Amigos de las Americas Program Catalog | Summer 2015

2015 Summer and Gap Year Programs in Latin America Community Service and Leadership Opportunities

for High School and College Students

A world where each young person becomes a life-long catalyst for social change.

Vision:

COTOPAXI, ECUADOR - KINSEY MILLER

Who Are We?

Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS) is the leading organization in community service and youth leadership development across the Americas.

Our mission is to inspire and build young leaders through collaborative community development and immersion in cross-cultural experiences. Since 1965, more than 25,000 students have participated in our programs. We offer opportunities for high school and college students that last from four weeks up to an academic year.

Alumni consistently describe the AMIGOS experience as pivotal to their education, career development and long-term commitment to global community service.

Where We Work

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

PARAGUAY

URUGUAY

COLOMBIA

NICARAGUA

COSTA RICA

PANAMA

PERU

ECUADOR

MEXICO

UNITED STATES

“There is no other organization that empowers us with so much freedom, opportunity

and responsibility. And no other organization produces such amazing results and strong

intercultural bonds.”

- AMIGOS Summer Volunteer, Cajamarca, Peru 2013

Benefits:

• Experience full language and cultural immersion with a host family and community

• Gain independence and real-world leadership experience

• Make a positive impact in communities

AMIGOS empowers volunteers to journey outside their comfort zones and grow as

leaders. We offer unsurpassed independence and immersion opportunities within

a strong structure of training and support. The benefits you receive as a volunteer

continue long after your experience abroad.

Why choose ?

Language & Cultural Immersion

As an AMIGOS volunteer, you live and breathe a different culture – not as a tourist but as a community member. AMIGOS communities reflect the diversity of Latin America, from small villages in the Andes to medium-sized port towns in the Caribbean. As a summer volunteer, you will live with one or two other volunteers in your host community. As a Gap student, you will live independently in your host community. Your Spanish skills will improve tenfold with daily immersion!

Cross-cultural Collaboration The AMIGOS approach to cross-cultural collaboration is rooted in respect, sensitivity and sharing. Each year, we recruit an equal number of students from Latin America to work alongside our U.S. participants. As an AMIGOS volunteer, you build relationships with youth from your host country and collaborate on community development initiatives. These friendships will last a lifetime.

Community Ownership & Impact

The combination of community ownership and participation is the only sustainable approach to volunteer service. AMIGOS works with local partners to identify passionate and committed host communities that are excited to work together with AMIGOS Volunteers.

We train you to collaborate with community members to assess community needs and implement a high-impact development project. You engage in 25-40 hours of community service each week.

Leadership Development When you open yourself up to new experiences and immerse yourself in your host community, you grow as a person and as a leader. You gain invaluable real-life skills, including working in a cross-cultural environment, mobilizing other people, taking initiative to problem-solve and developing a meaningful project.

Training AMIGOS makes sure you are prepared and supported every step of the way through training in: health and safety, community development practices, leadership, cultural understanding, team building and service-learning. You complete a thorough pre-departure and in-country training to prepare for navigating cultural differences and project implementation.

Health and Safety AMIGOS is the industry leader in health and safety management, and our staff is prepared to help you with any situation. All volunteers have support from our local staff teams (7:1 volunteer-to-staff ratio) and a professional 24-hour on-call emergency team that includes travel specialists, doctors and mental health professionals. We also have established a network of local partners and vetted clinics and hospitals throughout the region.

“’Safety first and always’ is the primary AMIGOS value. Concern for the health and safety of volunteers and staff is embedded throughout the AMIGOS organization: comprehensive medical and mental health screening of applicants, extensive health and safety training before project participation, development of relationships with and screening of medical support facilities in Latin America, and 24/7 medical and mental health back up consultation while volunteers and staff are in Latin America.”

Dr. Dayton Voorhees, AMIGOS Medical Director

For more details about the AMIGOS Health and Safety Network, visit www.amigoslink.org/safety.

PANAMA - GRACE SCOGGIN

SummerOur Summer Programs offer cultural immersion and community collaboration experiences for high school and college-aged students.

• Recommended for ages 16 to 25

• Range in duration from four to nine weeks

• Specialized programs available for students ages 18+

• Thorough training and oversight by the AMIGOS Health and Safety System

• An independent experience, with the support of one or two volunteer partners in a community

• College credit available

Gap Year or SemesterThe Gap Year and Gap Semester Program offer a four or eight-month internship in collaboration with our local partner agencies. This longer program allows for a more in-depth experience in Latin America and its communities. A Gap Program gives high school graduates and college-aged students a head start and an opportunity to enrich their worldview before deciding on a career path.

