Education Centre, Recife Brazil

The northeastern region of Brazil has always been known as the most poverty stricken area of the country. Even though the coastal city of Recife has developed into a busy tourist beach resort, there are still a large number of people in the city who are living disadvantaged lives and you can help them, especially the children, to improve themselves and their future prospects.

Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health

Programme Information
The project was formed in 1976 and was developed to assist communities where people are at risk, both personally and socially. The project now benefits over 150 children, ranging from 10 to 12 years old, who are accepted onto the programme based on individual need.

The project works to provide them with a safe childhood and adolescence and to improve their quality of life, to build their confidence and self-esteem and teach them social and ethical values for the future.

All of this is carried out at the Educational and Communal centre, set up by the project, which also aims to counteract the poor education and school attendance, and other factors that contribute to economic, educational and social problems in Recife. In this respect, the project aims to help disadvantaged people by helping them to develop professionally and personally, by providing educational initiatives and raising awareness about health issues and so on.

Your role as a volunteer
There is much to get involved in on this project. The activities that you will be involved with on a daily basis will vary depending on the needs of the children but you can expect to be doing things such as:

You will also be able to get involved in any of the other projects that are going on in and around the Educational Centre during the time that you are there.

Project Requirements
No previous experience is required but participants need to be enthusiastic and full of ideas. You also need a high beginner level of Portuguese.

Portuguese will be the main language used whilst on the project in order to respect staff that cannot speak English. For those who are new to the language or if you just need to brush up on the skills you already have, we recommend that you take part in our language school before your project starts.

Language School
The Rio Language School has over 33 years experience in teaching the Portuguese language and is one of the biggest in Brazil.

You will be taking part in a course that has been specifically designed for foreign students who need to learn Portuguese for both professional and personal use. But the focus isn’t only on these areas; you can also look into any area that you are interested in.

While at the language school your accommodation will be with a host family. Also included with the language school is:

Project Orientation
When you arrive in Recife, you will be met at the airport and will have an orientation with the onsite staff covering all you need to know about the project itself, such as what you will be doing and health and safety. You can also expect a country and area orientation, which will cover things such as:

Accommodation and Meals
Your accommodation in Recife will be in a hostel, which is located 2 blocks from Boa Viagem beach and close to supermarkets, restaurants, bars and clubs. There is also easy bus access to your project. Rooms in the hostel contain 4 to 6 beds, so you will be sharing a room as well as sharing bathroom and kitchen facilities. There is also a TV room and storage lockers for you to keep all your belongings in.

Breakfast is included and is provided at the hostel, and all other meals will be self- catered. It might be a good idea to visit the local supermarkets and use the hostel kitchen facilities with your fellow volunteers – this is also a great way to get to know each other better.

Project Support
Throughout your time in Recife you will have the support and guidance of a team of project coordinators based in the town. They will provide you with competent assistance and help you with any questions or advice you may need during your stay.

The project staff will be on hand throughout the day to ensure your comfort and safety. In addition, we will provide you with a 24 hour emergency contact number before you depart, so that you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.

If you have any further enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact the Latin America team at the Real Gap office on 01892 516 164 or e-mail latinamerica@realgap.co.uk