Requirements

 

What are the requirements for participating in the program?

At InsightArgentina, we have some basic requirements that you need to meet in order to join our program. We have these requirements in place to ensure that the volunteer experience is mutually beneficial for both you, and the host organization where you will be volunteering.

Our requirements are as follows:

•    You need to be at least 18 years old at the time of your trip.

•    You need to have a basic knowledge of Spanish (at least three semesters of study). – although different projects will require different levels of language availability. We also ask that you take any possible opportunity to improve your Spanish before starting your project – it´ll be a huge benefit both to you and the organization where you work!.

•    While volunteering with us you will need to have international medical insurance that covers you in case of illness

•    We ask that you submit an application form and a CV at least one month prior to your preferred starting date. (Please note applications submitted less than one month before the starting date will be considered on a case-by-case basis)

•    We ask that you commit to at least 4-weeks of volunteering, and more if possible! (please note that short-term group projects are determined on a case-by-case basis.)

Please remember that as we customize each volunteer placement, you can start your volunteer experience at any time throughout the year!

If you´re already in Argentina, please click here.

 

Program placement fee

Our volunteer program has a one-time flat fee of US$350, regardless of the length of your stay (please note fees for group projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis)

Once we have received your application form, resume and motivation letter, we will send you two or three potential options for your placement based on your interests, skills and availability. At this point, we will ask for the payment of a desposit of US$50 before proceding with your application, that is, before defining your placement in more detail and confirming it with the organisation involved. This deposit is refundable if we are unable to confirm a placement that meets your requirements. If you go ahead with the programme, the deposit will be subtracted from the program cost ie you will pay US$300 instead of US$350.

We understand that you may question why you have to pay to volunteer, therefore at the bottom of this page, we have explained why there is a fee involved, stated where your money goes, and shown how the placement fee is broken down.

Program fee includes:

•    Pre and post-departure assistance

•    A customized volunteer placement in an organization in accordance with your interests, skills and experience, and the needs of the organization.

•    US$100 of the program fee is allocated to the host organization where you will be volunteering.

•    Arrival orientation and visit to host organization.

•    Guidance on housing options, Spanish classes, and how to contact other volunteers

•    Support throughout your stay and follow-up at the host organization where needed.

•    Insurance that covers you in the case of personal accident while volunteering (this is not a medical insurance).

•    Recommendation letter and work certificate upon request

Program fee does NOT include:

•    Spanish classes

•    Accommodation

•    International health insurance.

•    Travel to/from Argentina.

•    Local transportation costs or meals.

Unlike some other organizations that offer volunteer placements, we don´t automatically provide accomodation or Spanish classes. This is because we believe that our strength as an organisation is in our profound understanding of the Argentine social sector, and the relationships we´ve developed with other local NGOs.

Other providers specialize in providing accomodation or teaching Spanish, and, once you have confirmed your participation, we will put you in touch with a selection of them. We also believe that it is a benefit for many volunteers to be able to make their own choice around lodging, classes, and other aspects, according to their budget and interests.

However, we understand that it is important to be able to plan how much you need to budget to be able to stay in a foreign country. To get an idea of the other costs you need to take into account please click here.

 

Why is there a program placement fee and where does the money go?

Prospective volunteers are sometimes surprised to learn that there is often a financial cost involved in international volunteer work. At first this may seem unfair - why would I pay to volunteer my time?

In order to facilitate a mutually beneficial experience for both the host organization and you as a volunteer, we take considerable time and effort in establishing the relationship between our volunteer program and the host organizations we work with. We work hard to analyze the needs of the host organizations, as well as the profiles of prospective volunteers, so as to create the right match for both parties. We seek to make volunteers feel supported during their stay, with someone readily available to answer your questions and concerns at all times.

The placement fee we charge helps to maintain our program, and funds the following activities: administration, volunteer recruitment, building and maintaining partnerships with our member NGOs, assisting in the development and execution of volunteer projects, volunteer orientation, and insurance (not medical).

Part of your placement fee (US$100) is also a direct donation to the host-organization and is often designated at the discretion of the host-organization, to its projects, or to cover institutional costs

Please remember that as we are a non-profit organization, all your placement fee goes toward helping us achieve our mission:

‘to promote the development and growth of a community that is committed to the Argentine Social Sector’.

 

Payment, refunds and cancellations:

The program fee of USD350 is to be paid once the volunteer project has been confirmed, all necessary information has been provided, and other important questions have been answered.

If a participant cancels the program more than 3 weeks prior to the start date, a refund of USD200 will be issued for the program contribution paid. If the program is canceled less than 3 weeks prior to the start date or during the program, a refund will not be issued.

If, for unforeseen reasons, IA considers it to be in the best interest of the applicant's safety and quality of programming, the program might be cancelled. Upon this unlikely event, we will offer applicants the choice of re-scheduling the program or receiving a full refund on all contributions made. We are not able, however, to take responsibility for other costs applicants may have incurred while preparing for the trip.

The US$50 deposit is refundable only in the case that we are unable to confirm a placement that meets your requirements. The deposit will not be refunded in the case that your plans change or that you find an alternative opportunity.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact us at insight@helpargentina.org if you have any questions regarding our program.