2015Programs

2015 Programs At A Glance

Project Length Dates

Dominican Republic: San Juan4 weeks 8 weeks

June 9 - July 6 or July 6 - August 4 June 9 - August 4

Nicaragua: Matagalpa 6 weeks June 10 - July 23

Nicaragua: Madriz4 weeks 8 weeks

June 10 - July 6 or July 6 - August 5 June 10 - August 5

Colombia: Barranquilla 9 weeks June 13 - August 14 *College only

Nicaragua: Chinandega 8 weeks June 13 - August 7 *College only

Paraguay: Paraguarí 7 weeks June 16 - August 5

Costa Rica: Perez Zeledón 8 weeks June 17 - August 12

Mexico: Oaxaca 7 weeks June 17- August 6 *College track available

Peru: Cajamarca 6 weeks June 23 - August 4

Ecuador: Cotopaxi 7 weeks June 23 - August 13 *College track available

Dominican Republic: Bahoruco 7 weeks June 24 - August 14

Panama: Coclé 6 weeks June 30 - August 15

Panama: New Location 6 weeks June 30 - August 15

Ecuador: Cañar 6 weeks July 1 - August 13

Gap Program: NicaraguaSpring Semester Academic Year Fall Semester

January 2015 - April 2015 September 2015 - April 2016 September 2015 - December 2015


Listed by order of start date

College Only NEW Nicaragua:

Chinandega

Get trained to become a community health promoter. Work with the families of children with disabilities.

8 weeks June 13th - August 7th

Support the development of children with disabilities by offering support to families and communities, from working with parents to create early childhood development toys out of recycled materials to providing occupational support to youth learning a trade.

Nicaragua: Matagalpa

Play baseball and soccer with youth and adults, and sample the locally grown coffee, cacao, mango and avocado.

6 weeks June 10th - July 23rd

TopicsChildren’s Rights Environmental Sustainability

Strengthen local communities by:

• Educating and empowering children and adolescents involved in coffee cultivation.

• Promoting sustainable agriculture and business practices, social justice and gender equality with a progressive union of community coffee cooperatives.

• Improving citizen participation, gender equality and social justice.

What is the AMIGOS Summer Program? AMIGOS began with the idea that young people will always rise to a challenge. The AMIGOS Summer Program gives students the challenges and responsibilities that build leaders.

Focus on one or more of the areas crucial to community development and collaboration:

• Public Health• Environmental Sustainability• Youth Entrepreneurship• Creative Expression• Sports and Fitness• Children’s Rights

What Do You Do as a Summer Volunteer? • Live in a small to medium-sized community with a host family

• Improve your Spanish fluency through real cultural immersion

• Facilitate extra-curricular activities for children in your host community

• Work on and learn the process of implementing a community development project

• Engage in local trainings with other young leaders

• Transform the world and yourself!

Summer Programs

Nicaragua: MadrizImmerse yourself in Nicaragua, “the land of lakes and volcanoes,” and experience the relaxed but lively culture.

8 weeks June 10th - August 5th 4 weeks A June 10th - July 6th 4 weeks B July 6th - August 5th

TopicsChildren’s Rights Creative Expression

Work to address children’s rights to health, education, protection and economic security through:

Media: Collaborating with local youth and Latin American volunteers to make video, radio and photography projects and presenting them to the community.

The Arts: Creating art projects with local volunteers, including collages, theatre productions and murals and holding community presentations to show the work.

Costa Rica: Perez Zeledón

Stay active in the outdoors with week-long service trips to national parks in groups that are 50% youth from Costa Rica, 50% youth from the U.S.


TopicEnvironmental Sustainability

Alternate between living in a host community and carrying out community service in national parks - Reserva Forestal Rio Macho, Reserva Biologica Carara and Parque Nacional Volcan Tenorio. Volunteer alongside Costa Rican youth volunteers during each week in the parks.

Dominican Republic: San Juan

See the southwest Dominican Republic’s dramatic landscape – from fertile farmland to desert terrain.

8 weeks June 9th - August 4th 4 weeks A June 9th - July 6th 4 weeks B July 6th - August 4th

TopicChildren’s Rights

Hone your Spanish skills and immerse yourself in a new culture by working with Dominican volunteers on projects that focus on empowering local communities to lead their own development.

Dominican Republic: Bahoruco

Embrace the vibrant Dominican culture, where the sounds of bachata and merengue music fill the streets at all times of the day.


