FAQs

 

1. Why Volunteer with InsightArgentina, the volunteer program of HelpArgentina?

2. Where can I volunteer?

3. What type of volunteer projects are available?

4. How long do volunteer projects last? Can I extend my volunteer stay after I arrive in Argentina?

5. When can I apply? When do the volunteer projects begin?

6. What is the profile of a volunteer?

7. How many hours per week can I volunteer?

8. Can I go on vacation once I begin volunteering?

9. What are the program costs?

10. Why do I have to pay to volunteer?

11. What other costs should I have in mind?

12. Do I need a visa to enter Argentina?

13. Do I need a vaccine?

14. How do I arrange my housing and Spansih classes?

15. How do I get from the airport to my homestay?

16. What are the program requirements to participate in the volunteer program?

17. Do I need medical insurance?

18. How do I apply?

1. Why Volunteer with InsightArgentina, the volunteer program of HelpArgentina?

• We are a program within HelpArgentina, a nonprofit organization that helps international donors identify and support high impact nonprofits within Argentina.  Our goal is to strengthen the nonprofits working to make a difference in Argentina, to increase confidence in the Argentine nonprofit sector and to promote the culture of giving among Argentines.

• We use strict criteria to evaluate local non-profits for transparency and impact, and provide a secure and efficient infrastructure to deliver donations and grants to these organizations. As a 501c3 public charity, donations made through HelpArgentina are tax deductible in the United States. We have worked for more than five years to help civil society organizations through the mobilization of donors and volunteers.

• We only place volunteers and interns with organizations that meet HelpArgentina´s criteria around transparency and good practice

• Our relationships with local organizations mean that we are aware of their resource needs

• We have received more than 700 foreign volunteers to date.

• Because we work with a database of 70 different local non-profits throughout the country, we offer a diversity of possible volunteer experiences.

• By customizing every volunteer placement, we seek to provide impactful and rewarding experiences to those who wish to explore Argentine life, integrate themselves in Argentine society, and to become acquainted with some ofArgentina's most pressing social issues.

• Because our central office is in Argentina, we are able to accompany and support the volunteer during his/her stay in our country – and as an Argentine-American organization we are able to bridge cultural and language gaps

• We offer a variety of ways for volunteers to continue supporting the host organization once they have returned to their respective countries.

We offer volunteer work with Argentine non-profit organizations that work in areas including Arts and Culture, Community Development, Disability and Empowerment, Education and Youth Outreach, Health and Nutrition, Human Rights and Law, and more.

The majority of volunteer opportunities are based in Buenos Aires, but we also work with some organisations in Patagonia, Salta, Mendoza, Tucuman and elsewhere.  If you want to work in a particular location, but aren´t sure if we have a project there, please contact us to enquire.

Volunteer placements can range from experiences in the field, such as teaching English or organizing recreational activities at a local community center, to helping the development of an organisation from its head office, through fundraising, communication, research, or the use of other professional skills. We look for volunteer opportunities that fit with the specific interests and experience of the volunteer, and also that really address the particular needs of an organization. Please note that the needs of the organizations may change. If for some reason you do not find volunteer tasks related to your interests, we encourage you to apply anyway because new activities often arise.

The minimum requirement for volunteering is one month. The length of the volunteer commitment depends on the volunteer as we do not have a limit. Volunteers have worked with us for up to one year.

Once in Argentina, you may extend your stay following the signing of a new volunteer contract with our program.

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Volunteers may apply at any time during the year and at any moment during each month.

We request that applications are received at least one month prior to the start of the volunteer program. If you apply with shorter notice, we cannot guarantee a volunteer placement

There is no one volunteer profile. Many of our volunteers are students or recent graduates who have the chance to volunteer as part of a vacation or a year abroad program.  Others have more professional experience, and are taking a career break, holidaying in Argentina, or are recently retired.

Each person brings a different set of skills to the volunteer role.  However, what unites them is a genuine desire to help, and a real interest in the Argentine social sector.

Our volunteers must be over 18 years of age, and we ask that you have at least a basic level of Spanish.

Different projects and activities will have specific language and skill requirements, and time commitments.

Volunteers may decide to volunteer anywhere from one day a week to 40 hours per week. The average volunteer commitment is usually around 25 hours per week. Projects sometimes have specific time requirements for the volunteers.

