Chile Welcomes Volunteers!

  Chile

• Santiago: 
Santiago
• Valparaiso: 
Valparaiso
• Vina del Mar: 
Vina del Mar
• All Other Areas in Chile: 
Pucon,  Valdivia,  Puerto Montt
• Rural Areas: 
Rural Areas

Length of Position: Three months minimum
Durations of Program: 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: You can start most placements when you like

Description: South America Connections opens the door to a host of unique volunteer experiences in Chile. Working hand-in-hand with Chilean professionals and volunteers, you can help underprivileged children in a variety of settings; teach English in rural, municipal or private schools; work with indigenous communities and lend your energy to preserving Chile's beautiful natural environment. We arrange placements in several cities and in rural areas. Please see our website for full information.

We seek mature, committed and innovative individuals 18+ years old who are prepared to work side-by-side with Chileans, learning from them as you offer your time and skills towards a common goal.

Most Chileans are extremely interested in learning about other countries, particularly those in the Northern Hemisphere. The rich cultural exchanges that take place during a volunteer placement have an enduring positive impact for you and the people you meet.

Highlights: Chile is much more than just Santiago! We specialize in placements in small cities and rural areas in southern Chile, where more than half the country's population lives. We do also offer placements in the capital city.

We offer a wide range of placements in different fields, so please check our website for a full listing. Chile is still a very poor country, but it is also a wealthy one. When you come here, to live and work as a volunteer alongside Chileans, you will be surprised by the complexities of a developing country, where 99% of the people have cell phones but some people still don't have water in their homes.

As a Chile-based organization working directly with the institutions that receive our volunteers, we are able to charge a relatively low consulting fee. We are deeply committed to providing thorough, transparent, personalized consulting prior to your placement decision, to ensure that our volunteers, and the institutions that receive them, both have a rewarding experience.

Volunteering abroad is a way to immerse yourself in a culture, meeting people and making friends, speaking a foreign language, and learning life lessons in a way you cannot do by travelling alone. In the area of social service, where you spend the day working with underprivileged people, South America Connections structures the placement so that you live with a middle class family. Thus you experience first-hand the different lives of different social classes, and gain a more complete understanding of the challenges of socio-economic development.

Qualifications: The most important qualification is the willingness to participate wholeheartedly in the placement you choose. Basic Spanish is acceptable for some positions, particularly when working with children. You will learn Spanish quickly as you converse with the kids! For some other positions, you will need intermediate to advanced Spanish to make the most of your experience.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: SAC charges USD 600 to arrange a placement of 3 months or more. Room & Board is provided in some placements in exchange for your time and work. If you choose a homestay placement, that cost varies by location from USD 150 to USD 350 per month.

Other services included in the fee: translation of resume for proposal to host placement, all travel arrangements made (client pays travel costs), from arrival in Santiago airport to departure at the end of the program, arrangements for room & board, ongoing in-country support and close contact with host placement during length of program.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Our volunteers typically are looking for a personalized experience rather than a group program. They are prepared to immerse themselves in Chilean culture for three months, to reach out to the Chileans they meet and find friendship and respect in return. Our volunteers typically work in social service, teaching or environmental placements. They believe that they can make a difference, but are willing to learn as readily as they are to give.

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families and Individuals

Participants Travel to Chile Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of up to four

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

South America Connections's Mission Statement: Helping volunteers from all over the world to find a rewarding placement in Chile where they can contribute in the areas of social service work, work with children, outdoors or with environmental concerns, tourism, hotels, among other fields.

Year Founded: 2001