TopicsSports & Fitness Creative Expression

Partner with youth in the community to address important social issues through sports and art and with Dominican volunteers to work on your Spanish language skills. Get energized by the enthusiastic participation of local youth in extra-curricular activities.

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COSTA RICA

Find updated project information at www.amigoslink.org/projects

Peru: Cajamarca

Hike in the Andes mountains, and learn about Peru’s rich and interesting history.

6 weeks June 23rd - August 4th

TopicsPublic Health Children’s Rights

Partner with local organizations that seek to break the cycle of poverty and strengthen communities by focusing on early childhood development, education, gender equality, civic participation and human rights.

Panama: Coclé

Take in the natural beauty of Panama’s landscape, as well as its strong indigenous culture.



Work to organize a yearly environmental youth festival that attracts hundreds of participants from host communities and neighboring areas. Practice your Spanish and learn about other cultures by working with Panamanian and Costa Rican volunteers.

NEW PanamaMake your home in an area known for its mix of Panamanian and indigenous cultures, close to seaside and mountainous regions.


TopicsPublic Health Environmental Sustainability

Collaborate with local groups and agencies to maintain the natural ecology of Panama, improve water sanitation and reforestation issues and increase the quality of life for residents.

Ecuador: CañarLearn about traditional Canari weaving techniques and enjoy spectacular views from the Andes mountains.

6 weeks July 1st - August 13th

TopicsYouth Entrepreneurship

Collaborate with youth networks to work on projects related to environmental protection, children’s rights, youth participation and health education. Past initiatives included painting murals, planting trees and gardens and improving sports spaces.

“AMIGOS allowed me to see that I, as an individual, can make a positive

environmental and social change”

- Kamala Brown, Mexico Summer

Volunteer

College Track Project

Ecuador: CotopaxiLive in an indigenous Kichwa community high up in the Andes mountains with views of the snow-capped volcano in Cotopaxi.

7 weeks June 23rd - August 13th

TopicYouth Entrepreneurship

Learn basic entrepreneurship skills, and have the opportunity to launch your own small business under the mentorship of local innovators. Past projects include a youth-run bakery, the production and sale of blackberries, and a women-run cooperative.

College Track Project

Mexico: OaxacaTour Oaxaca City and Mayan ruins, and immerse yourself in Oaxacan heritage that recognizes 16 indigenous groups.



Support a variety of local health and sustainability initiatives, including:

• Promoting the production and consumption of amaranth, a grain native to Oaxaca.

• Organizing youth community health fairs.

• Establishing school projects, such as community gardens or recycling centers.

Paraguay: Paraguari

Live in a rural farming community, and learn how to milk a cow, plant mandioc and other crops and cook with ingredients sourced in your community.


TopicsPublic Health Environmental Sustainability

Work with local volunteers to promote youth leadership and healthy communities through youth-led projects focusing on reforestation, food security, sanitation and other issues. Lead after-school activities that develop leadership skills, promote community health awareness and inspire students to volunteer.

College Only

Colombia: Barranquilla

Collaborate with Colombian college students, learn to dance cumbia, learn to cook and spend time playing soccer or working on environmental initiatives.


Choose from two different tracks:

1. Social immersion: An academic course on service learning and community development and an optional Spanish course, followed by a service initiative in collaboration with local youth and non-profits.

2. Global and community health (NEW for pre-med students): Coursework on health risks in Colombia and Spanish for health practitioners, followed by promoting health and disease prevention in a local clinic.

COTOPAXI, ECUADOR - KINSEY MILLER

Find updated project information at www.amigoslink.org/projects

Why a Gap Year?

Unlock your leadership potential and gain hands-

on, real-life experience to become a catalyst for social change as

you prepare for future educational and career

opportunities.

NicaraguaGap Program Overview

About Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s fascinating and tumultuous history is beautifully documented by national artists and poets such as Ruben Dario. Nicaraguans are socially engaged citizens who share with you countless stories of the past, as well as their dreams for the future of their country.

The population of Nicaragua, approximately 6 million, is multiethnic and segments of the population include indigenous native tribes from the Mosquito Coast, Europeans, Africans, Asians and people of Middle Eastern origin. The typical diet that you will enjoy with your host family is made up of primarily rice, black beans, chicken, cuajada (a salty cheese) and tortillas.

ClimateMuch of our work area is in a region of Nicaragua that is famous for enjoying “eternal spring” all year round, with temperatures mostly ranging from 75°F to 85°F.

Host Family StayLiving with a host family is one of the most powerful aspects of the AMIGOS Gap Year. You will experience the incredible feeling of being welcomed as part of a new family and a new community.