 

Volunteers may take a break from volunteering to travel or for vacation if they communicate their plans ahead of time to HelpArgentina and the host-organization. However, please remember that by agreeing to work as a volunteer, you are taking on an important commitment to your host organization - respect their needs in your travel plans.

Please remember that we require at least a month of volunteering.

The program is USD495. This is a flat-fee irrespective of how long you stay. Please click here to find out what is included: http://www.helpargentina.org/en/iarequirements.

 

Potential volunteers may be surprised to hear that there is a cost to participate in international volunteer work. At first, this may seem unfair (why do I have to pay to invest my time as a volunteer?). The answer is in the principal objective of InsightArgentina: to facilitate a mutually beneficial experience for the host organization and the volunteer.

We aim to deliver an experience in which the organization receives the benefit of the volunteer´s work while the volunteer realizes an impact in the social sector, while gaining a unique perspective on the country, the social sector, and the organization with which they work.

To establish a relationship between the volunteer and the organization requires a considerable amount of time and effort. HelpArgentina works to analyze the needs of the member organizations and the volunteer profiles in order to find the best combination. For this reason, we ask for a contribution of $495 USD to cover the costs of the program.

A part of the program cost ($100 USD) is given to the organization for which the volunteers will be working to be put towards their projects. The rest of the contribution is for administrative costs, volunteer recruitment, and program assistance prior and during the actual stay, maintaining the network of organizations, volunteer orientation, and personal accident insurance.

 

The USD495 placement fee does NOT cover:

·        Transportation to and from Argentina

·        Housing and food

·        Local transportation

·        Spanish classes (optional)

·        International medical insurance (a pre-requisite of participating in the program)

·        Personal expenses

Prices can vary according to location and service.  However, to help you budget for your trip, below we give an idea of approximate costs in Buenos Aires.

Housing and food:

- Housing with a family from USD450 per month (with only breakfast) to  USD650 per month (with breakfast and dinner Monday – Friday)

- Shared apartments from USD 350 per month upwards.

- Private apartments from USD 650 per month upwards.

- We suggest you budget around USD300 per month for food (if you eat out frequently, it will be more).

Local transportation:

- Pickup service from Ezeiza airport: in remis (private car) from USD34 or in bus from from USD12.50

- Local public transport in bus, metro or train, around USD0.25 per journey.

Spanish classes:

- Spanish classes: from USD125 to 185 per week of group classes.

Other costs:

- If you are a resident of Australia, Canada or the US, you need to pay a “reciprocity fee” on entering the country (more information in point 12).  Please check with the Argetine consulate in your country for costs.

- If you are going to be staying in Argetina for more than 90 days, you´ll need to renew your tourist visa, either by paying AR$300 (around USD75), or by crossing the boarder into a neighbouring country (it is common for foreigners living in Buenos Aires to make trips to Colonia in Uruguay for this purpose – more information in point 12),

In Argentina, a specific visa for volunteers does not exist. You will have to enter the country as a tourist. Citizens from many countries do not need visas to enter Argentina(including UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium) but others do. To check your requirements to enter the country, visit the Argentine Immigrations webiste (http://www.mrecic.gov.ar/), and click on “Temas Consulares”.  There will be a menu of countries. Select your country and if you need a visa, it will say so.  If you need a visa, you should consult the Argentine Consulate in your country. HelpArgentina will not be responsible for the costs of processing this visa.

If you do not need a visa, you can enter the country as a tourist for 90 days.  You will be able to renew this visa if you cross the border into a neighbouring country, which is easy and relatively cost effective to do, by going from Buenos Aires to Uruguay, fromMendoza to Chile, or from Salta to Bolivia - or by visiting the office of Immigration and paying a renewal fee.

As of the 1st of January, 2009, Argentina began to implement a reciprocity fee for citizens of Australia, Canada and the USA to enter the country.  This does not mean that tourists cannot obtain a visa, but rather they will have to pay to enter Argentina a cost that is equivalent for Argentines to enter their country.

No vaccines are required to enter Argentina. It is recommended that you get the Yellow Fever vaccination, especially if you intend to visit Paraguay or Brazil by crossing through the provinces of Chaco, Corrientes, Formosa, Salta, or Misiones. Note the province of Misiones includes the Cataratas del Iguazú.

Once you have confirmed your participation in the program and paid the fee, we will send you a list of housing providers and Spanish schools. You will contact the organizations directly and find what arrangements are most convenient for you.  The contacts are reliable and will help you as much as you want.

