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Amigos De Las Américas

Volunteer in Latin America this Summer!

Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS) has been offering life-changing programs to teenagers and young adults since 1965. AMIGOS Volunteers live with host families in rural or semi-rural communities in Latin America with one or two other AMIGOS Volunteers. They partner with the host community to work on public health, education, environmental and technology projects.

AMIGOS is unique in that our Volunteers work with the community to determine which projects will be most beneficial. The buy-in of community members ensures that the projects will be sustainable long after Volunteers leave. AMIGOS Volunteers gain life-long cross-cultural friendships as well as Spanish-language, leadership and communication abilities.

Why Amigos?

No other program offers the comprehensive training, support and complete immersion, that AMIGOS offers. You will return home more confident in your leadership skills, comfortable in your Spanish conversation skills, and more globally aware and engaged with the world. The benefits you will receive stretch far past your volunteer experience: whether you climb the AMIGOS leadership ladder by applying to return as Project Staff or enjoy the benefits of a network of tens of thousands of successful and connected alumni around the world. Here are just a few of the benefits that AMIGOS is proud to offer:

Complete language and cultural immersion
Increased Spanish Fluency through complete immersion
Pre-Departure Training in leadership, communication, project management, health and safety, and more
International Field Experience which is invaluable preparation for public health, international development and countless other career paths
Recognition for Community Service: We are pleased to acknowledge 40 hours of community service for each week you spend in our programs
Future Summer Job Opportunities
Over 25,000 alumni including leaders in most career paths who can provide you with networking opportunities and advice as a young professional

Requirements:

To serve as an AMIGOS Volunteer in Latin America, you must:

Be at least 16 years old by Sept 1, 2013
Have completed your sophomore year of high school
Have completed at least two years of high school Spanish or the equivalent
Adhere to the AMIGOS Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior
Fulfill training and fundraising requirements
Receive the Required Immunizations

Our Jobs

Summer Program Volunteers: 6-8 week summer volunteer opportunities in 10 countries for both high school and college students.
Gap Year/Gap Semester Options: 4-month and 9-month programs in Nicaragua. In addition to the full immersion and service experience of a summer volunteer, gap participants will also have the opportunity to serve as an intern with an international community development organization.
Summer Project Supervisor positions are open to previous volunteers or qualified applicants with other youth leadership experience. More at www.amigoslink.org/projectstaff.

Room and Board

As a volunteer, you will live with a host family in a community with 1 or 2 other AMIGOS Volunteers.
Likely, you will sleep on a cot under mosquito netting but it's possible that you will have a bed.
Your host family or other community members will include you in their daily meals.

Host family living delicious food

Getting Here and Getting Around

Your participation fee covers your round-trip international airfare from a gateway city (typically Miami or Houston).
AMIGOS staff will be on the ground in the airport to guide you both in your gateway city and in Latin America.
Everyone who will be participating on your specific project will be met at the airport by your Project Staff and taken to a country-specific training.
You will be escorted to your host community and introduced to your host family. You will know how to contact your Project Staff 24 hours a day should you need them, and about once per week, your direct supervisor will do an overnight visit with you in your community.
Half way through your trip, you will reconvene with the larger group for a fun, mid-term event, and at the conclusion of your experience, you will all meet up one last time for a debriefing event.

For Fun

One of the best parts about a true immersion experience is participating in the activities of your host community. You may find yourself playing sports with your host siblings, learning traditional dances or cooking, or teaching your host family how to play games that you love from home.