someone to talk to or just hang out with. 

In addition to their work in the institutions, each volunteer is assigned to a committee where he can develop existing projects or propose and implement new ones. The duties within a committee vary greatly from committee to committee, but always involve attendance of bi-weekly meetings and participation in the projects specific to that committee.  Volunteers on the Resource Development Committee, for example, might work on putting together that month’s newsletter, or help organize an event to kick off VE’s annual fundraising campaign.

When will I start working?
Once your application has been approved, you are welcome to join one of our volunteer classes. Each quarter, we welcome our new volunteers with an Orientation Week taking place the first week of March, June, September and December. During this week, you will meet the other volunteers, learn how VE Global functions, learn about Chile’s history, and discover the environment in which you will be living for the following months.  Your work in your institution and on your VE committee begins after your Orientation Week is completed.

PLEASE NOTE-- This year VE Global will be changing the minimum stay requirement and volunteer class schedule. Starting with the class of September 2010, volunteers must commit to a stay of at least four months. As such, our class schedule will work on a trimester system, with incoming volunteer classes in September, January, and May.