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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peace Villages Foundation a good fit for me?
Will I have opportunities to learn Spanish?
What about medical care?
What is the purpose of volunteering?
Does Peace Villages have any religious affiliations?
How is Peace Villages funded?
Why should I pay to volunteer?
How can I fundraise?
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Do I need to pay any costs in advance?
How much money should I plan to spend in Venezuela?
How can I communicate with my family while in Venezuela?
Will I need a Visa?
Do I need travel/health insurance?
Do I need any vaccinations?
Finally, how could I make the most of the
experience?
Is Peace Villages Foundation a good fit for me?
Here are some good questions to ask yourself to decide if Peace
Villages is the right organization for you: Do I understand the challenges of short-term volunteering?
If you are coming for a short period of time, it is harder to
make a recognizable impact on the community. Be prepared for this. You
might not be able to see projects through to a conclusion, but
this certainly does not mean that your work is meaningless.
A large part of your impact will be the financial assistance that
you provide toward the long term goal of creating a multi-faceted
Therapy Center on the PVF grounds. Another major part of your
volunteering experience will be the things you learn and share with
others when you go home. Coming for a short time it can be very hard
to see how the work you do connects with the bigger
picture, or to feel a sense of having really finished your
volunteer trip when you leave. This can be exacerbated if you
don't
speak much/any Spanish, as it will be very probable that you will
develop closer friendships with other volunteers than with locals. You
should be realistic about all of these things.
Am I open to personal growth?
Volunteering with Peace Villages may bring you into unfamiliar
territory. This is part of the beauty of volunteering and living
in another country. You must be ready to experience challenges.
These may come in the form of cultural or personal differences. You must be able to see the beauty in these differences, as well
as the opportunities for change that they present. Volunteers
who come to Peace Villages with an open mind and heart tend to
benefit the most from this unique experience. Also, don't
doubt that whatever difficulties arise, you will always have the
support of your fellow volunteers and PVF staff! Am I willing to work on my relationships with others through
the Cooperative Living experiment?
Please read our
Peace
Villages Cooperative Living Guidelines
Peace Villages Volunteer Guidelines for further
information Am I serious about volunteering?
Before joining
us, we ask you to evaluate why you want to volunteer.
This requires that
each person work not because s/he is seeking outside recognition,
but rather because s/he has some belief in the cause and enjoys the cross-cultural experience. Whether you
decide to take part in Cooperative Living or feel that the
Independent Accommodation option best suits your requirements,
we would ask you to remain focused on the voluntary work that
you commit to each week. Being in a new and exotic place,
with friends to make, parties to attend and places to explore
is an important part of the experience. We just ask that volunteering
be your number one priority while you are with Peace
Villages. Am I reliable? Do I keep my commitments?
As Peace Villages
programs rely heavily on the work of each volunteer it is
essential to have people willing to keep their commitments.
Each volunteer will determine a personal work schedule.
This is always catered to each person's interests, and is very
flexible. However, once this schedule is set, it is
essential that each volunteer be committed to fulfilling his/her
responsibilities. Our programs, especially the
Mobile School, are very dependent on the work of
volunteers. An inability to keep commitments can create
difficulties for fellow volunteers as well as the children.
Volunteers decide how many hours they want to work. We recommend a
minimum of 4 hours daily for 4 days a week. You may work as much as
6 days and as many hours you wish. We emphasize that we focus on
excellence and not on quantity! Is partying a priority for me?
In Venezuela, there is always a rumba nearby. Parties are
everywhere and every day, and this
celebratory culture is something that every tourist can
appreciate. Unfortunately, the rumbas are often
accompanied by serious social problems. Alcoholism is
prominent in
Venezuela, and alcohol-related violence (domestic
violence in particular) is very common.
Families are torn apart all the time because of
substance abuse, and many of the children we work with are vicitims of this problem.
We try to create a sensible community where this isn't an issue. This
is not to say that volunteers can't have a good time at the
house or in Santa Elena. We simply ask that all be
conscious of our image in the community, and act accordingly.
Through past experiences, we have found that not allowing people
to get drunk on the Peace Villages grounds is the best
way to ensure the quality of our work/cooperative living
environment. Am I independent? Do I take initiative?
Peace Villages Foundation is building towards its long-term goal of being
a multi-faceted Therapy Center. The Foundation is still very flexible in many areas. While this is hard for some
people, for others it is a great opportunity to
be innovative. While we have our established programs,
there are plenty of other opportunities to
explore. All volunteers are invited to do this! We take
your suggestions seriously. Am I flexible?
In Venezuela, nothing is for sure. If you are coming from a more
industrialized country, you may be used to the conveniences and
reliability that consumer culture provides. Here in Venezuela,
however, things may take a little longer, and
be less reliable. In order to
have a positive experience here, it will be necessary to accept
these uncertainties.
Also, if you choose to live Cooperatively, we would like to
remind you that flexibility is a necessary quality to have.
