Projects Abroad offers a variety of different opportunities for volunteers interested in supporting children in developing countries
NEW YORK – March 18, 2015 – For the hundreds of North Americans embarking on meaningful volunteer trips abroad every year with Projects Abroad, childcare programs remain hugely popular. From day cares looking after children from single-parent families, to special needs centers supporting children with physical and mental disabilities, the organization offers a wide variety of Care programs that give volunteers the chance to show how much they care by helping to improve the lives of children in developing countries.
A Projects Abroad volunteer on the Canine Therapy Project in Bolivia helps young children interact with a trained therapy dog
Here are four of the most distinctive Care projects that Projects Abroad offers:
This worthwhile project is a great way to make an impact on the lives of children with disabilities. The program involves working with therapy dogs that play a vital role in stimulating and comforting the children and helping to increase their mobility. As a volunteer, you will assist with outreach work with the dogs, visiting centers and care homes for disabled children. You will also participate in one-on-one therapy sessions conducted at the dog training center. Outside of therapy activities, your help is needed to care for the dogs and you will get involved with tasks such as cleaning out cages and feeding.
In Argentina, the organization has partnered with an equine therapy center that helps rehabilitate children and adults with emotional and physical problems. The center uses trained horses to conduct therapy sessions, forcing patients to focus on movement, spatial orientation, posture, language, and muscle control. Volunteers can contribute by helping to care for the animals, participating in riding classes, attending classes on equine therapy theories, and assisting with patient therapy sessions. This project is an ideal fit for volunteers interested in working outdoors with children and animals.
Child Rights Initiative in Jamaica
This project is perfect for volunteers looking to gain experience in social work, psychology, sociology, family education, guidance, and counseling. The Child Rights Initiative program directly addresses the social needs of children in Jamaica while utilizing the skills of volunteers in the fields of Developmental Rights and Protection Rights. Volunteers will find themselves participating in a variety of activities, including interviews, observation of psychological and educational assessments, preparing reports, planning and implementing workshops and seminars, investigative field work, case planning and case management, and more.
Millions of people across the globe have been affected by the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and unfortunately, infection rates are still rising. The effect of the disease in Africa has been particularly devastating and volunteer efforts are crucial to spreading awareness of the disease and preventing new infections in rural communities. In Ghana, volunteers on the HIV/AIDS project strive to mitigate the socioeconomic and psychological effects of the disease on individuals, communities, and the nation, through working in clinics and on outreach activities.
For more information about Care volunteer projects, please visit www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/care
Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.
Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 27 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.
For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad’s web site at www.projects-abroad.org
