Saturday, September 27, 2008

Volunteering without a Fee

Dear Future & Present Volunteers:

Just wanted to give you an update on the status of Conviven’s Asocacion Civil (for those of you not familiar with the term it’s the official registration to become a certified NGO). We have a hearing with AFIP on Sept. 30th and will be given a Tax ID number and thirty days later will find out if all our paperwork has been approved. Marcelo Dreon, an attorney who works with Conviven, is assisting with this legal process and without his support we would not be able to get this done this quickly and inexpensively. He’s been a star. Since we are only one step away from becoming independent, Valmir, the dedicated head of Conviven expressed his unhappiness of working with registered NGO’s who charge people to come to Argentina to volunteer. In fact he has always opposed this practice but accepted volunteers from organization like Help Argentina, BA Volunteers and Coined because Conviven simply needed their support to recruit volunteers and donations.

It’s important that everyone who has worked with Conviven in the past and for those who are considering working with us in the future to understand that the organizations mentioned above charge volunteers over $300 to place them IN organization like Conviven. However those organizations only end up receiving 1/3 (33%) of that fee and sometimes they get nothing. Now that we are on the road to independence we no longer will accept volunteers from Help, Coined or BA Volunteers because Conviven and Valmir strongly disagree with the practice of charging Volunteers. With that said, I want you all to realize that Conviven cannot exist without Volunteers like you. Our Volunteer coordinator, Bella, has been diligent about recruiting Volunteers who reach out to us directly through this blog and the main web page and so far it looks like her efforts have secured a steady flow of new Volunteers.

We want to take the opportunity to thank the past volunteers for their support. They spread the word of Conviven to friends and family and support Conviven through their own donations,

Without your generosity we would not be able to continue providing the services and support to the community of Ciudad Oculta. And it is important for new Volunteers to continue the tradition of supporting our initiative at Conviven so that we can continue to help and touch the lives of the less fortunate. Your support through Volunteering is much appreciated and your financial support is also welcomed. Without donations our organization will not survive so please help us with as much as you can.

I can provide bank instructions for donations so please feel free to email me at atsalas@gmail.com. As soon as Conviven has the official Asocacion Civil status we will open our own bank account and set up a Pay pal and Dineromail account to make it easier for you to donate.

Again, thanks so much for your support.

Alexandra Salas

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Advice from a departed volunteer.


 

Tuve la suerte de pasar cinco meses en Conviven. Fueron cinco meses inolvidables… Podrían haber sido aburridos, podría no haber aprendido nada pero no fue así. No fue así porque no quise que así sea, pasé mucho tiempo trabajando por “Conviven”, preparando clases, pensando en lo que seria interesante aportar…Porqué pienso que es algo que hay que hacer para realmente aprender de esta oportunidad que no está dando de ser voluntarios en otra parte del mundo. Comprometerse. Para construir una relación de confianza con los niños y otros voluntarios del Centro, para aprender de ellos aun mas que todo lo que podemos aprenderlos… 

 Podría haber hecho mucho más pero no menos. Porqué si hubiera hecho menos no hubiera tenido este sentimiento de orgullo a ver mis alumnos disfrutar sus clases, no hubiera podido establecer tan buena relaciones con personas que fueron las personas claves de mi estancia en Buenos Aires tal como Carmen y todos mis pequeños estudiantes…

 Participar en este programa nos da la posibilidad de encontrar gente especial, de vivir experiencias inolvidables y pienso que no hay que gastar esta posibilidad supuestamente por “falta de tiempo”. Estos niños son cada uno especiales aun si para darse cuenta de eso hay que primero conseguir su confianza y su interés porqué claro a su edad a veces es difícil tener tanto interés en aprender inglés o otra cosa pero justamente ¡¡eso es el trabajo de los “profes”!!
Bueno eso es el consejo que quiero dar a los futuros “profes”: ¡¡Que tengan paciencia e imaginación que estos niños se merecen la pena!! ¡¡¡Hay muchas cosas interesantes por hacer con ellos más que clases de inglés pero hay que tener mucha voluntad porqué no es siempre fácil organizarse!!!

 ¡¡Suerte y que disfruten su experiencia tanto como yo disfrute de mi estancia en Buenos Aires y sobre todo en Conviven!!

Marie, from France