Alternative education project near Bogota, Colombia

Details

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  Description

  This is a foundation born in 2020 and is located in the heart of the Chicaque Nature Reserve, a magnificent cloud forest, 30 minutes outside Bogota, Colombia. It is a great place to hike, camp and bird-watch.
  This is a small learning community that tries to get back to a natural way of learning where children, thanks to their natural (innate) curiosity, learn at their own pace things they are interested in. Colombia is one of the most unequal countries in the world, and difficult access to quality education is one of the biggest drivers of inequality. We want to fill in that gap by accepting kids from all social and economical backgrounds.
  Long term volunteers are hosted for free in a small shared house inside the natural reserve. Volunteers buy and cook their food on their own. Short term volunteers are asked to make a small contribution to the maintenance of the house and services, and buy their food on their own. We also have a special offer and housing options for families who are looking for an enriching experience with their children. Parents can either volunteer, relax or work remotely. Write us to get more information on our familystay program.
  In 2024, we opened a small culture center in the city of Soacha where helping hands are also more than welcome. (This project is also suitable for people who wish to get involved just once per week).

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  You will be able to learn a lot: about Colombia in general, the protected ecosystem of the Andean cloud forest, Muiscan native culture or about eco-construction; you will be able to learn and practice Spanish, exchange with different children and adult members of our community, you will be able to enjoy a touristic mountain paradise every day. You will be able to create a completely new, fascinating educational project. And, last but not least, you will be near Colombia's buzzling capital Bogotá, whenever you feel like you've had enough from nature...

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  What we are looking for: motivated and autonomous people who love to be and easily connect with children and teenagers, who will accompany them during their self-motivated learning process and explorations. Volunteers involved with the children should have had experience with children or teenagers but do not have to be teachers or pedagogy students. Hopefully you are keen on implementing projects (arts, music, sports, science….) with the children.In any case, you should like hiking in the mountains, since Chicaque is located in the heart of the Colombian Andes and work might include picking up children in the morning and bringing them back in the afternoon, 4 days a week. (Getting out of the park means hiking, too!) Other tasks (especially for volunteers who are not that much into children) include administrative support, maintenance, ecological projects in the nature reserve, construction work, fundraising, help with social media (videos, photos), etc. We also look for happy, enthusiast people who like trying new things and implement new projects (events, help with our social networks, fundraising, etc.). We are especially interested in English mother tongues or non-Spanish native speakers to enhance cultural diversity and language skills among our community.
  In 2024, we opened a cultural center in the city of Soacha near Chicaque where we offer activities for children. This project is under construction and helping hands are more than welcome (also for people or students who stay in Bogotá and wish to volunteer just once per week), for instance English classes, play with the children, do workshops of all kinds.
  We also look for people who know about and like working in the area of eco-constructions in order to expand our infrastructure for the children's self-organized learning processes and volunteers.
  Volunteers should stay at least for 4 months (hopefully for a whole year!) to be able to connect with and accompany the children during their learning process.
  Long term volunteers from 3 months to 1 year receive free accommodation (in a small shared house with two shared rooms) and money for their food once per month to do their shopping according to their needs: the money is enough for basic and local ingredients. If you need or want more special things, you will maybe have to put a bit more money, but that is up to you. Volunteers prepare their dishes on their own, there is a fully equipped kitchen.
  We look for people who are proactive and do not wait to be told what to do. this place lives from new initiatives and new people who believe that a different way of life is possible where working, learning and enjoying life at the same time is possible, without hierarchy and based on mutual trust, exchange and partnership.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  Children here are interested in learning new languages, especially English! This is a great opportunity to have a linguistic exchange, because you will definitely learn Spanish in our community.
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  Accommodation

  Small, shared and fully equipped house with two small rooms in the heart of the Chicaque Nature Reserve. Please be aware that this is a humid place, since we are located in a cloud forest. During the rainy and foggy months of the year, there can be mold in the house (although we are already working on improving this situation). Temperature can fluctuate between 10°C (during very cold nights) and 25 °C (on very sunny days). On average the temperature is about 15-20°C.
  For families, we offer completely equipped houses for stays up to several weeks (ideally for one month). Parents who wish to volunteer get a discount on the established familystay price that includes private housing and activities for the children. Please write to us to get more information.

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  What else ...

  This is a hiking paradise. You'll be able to walk and enjoy the nature reserve and its services whenever you like. It is also possible to hike down to the towns of Santandercito and San Antonio del Tequendama. There is a Vipassana nearby as well, coffee farms and pictographs. The Colombian capital Bogotá (with bars, theatres, museums, concerts, old town, and so on) is nearby, too and getting there on public transport is easy. You may also make use of our community car to get around. Be aware that inside the park the main means of transport will be your feet.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  There are different spaces where you can work on your own projects. However, connectivity here is sometimes a bit tricky, if you need a very fast internet connection or work with large uploads and so on, this is the wrong place.... If you only need a fare internet connection, it works.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  There is lots of space at the entrance of the natural reserve.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  Yes, but we have to check every case individually because this is a protected area. Actually, we have lots of problems with abandoned dogs and cats that hunt native fauna...

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

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