Community Development Internships

You will be placed in an internship at one of AMIGOS’ partner community development agencies. For example:

• Plan Nicaragua strives to make lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries.

• Empowerment International works to break the cycle of generational poverty by building more educated and productive communities.

• ADIC works in rural and semi-urban areas in Matagalpa to develop collaborative community development.

• Fabretto supports, promotes and strengthens children’s education, formal and occupational, in order to decrease the extreme poverty rate.

ExcursionsHike to the top of breathtaking Mombacho Volcano, visit the beautiful colonial town of Granada or tour a sustainable coffee plantation while checking the biodiversity of the Nicaraguan rainforest. Excursions offer an opportunity to learn more about the local culture, relax and get to know your fellow Gap students.

Gap Program Requirements • Have completed high school and be under

the age of 25

• Commit to conversational Spanish ability by the start of the program

• Adhere to the AMIGOS Gap Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior

• Fulfill online pre-departure training

• Meet the General Health Criteria for Participation

• Receive the required immunizations

Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and known for its friendly people, its colorful, welcoming culture and its many unique ecosystems.

For more information or to apply for your Gap Year or Semester, visit us online at www.amigoslink.org/gap.

Gap Year Experience

Pre-Departure• Round-trip international airfare

• Training materials and in-person or online workshops

In Country• On-site training and orientation

• Food, lodging and transportation

• Seed funding for community projects

• In-country project team

• 24-hour emergency on-call staff

• Supplemental short-term international medical insurance

• Program excursions and trainings

Post-Program• Credit for service hours

• Individual evaluation of performance and growth

• Access to the AMIGOS network

PricesFor the latest program fee information, visit www.amigoslink.org/fees.

Financial AidAMIGOS provides need-based financial assistance. See your application for details.

In addition, volunteers who return for a second summer receive financial incentive.

Fundraising90% of our volunteers fundraise for their program fees. You will receive fundraising ideas and templates, as well as direct support from the International Office staff or chapter leadership. Learn more about fundraising options on our website.

How to ApplyApply for AMIGOS Summer Programs

Apply for Summer Programs through your local chapter or through the AMIGOS International Office.

Apply for Gap Programs Apply directly through our International Office. Admissions officers will help you through the process.

Visitwww.amigoslink.org/apply

What the Fee Includes

Join a local Chapter Join through the International Office

Application deadlineSet by local chapter; usually falls between August – November.

Applicants can apply year round.

Volunteer training Training and support from an AMIGOS chapter.Train with other volunteers immediately prior to the program start, either in a Gateway City or in Latin America.

Program fee

Chapters establish a family fee to provide local training and administrative support; the balance of the program cost is raised through a collective fundraising effort.

Volunteers pay the program fee. This amount can be offset by individual fundraising.

FundraisingVolunteers participate in group fundraising activities to cover a portion of the costs of participation.

Volunteers are provided a tool kit to fundraise independently (optional).

Time commitmentThe training and fundraising program starts between the months of November and January. Inquire about the specific time requirements with the local chapter.

Volunteers participate in online training and complete the AMIGOS curriculum in an intensive 4-day training immediately prior to starting the program.

Family supportChapters provide local guidance and support for parents/guardians during the training year and while the volunteers are in Latin America.

Parents/guardians receive online training and support at a distance from staff at the International Office.

CommunityChapters provide a community for volunteers and parents and are a place to develop life-long friendships and connections in the local community.

International Office volunteers are encouraged to meet with other volunteers prior to and after departure, if they are in close proximity.

For summer programs, students can apply through a Chapter or through our International Headquarters.

COTOPAXI, ECUADOR - GARSON ORMISTON

PARAGUARÍ, PARAGUAY

ARIZONA Phoenix Tucson

CALIFORNIA

East Bay Marin Peninsula Sacramento-Davis San Diego San Francisco Santa Clara Valley

COLORADO

Denver

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Washington, DC

ILLINOIS

Chicago North Urban Chicago

KANSAS/MISSOURI

Kansas City

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston

MINNESOTA

Minneapolis/St. Paul

NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque

NEW YORK

New York City

OHIO

Kent

OREGON

Portland

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia

TEXAS

Austin Houston

UTAH

Salt Lake City

WASHINGTON

Seattle

WISCONSIN

Madison

AMIGOS has a strong network of chapters across the United States. Chapters recruit, fundraise, train,

organize and support volunteers. If you live near a chapter, we encourage you to get involved on a local level.