With volunteers coming and going all the time, decisions that are
made are always a reflection of the particular group present at
that time. There are bound to be
personality differences and a capacity to manage these
differences is very important.
Medical care
Free medical care is available in the Santa Elena town hospital
and across the border in Brazil (about 15km) there is a hospital
too. There are also private doctors and dentists, who charge about 10 USD
per visit. In case of more serious medical needs, there is a good
hospital in Boa Vista, Brazil, 2 hours drive with ambulance service.
Does Peace Villages have any religious affiliations?
No. Peace Villages is an open and supportive environment concerned with
the promotion of respect for people from all backgrounds. We do not have any affiliations with any religious,
governmental, corporate or other interests.
Funding
As stated, we are
a non-profit organization and rely entirely on volunteer donations to finance our
programs. The Peace Villages Foundation does not receive funding from
religious, corporate or government agencies. We do not pay
salaries but are totally driven by long & short-term volunteer
efforts. Again, we therefore can
keep volunteer costs to a minimum spending less of the money on overheads.
Our funds are dedicated to the financing of our programs and to the building of our Therapy Center
(see our Spending page for details). It is
also spent on expenses directly related to hosting and supervising our
volunteers and to providing all necessary services to them.
Why should I pay to volunteer?
By volunteering with an established organisation you can be
reassured that you will be volunteering with a project that needs
your help.
As we do not receive funding from any government agencies,
religious, or corporate groups, the money that you pay
is what finances the Foundation´s humanitarian and development
programs.
Unfortunately, we do not therefore have the resources to pay for
people's time, or subsidize travel costs (and if we did, then
naturally it would be more cost-effective to employ local people).
We are a verified charity and unlike many volunteer
programs, we are a non-profit organization. The vast majority of
our volunteers apply directly through our website, therefore
allowing us to keep
volunteer costs to a minimum. Click
here for a full breakdown of how your
volunteer donations are spent.
Do I need to pay any costs in advance?
Once we have agreed with you the details of your placement, we
require that a deposit (50%) be paid. This is due to the fact that we are
a small community-based charity with very limited resources. We need the money to cover
certain costs prior to your arrival. See
Terms and Conditions for further
details.
How much money should I plan to spend in Venezuela?
The national currency of Venezuela is the Bolivar
(Bs.). Normal personal daily expenses (excluding accommodation) range between US$3
and US$6. If you are interested in eating in
restaurants or going out on weekends, these costs will obviously
be higher.
There are also many interesting
natural places to visit in Venezuela.
There are ample opportunities to explore the mountains, beaches,
and jungles. These of course will cost extra.
See our
Adventure Tours section for more details.
How can I communicate with my family while in Venezuela?
There are many options available for you to maintain contact with
your family. There are Internet cafes throughout the town
(the cost for one hour is usually 80 cents to $1). There are a number of long distance calling centers in the town (e.g.
cost to Europe or the USA approx US $0.35 per minute). You
can also purchase phone cards or use an international operator to call
internationally.
Will I need a Visa?
A visa is not generally required if you are going to be in Venezuela for
less than 90 days. Volunteers from the UK, USA, Switzerland, France,
Canada, Australia, Holland, Scandinavian Countries etc. DO NOT need a
visa for that length of stay. On arrival at Caracas airport,
you will get a three months tourist visa free of charge. If
you are staying for longer than 90 days, this can be extended
at the nearby Brazilian border
(15 min. taxi ride). Note that US, Canadian, Australian and some other
citizens must pay for a visa if they go to Brazil.
For more information we
recommend checking with your local Embassy before you depart.
Do I need travel/health insurance?
Yes! It is important to check with your insurance company before
you leave to determine whether or not you are covered during
international travel. If not, travel insurance should be purchased
for the duration of your trip. Check with your insurance agent, or
contact Council Travel if you are a student. We highly recommend you
taking out at least a basic insurance covering yourself and your
property.
Do I need any vaccinations?
The following vaccinations/tablets are recommended:
-Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid. (Especially if you travel through the country)
-Yellow Fever (only required if you wish to travel into Brazil,
but Santa Elena is only 15 mins drive from the border, so there
will be ample opportunities for you to pop to Brazil for an
afternoon!)
-Malaria & Dengue - if you
travel to Amazonas, the lowlands or the coast.
Please note, these are only recommendations,
and you should check with your local
health organization for a recent update on what vaccinations/medications
are required.
How could I make the most of the
experience?
Try not to come with too many expectations. Recognize that you
won't leave feeling
as though you've saved the world. It is good to
have a provisional preference of the programs you want to participate in.
Nevertheless, flexibility is appreciated. Due to the
changing needs of our beneficiaries, and available resources,
programs may change. Give 100% in all
you do.
Volunteers who put the most in definitely get the most
out! Take advantage of the opportunities open to you.
You may never have opportunities like these again,
so take advantage! At your volunteer work place show
your dedication. Be open to trying new things and learning new
skills. Finally, come with a sense of humor and of patience.
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