ESC: URGENT CALL for SOLARIC - Team Volunteering in Otavalo, Ecuador

Code: 4628568345cbf8feac Copied

Ecuador Education European Voluntary Service Social work Education European Voluntary Service +1 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The Infinite Opportunities association is a non-governmental organization in public benefit, established in early 2010 and uniting the efforts of young people to promote common European values and capacity building in the field of youth work. The main goals of the association are to work actively on youth projects, activities and initiatives for promoting non-formal education with a focus on human rights education and sustainable development. The association is also focused on supporting the exchange, discussion and implementation of ideas, projects and initiatives promoting open social dialogue and equal participation of all minority groups in the social, cultural and political life of the country, as well as with the engagement of public attention and the competent authorities on the problems of social integration of various vulnerable groups in Bulgarian society. Over the years, the team of the organization has successfully initiated and implemented projects promoting tolerance and cultural diversity and targeting disadvantaged young people in different vulnerable situations and backgrounds, LGBTI +, migrants and refugees and young people with special needs, in particular sensory disabilities. Since 2013, the team of the organization has established itself as one of the main youth training teams working on the topic of human rights education and promotion of tolerance and non-discrimination in the youth sector. In the period 2015-2017 the organization was the informal Coordinator for Bulgaria of the No Hate Speech Movement campaign by the Council of Europe and ever since 2010 supports and holds various campaign days, street actions and events of different NGOs, municipal structures and informal groups on the topic against hate speech and the protection of human rights at the national level.

💼 What the programme involves

SOLARIC is urgently looking for 5 volunteers to join a team of already selected 15 young people to work in the Calpaquí and Karabuela communities in the Andean mountains in Ecuador. Volunteers will support local schools by organizing summer camps for youth (ages 12-18), focusing on education, cultural exchange, and environmental awareness. While each group will work in a different community, they will collaborate closely, exchanging experiences and supporting each other throughout the project. Key Activities: - Organizing educational and recreational activities for children. - Promoting environmental sustainability and ecological awareness. - Supporting language learning and intercultural dialogue. - Encouraging creative expression through arts, music, and storytelling. - Working hand in hand with local teachers, community members, and fellow volunteers. SOLARIC is coordinated by: Infinite Opportunities Ass. (BG), Cazalla Intercultural (ES), VASE (EC)

🏠 Accommodation on site

Volunteers will stay in a shared house in Otavalo, living together under communal rules and dynamics. The house includes essential facilities for a comfortable stay. Volunteers will commute daily by local bus from Otavalo to their assigned community: Calpaquí (20 min) or Karabuela (30 min). Volunteers will travel all together to Otavalo, with a group trip organized by the sending orgs.

🍲 Food

Volunteers will manage their own meals, either cooking together or individually. Local markets and supermarkets offer a variety of fresh and affordable food options.

🎒 Leisure activities

⚠️ Requirements

The Participant profile: We are looking for 5 volunteers, aged 18-35, residents of any eligible ESC country. We welcome proactive and motivated applicants who share the core values of the ESC. Young people with fewer opportunities are invited to apply and indicate the type of support needed to ease their engagement and active participation. The following characteristics will be evaluated: - Passion for education, community work, and sustainability. - Open-mindness, adaptability, and eagerness to embrace cultural diversity. - Readiness to work in a team-based environment, collaborating with fellow volunteers and the local community. - No specific skills required, but experience in teaching, facilitation, or youth work is a plus! - Knowledge of Spanish language is not required. Please note that a new rule regarding past participation of volunteers was introduced in the 2024 Programme Guide, limiting the participation to maximum 12 months. For Teams volunteering Eligibility : Candidates must be 18 to 35 years old, reside in one of the eligible countries (EU Member State, North Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Turkey) and have completed the compulsory Humanitarian Aid Volunteering training. When adding together this new volunteering opportunity and any previous participation in EU volunteering programmes, the total duration cannot exceed 12 months.
Deadline: 31/05/2025 22:59

ℹ️ Additional information

Pre-departure training will be provided by Cazalla Intercultural (ES) and IOA (BG), covering project expectations, cultural adaptation, and logistical preparations. The training will be online, on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2025. On-site training, coordinated by VASE, includes: - Introduction to local communities and project goals. - Intercultural learning sessions to enhance communication & teamwork. - Workshops on child engagement techniques and community development. - Weekly group reflection meetings for experience-sharing, planning, and collaboration between both volunteer teams.

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?

Training before and after the project
Health insurance during your project
round-trip travel reimbursement
accommodation and food
pocket money
language course
Return Week-end
Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport

Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.

📅 Available sessions

EC46285

10/07/2025 at 00:00 → 10/09/2025 at 00:00

Closed

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Deadline: 31/05/2025

ℹ️ Key information

Age required

18–30 years old

Solidarity donation

0.00 EUR

French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).

📍 Location

Av. de los Shyris N44-37, Quito 170138, Ecuador

Ecuador

🌍 Location info

Local currency

United States Dollar (USD / $)

Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895608 EUR

Rate as of 31/05/2026

Timezone

Ecuador Time

Local time: 22:01 (12/11/2026)

🛡️ Before you leave

Security information

📞 Contact us

[email protected]

+32 2 888 67 13

Contact form

✅ Features

🏠 Accommodation

Collective

🗣️ Languages spoken

English Spanish