Each chapter is led by a volunteer board of directors and is a separate, incorporated nonprofit organization.

Chapters represent the diversity and strength of the great AMIGOS community, as we work together toward

a common vision.

Chapters

Visitamigoslink.

org/chapters for more.

Are you looking for a customized international service program for your school or organization? AMIGOS partners with organizations to create programs during the summer or academic year. We build on our 50 years of experience to design programs that meet your specific needs. Learn about our custom program with Summer Search in the Yucatán, Mexico:

Grant-Funded Programs AMIGOS provides leadership and community service opportunities across the Americas through the AMIGOS Youth Ambassadors program and the AMIGOS American Youth Leadership program, funded by grants from the U.S. Department of State.

• Learn more about Youth Ambassadors or apply at: www.amigoslink.org/yap.

• Learn more about the AMIGOS American Youth Leadership program or apply at: www.amigoslink.org/aylp.

Customized Programming

AMIGOS and Summer SearchIn 2012, AMIGOS partnered with Summer Search to offer a project in Yucatán, Mexico exclusively for their students. Over the past three years, 90 students have participated in the program. For six weeks, program volunteers live with a host family and collaborate with the community and partner organization on service projects.

Learn more about the AMIGOS and Summer Search program at: www.amigoslink.org/summersearch.

“AMIGOS helped me not only learn about a different culture, but made me realize that you can build a family relationship with just about anyone.”

- Brenda Nieves, Mexico Summer Volunteer

Professional Opportunities with AMIGOSAMIGOS alumni from any program have the opportunity to climb our leadership ladder. The AMIGOS program staff manage our programs across 11 countries in the Americas and work closely with our partner agencies.

If you are an alumnus/alumna or a qualified applicant and are interested in joining our team, learn more at www.amigoslink.org/jobs.

Alumni Network Our alumni continue to make change in the world long after their programs have ended.

We invite you to join our alumni network to serve on a local board, recruit and train future AMIGOS volunteers or continue building your own local service opportunities.

Visit www.amigoslink.org/alumni to connect!

Continued Path with

“I was in AMIGOS for four summers, from a dental education volunteer working with children in local schools with the local Ministry of Health in Costa Rica to Project Director of a rabies vaccination program developed with the Ministry of Health and other partners in Ecuador.

I had no idea at the time that AMIGOS would provide such an amazing and life-changing experience for me at the age of 18. What other organization gives a teenager the opportunity to develop and test newfound professional and leadership capacities in an intercultural context? Where else can one learn to strategically organize, manage and oversee large project teams with local partners in Latin America, while still a teenager? Where else can you find an organization so dedicated to developing life-long leadership skills and potential, and well as teaching you how to do the same of others?

I have now worked with the United Nations in various capacities for almost two decades all over the world. And AMIGOS has been a huge part of my ongoing personal and professional development path. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t remember the friends I made, the results we achieved and the fun we had, while being in the field with AMIGOS. I am forever grateful to my parents for letting me spend my summers in Costa Rica, rural Mexico and Ecuador far out of their reach – and help me set off on such a fabulous journey…”

-Raquel Wexler, AMIGOS Alumna

Each of our programs is conducted in close collaboration with our international, national and local partner agencies that determine the themes, location and size of projects. Our partners help us consider local community interests and safety, and are critical to the success and sustainability of our work.

Our In-Country Program Partners

Support

AMIGOS depends on the generosity of donors to support our programs. Together we can inspire and build young leaders through collaborative community development and cross-cultural immersion.

When you donate to AMIGOS, you support much-needed funding for Latin American projects and increase diversity amongst AMIGOS volunteers. Thank you for partnering with us!

You can donate to the AMIGOS International Office at: www.amigoslink.org/donate.

If you are connected with a local AMIGOS chapter, you can donate to that chapter on their website. See a list of chapter websites at: www.amigoslink.org/chapters.

Questions?We’re here to answer them! Call us to discuss a program, learn about costs or figure out which option is right for you: (800) 231-7796

Stay In Touch Email: [email protected]

Facebook: facebook.com/amigoslink

Instagram: instagram.com/amigos_americas

Vimeo: vimeo.com/amigoslink

Tumblr: amigos-americas.tumblr.com

Twitter: twitter.com/AMIGOS_Americas


Ready to take the leap?

Apply at www.amigoslink.org

Amigos de las Américas 5618 Star Lane Houston, TX 77057 (713) 782-5290

[email protected] www.amigoslink.org

FRONT AND BACK COVER: GRACE SCOGGIN

Documents

Amigos de las Americas Program Catalog | Summer 2015