Feature Volunteer Abroad Project in Guatemala
Rural youth development project
34% of the Guatemalan population is made up of young people between the ages of 12 and 20 years old. Rural young people face the challenges of lack of jobs, little incentives, and limited opportunities in their communities. The results have been:
-migration to Guatemala City to form street gangs added to
alcohol/drug use and prostitution
-migration to USA as illegal aliens, with the resulting disintegration of the family
-low self-esteem and depression
Volunteers will be placed in rural high schools, mainly in the western part of Guatemala where the conditions for youth are worst.
This project can use volunteers with "soft" skills, not very
technical/experts in nature. This will allow university students or
"generalists" to participate in the projects. Requirements:
basic computer knowledge; interest in working with
teenagers; interest or experience in teaching; basic business skills or knowledge.
The goals of this project are:
- To create locally available training opportunities for the participants of the rural youth at risk project;
- To aid rural youth in the development of small business projects that allow them to generate income to improve their quality of life in their communities;
- To train the participants in techniques to develop better citizens who will contribute to the sustainable development of their communities
Volunteers will work on:
- organizing youth groups
- providing trainings on small business, life skills ("planning my
life"), computer training, self-esteem workshops - organizing or supporting anti drugs/alcohol campaigns, teenager pregnancy, HIV prevention.
