Daycare Center Volunteer Program

The daycare centers in Ecuador fills the same function as anywhere else in the world, that parents can leave their children somewhere safe during the day while they have a chance to work. As women are the ones that takes care of the children in the houses in general, this is something that helps mostly women to actually get out of the house for at least half the day to work and with hopefully two working parents and more in income for the families they have a better chance to provide what is needed for their children.

The daycare centers normally have the children divided into age groups so that they can work with them in a more efficient way with for example pedagogic classes, games, songs etc.

Though it is not too often, the daycare centers sometimes also go on excursions with the children in the surrounding area so the children can see for example nature, a theatre or just to play games in a park.

Many times though they don't have enough staff and/or the staff don't have the knowledge about pedagogic classes and how to work with the children so it becomes more like a center where the children are just looked after and where they get some lunch.

Volunteers Role

Volunteers will work side by side with the staff in the daycare center to first of all make sure that they are OK and safe but they normally have a chance to help with some pedagogic classes or in case they don't have this they can maybe arrange some activities, games or songs for the children.

Depending on the volunteers skills, personality, knowledge and on what help is mostly needed at the time the volunteers might help with:

-Help serving and feeding children
-Help children to the bathroom
-Change diapers
-Make games
-Sing songs
-Dance with the children
-Help with pedagogic classes and exercises
-Assist during excursions

Location And Working Hours

The daycare centers are located in the Andes or in the Galapagos Islands.

Volunteers work Monday to Friday from about 08:00 to 17:00 with a break for lunch but hours can vary a bit from place to place depending on what they are doing with the children but most work often takes place in the morning up until around lunch and then it calms down in the afternoon.

Our Experience

Most of the work is normally in the morning and after the children have lunch and a siesta around noon the parents tend to start picking them up one by one so it calms down really fast. Volunteers also needs to be inventive many times as the staff often don't have any planed schedule to work after so a couple of games and songs helps a lot.

Requirements

Application Form
Resume / CV
Passport Copy
3 Weeks
Beginner Spanish
Interest In Working With Children
Open Mindedness To Live In A Different Way

Recommended

4 Weeks
Intermediate Spanish
Some Experience With Children