PROJECT: The objective of this project is to promote the education of children and teenagers in local communities. The Mexican education model needs to update responding to global changes, children and teenagers should receive a broader education that includes topics such as intercultural learning, globalization, and entrepreneurial culture, creating a project of life, foster ecological awareness, prevention and rejection of all forms of violence and anticorruption values. Mexico urgently needed this paradigm to shift in the education of children and teenagers, school dropouts due to lack of setting clear goals, many children wonder why they even go to school. To work against this, a selected group of students and teachers from Higher Education Institutions, have the motivation and the abilities to share their experience in those topics with children and teenagers knowledge, this is the 5th year this project is organized with excellent results since it has proven to awake awareness on children and teenagers. On the other hand, at the local region where the project takes place there are serious environmental problems that require immediate action. Pine tree species are in serious danger, and it's essential to increase reforestation goals and protect the flora, fauna and aquifers. This project is bidirectional, it benefits both children and teenagers from local communities and senior students and volunteers as well, creating opportunities for international coexistence for students, providing comprehensive training through the promotion of multiculturalism, language practice and human development. Encourage children and adolescents in the municipality of Morelia to follow an ecological culture, to design life projects, to have an entrepreneurial culture, as well as prevention and rejection of all forms of violence and corruption instill values through a program of activities where international volunteers and local students and teachers of the Instituto Tecnologico de Morelia are involved, creating an atmosphere of trust, multiculturalism, clear goals in life and global vision, also the project involves volunteers in activities of environmental care and preservation of green spaces.
WORK: The project work is organized in three parts:
1st. Integration training session, it will last three days, held at the institution between volunteers and students of the Technological Institute of Morelia.
2nd. Social Work Day, which lasts five days in Santiago Undameo municipality of Morelia, participating on teaching children and adolescents workshops about entrepreneurial culture, life projects, ecological awareness, prevention and rejection of all forms of violence or corruption. It is not necessary to speak Spanish because the methodology involves learning through games and activities and volunteers are always accompanied by senior students of the Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia and they will help to translate the international volunteers.
3rd. Reforestation Day and preservation of educational spaces, it will last for five days, planting and transplanting trees in the ecological reserve of Morelia and the institution.
There will be two Saturday trips organized by the institution in which the volunteers will visit nearby towns that offer different types of handcrafts, cuisine and a traditional atmosphere, such as: Pátzcuaro, Quiroga, Tzintzuntzan, Capula, Santa Clara del Cobre and visit Cuanajo atmosphere.
Workinng hours will be from 9:00am to 14:00pm.
LOCATION: Morelia City, Michoacan state, 4 hours by bus from Mexico City, it has 2,000,000 inhabits and has all the services. Music, movies and beautiful buildings of subtle pink quarry stone are some of the brightest attractions of this beautiful city. The colonial city of Morelia is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, and from its breathtaking architecture, it's clear to see why. Besides being the capital of the State of Michoacan – and the state's largest and most populated city, at that – it is also the seat of government institutions and the most prestigious higher education institute in the region: the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo (Michoacan University of Saint Nicolas of Hidalgo).
LEISURE ACTIVITIES: Morelia has a many leisure activities to offer to the youngsters, the night life is vibrant and diverse and the city is located close to magical perfect typical towns as well as the beach at the Pacific Ocean located only 4 hours by bus from the city. There are also many cultural activities that can be done in Morelia and the places close to the city, Morelia has amazing historical buildings, plazas and in recent years has developed an excellent offer of boutique hotels and cozy restaurants with great cuisine. Close from Morelia, a smaller town of cobbled streets, Patzcuaro, next to the lake with the same name, has an authentic Mexican flavor that would make it a surprisingly unique venue for a discovering trip. All of this combines to make Morelia by far the most cultural city in Michoacan, offering its visitors a wide range of museums and art galleries, as well as cafés perfect for chatting over coffee while sharing pleasant moments. Morelia has stadiums, sports arenas, convention centers, colleges, restaurants and top-level hotels as well as movie theaters and concert and entertainment venues. Since 2003, the Morelia International Film Festival has also been held each October and has featured renowned directors such as Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, Quentin Tarantino, Pedro Almodovar, and Guillermo del Toro among others.
HOSTING: Volunteers will be hosted in a particular house with all services at disposal: Hot Water, Electricity, Restrooms, Showers, Kitchen, Fridge, Laundry room, Safety Box and Wi-Fi connection.
SPECIAL REQUIRMENTS: Jeans, light clothes, boots and sneakers, raincoat and insect repellent.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR VOLUNTEERS: For all the volunteers accepted in the Vive México Workcamps there are FREE SPANISH courses all year round at the Vive Mexico International Cultural Center at Morelia City, come and take place in a FREE Spanish course one week before your workcamp starts!.
EXTRA FEE: 0.0 EURO (No Fee)
INCLUDES (only during the project days), Hosting (according to the conditions specified at the project description) 3 meals a day, Local transportation with project purposes, Administration and organization expenses, tools and materials.
DO NOT INCLUDE: Airfare to Mexico, Transportation from international airport to the project place, Leisure activities, Insurances.