Spanish and Volunteering

Volunteering Latin America is one of the best ways to practice your Spanish, learn Spanish fast, meet locals from the community, give a helping hand and give back to the community in which you are visiting or living.

Volunteering helps you to move out of your comfort zone, break past cultural barriers, learn about their values and social norms while being immersed in Latinamerican culture. You will gain a deeper understanding of the country you are visiting and have many advantages over standard tourists who are travelling in the same country.

Students are encouraged to take Spanish lessons first, especially if you are at the basic or beginner level, before starting the volunteer program. Spanish schools each have different minimum requirements for volunteering, but most require an intermediate level of Spanish, a serious commitment, flexibility and sometimes experience. Most programs have different time requirements, but many can be adapted for those looking for shorter or longer term volunteer projects in Latin America. Spanish schools like to match a student’s interests, passions or skills to specific projects.

Volunteer programs in Latin America usually fall into one of these main categories:

• Social projects
• Educational projects
• Medical projects
• Cultural/Tourism projects
• Ecological projects
• Animal projects