Our list of housing providers and Spanish schools, also includes relaible airport pickup services, that you can arrange before your arrival in Buenos Aires

16. What are the requirements to participate in the program?

Age: Participants have to be at least 18 years old at the time of travel.

Spanish Level: Volunteers should have at least a basic level of Spanish (3 semesters of study recommended).

International Medical Insurance: It is obligatory to possess international medical insurance in order to participate in the program. A good number of plans include this in coverage. You should check with your provider before buying a new plan.

17.  Do I need medical insurance?

It is obligatory that you possess medical insurance to participate in the program. The majority of plans include this coverage. Particiapnts should check with their providers before buying a new plan. In the application, we ask for your insurance information.  If you do not have it at the moment of applying, you will be required to send it to us before arrival.

 

18. How do I apply?

HelpArgentina facilitates easy, secure and smart donations online.  By clicking here you can start the payment process.

Before or during this process we ask that you log-in or create an account on the HelpArgentina website.  This both ensures the security of your transaction and facilitates the accuracy of information in our system and will take no more than a minute.  Once you have logged in please follow these steps:

1.  You will see a box were the flat fee of InsightArgentina appears. Click on the bottom below that says “Add to cart”.

2.  The InsightArgentina Fee will appear in your Giving Cart which is located in a black box to the right of your screen.  Click on the button “Ready to checkout?” found below the list of the selections in your cart, and you will be taken to the checkout-page.

3. On the checkout page you have the option of choosing from a number of available payment methods:

I. Online Credit Card

You can make a VISA, MASTERCARD, DISCOVER or AMERICAN EXPRESS credit card donation to HelpArgentina from anywhere in the world risk-free in less than a minute!  On the checkout page you will be prompted to input your credit card information on our secure site.  You will then have the opportunity to confirm your donation which will be in made in dollars (unfortunately we do not have an option for credit card donations in pesos).  Click on the button that says “Review”. After you confirm, the transaction will be completed immediately and you will receive an email with the details of your transaction.
Once the transfer is complete, please confirm via email to insight@helpargentina.org

II. Bank Transfer / Deposit

On the checkout page select ¨Bank Deposit or Transfer¨ as your preferred payment method.   Click on the button that appears at the bottom of the page that says ¨Review¨ to double check and confirm your donation.  You will receive an email shortly after with instructions and information needed to make an electronic transfer to the HelpArgentina account.
Once the transfer is complete, please confirm via email to insight@helpargentina.org

III. Check and Money Order

On the checkout page select ¨Check and Money Order¨ as your preferred payment method.  Click on the button that appears at the bottom of the page that says ¨Review¨ to double check and confirm your transaction.  You will receive an email shortly after with instructions and mailing information to complete your transaction.
Once the transfer is complete, please confirm via email to insight@helpargentina.org

IV. Paypal

By using PayPal as a payment method you can donate directly from your PayPal account. PayPal is a safe, easy way to pay online without revealing credit card or bank account information. PayPal allows you to pay using credit card, or by electronic debit to your bank account.

On the HelpArgentina checkout page select ¨PayPal¨ as your preferred payment method.  Click on the button that says ¨Review¨ to double check and confirm your transaction and then click ¨continue¨.  You will now be taken to PayPal’s secure website to complete your transaction.  If you've used PayPal before, all you need to do is provide your PayPal username and password. If you're using PayPal for the first time, you only have to fill out a single page of information once to make your first purchase. Your information will be saved and you can use this account for all PayPal users across the web.  Confirm your donation on the PayPal website and you will receive an email shortly after with the details of your transaction.
Once the transfer is complete, please confirm via email to insight@helpargentina.org

V. Google CheckOut

Google Checkout makes helping those in need fast, secure, and easy without any additional fees. On the ¨Ready to checkout? ¨ page select ¨Google Checkout¨ as your preferred payment method.  Click on the button that says ¨Review¨ to double check and confirm your transaction and then click ¨continue¨.  You will now be taken to Google Checkout’s secure website to complete your transaction.  If you've used Google Checkout before, all you need to do is provide your Checkout username and password. If you're using Checkout for the first time, you only have to fill out a single page of information once to make your first purchase. Your information will be saved and you can use this account for all Google Checkout users across the web.  Confirm your donation on the Google Checkout website and you will receive an email shortly after with the details of your transaction.
Once the transfer is complete, please confirm via email to insight@helpargentina.org