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Roads to Success in Rio Brazil
This project is your chance to get integrated into the true heart of Rio, among the communities that benefit from the fantastic work that this project is doing. Being involved in a project that works in so many different areas means that everyday will be different and you’ll learn lots of new skills along the way, as well as benefiting the low income communities you’re working with. Community Outreach has made such a big difference already; you can help make an even bigger one.
Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health.
Programme Information
17 years ago, this programme began as an Olympic sponsored project aiming to change the reality of young people living in low-income communities. Today it has expanded away from its sports roots to help over 10,000 people in Rio through social projects. The Olympic village itself offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of athletic, educational and professional activities in the city.
The community that the project predominantly works within is proud to have the lowest crime rate, the best school and the highest sport activity attendance rate of all the communities in the city. This just goes to show how effective the programme is.
Just to give you an idea, here are a few of the projects that the NGO, which you will be working with, is involved in:
• The Olympic Village: encourages people to play sports as well as working to increase self-esteem and general health and fitness.
• Health Programme: Runs community based clinics, including a cardiology unit and a psychological unit to give good community health care.
• The ‘house home’: a home for handicapped teenagers giving them educational and medical assistance as well as working towards the integration of the disabled into sports.
• Education: Numerous education projects working with children from a pre-school age right up to free college education in association with a local university. The project gives free education to all age groups.
• Culture and Professional Centres: provides workshops from leisure activities to handicrafts to educational courses, some examples being ballet, choirs, English language, making costume jewellery, crochet and many more. The programme offers plenty of activities - the list above is only a small example of the sports and community programmes that are supported by the NGO.
Your role as a volunteer
What you are asked to do on a day-to-day basis will depend on the needs of the project at the time, however you can expect to be involved in activities such as:
• Coaching sports
• Teaching English
• Promoting leisure activities with children
• Teaching and helping at the handcraft activities
• Helping with homework
• Promoting dance and other ‘hobby’ workshops
• Promoting professional courses
• Medical Attendant (For Volunteers Doctors) Project Requirements
You will need plenty of enthusiasm, compassion and a general interest in helping people. 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:
• An airport pick up
• Orientation
• Accommodation with breakfast and dinner
• 3 hours Spanish tuition per day
• Full onsite support throughout the programme Project Orientation
When you arrive in Rio, you will be met at the airport (unless you are already in the city) 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, health and safety and so on. You can also expect a country and area orientation, which will cover areas such as:
• The Brazilian Culture
• Money and Getting Around
• An Introduction to Rio
• What to do in your free time
• Local food and places to eat Accommodation and Meals
During your stay in Rio de Janeiro, you will be accommodated in a host family, giving you the opportunity to experience the Brazilian way of life. All host families are carefully vetted and inspected before any placement is considered and all families receive an orientation on their obligations to their guests. Accommodation may be in single or shared rooms and the accommodation is on a half-board basis (breakfast and dinner).
Host family accommodation includes the usual facilities: shower/bath, laundry once a week as part of the family laundry, use of the telephone (as agreed with the host family), access to common living areas, etc. Guests are expected to be respectful of families and their homes at all times.
Project Support
Throughout your time in Rio you will have the support and guidance of a team of project coordinators based in the city. They will provide you with competent assistance and help you with any questions or advice you may need during your stay.
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 feel that you haven’t been given enough information in your orientation, you are more than welcome to ask the onsite project staff any questions.
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
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