Creative Corners - Destinations - The Helping Hands Project

The Helping Hands Project

Helping Hands

Project

The Helping Hands Project grew out of a realisation that boys who left a local orphanage were leaving without money, jobs, a place to live and often without proper documentation and many were quite literally left on the street. More than half the boys upon leaving the home had not finished high school and two local ladies decided to launch a project that would assist the boys in their transition back into the community and at the same time give them a sense of family and support. The project was launched in 2004 with more than 40 teenaged youth.

Now three years on many boys have finished their secondary education and the project now has 37 young people in universities, technical institutes and 8 students in high school. With study and school the boys often don't have time to work to pay for rent and to support themselves. Through the Helping Hands Project they design, make and sell wrist bands and paper bags for local businesses in their spare time and on weekends.

Why we need you

Volunteers are needed to help the boys raise extra money by sharing your skills in designing, jewelry making and marketing skills to help their recycled paper bag and bracelet projects grow. You can also run other activities including:

• Organise weekend activities and outings - nature walks etc...

• Teach IT skills to small groups (using office packages, graphics packages and the internet)

• Run photography workshops

• Organise theatre and art workshops

• Run raise-funding activities

• Teach English to small groups in the evenings

Price

• £695 for 2 months £195 for each additional month

• £575 for up to one month

What’s included

• Airport collection

• Organised and personally visited accommodation in a family home stay in La Paz.

• Comprehensive Travel insurance

• Quality pre-departure information, visa advice

Skills needed

• Basic Spanish required or be willing to learn before you go!

• Ability to relate to teenagers and organise workshops

• Willingness to interact with adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Be able to work independently without supervision.

• Initiative, flexibility and enthusiasm.