GET INVOLVED

Poder Joven Foundation

Volunteering Program

Poder Joven Foundation was founded by people with a strong desire of providing opportunities to children victims of the humanitarian crisis in Colombia. Members of Poder Joven find greatest joy in giving the best of themselves for these children. A strategic priority of the foundation is to create awareness so we most welcome volunteers. We believe that anybody can become a contributor to the mission of Poder Joven even from the distance. Consider, for example, becoming an ambassador of Poder Joven Foundation by promoting our work, finding sponsors, or by just creating awareness among people around you. Obviously, we would be delighted to have you here with us!!.

If you are interested in participating on the daily activities at Casa Karah or Casa Maren we would be very happy to have you on board!.

¿Who can work as a volunteer in Poder Joven Foundation?

Anybody over the age of 18 who can donate some of his/her time and commitment to help with the social programs of the foundation.

Being a volunteer is a serious compromise that must not be understated. For whatever amount of time you promise to volunteer we expect you to treat it with the same care and responsibility you would in regular paid job. Once committed, teachers will be counting on you to serve the days that you agreed to do so. We ask volunteers to not let Poder Joven Foundation down and let us know in advance if you cannot deliver your commitment or if you need to leave before the end of your term.

¿What type of support do I get from Poder Joven Foundation as a volunteer?

Poder Joven offers free lunch to volunteers from Monday through Friday during the times that he/she is doing volunteering work. Volunteers receive the same food that is offered to the children served in the social programs.

Things that Poder Joven CANNOT offer

Lodging
Airplane tickets (local or international)
Immigration/Visa paperwork
Immigration permits
Certification of volunteer work prior to completing their assignments (letters can only be given AFTER finishing the volunteer work)
Transportation to or/from the airport
Transportation within the city

¿What are the requirements to be a volunteer for Poder Joven Foundation?

Prospective volunteers must respect the philosophy and related activities of our foundation. Related to this, for example, we do Yoga and Meditation activities with the children regularly because we want them to exercise their spirituality. Volunteers are expected to participate in these activities when their help is needed. Although they are not required to share these beliefs, volunteers must not show their disagreement to children so as to avoid them getting confused.

For persons living overseas the minimum required period as a volunteer is one month.
For people already residing in Medellin the minimum stay as a volunteer is six months: 25 January to 30 June, or July 1th to December 23.
Volunteering program operates from Monday through Friday 8.30 am to 5:00 pm
Volunteers should participate at least one day per week in one of the following time periods: MORNING SESSION from 8:30 to 11:30am, AFTERNOON SESSION from 1 pm to 4:30 pm. Volunteers are welcome to attend both sessions and as many days of the week as they wish.
Volunteers must be willing to work in any (or both) of the two children service centers; Casa Karah (located in downtown Medellín) and Casa Maren (located in the northeast outskirt of the city). The communities face very different challenges and volunteers must be open minded to learn from either (or both).
If the volunteer requires a certificate at the end of the stay, he/she should keep log of the hours served and regularly ask personnel of Poder Joven to sign it. The certificate to be granted will be based on the recorded (and approved) hours. Please notice that unless the volunteer is responsible to complete this format/log no certificate can be warranted.
Please keep in mind your commute time and the cost of transportation (bus or metro) to go to Casa Karah or Casa Maren in your volunteering plan. We have seen volunteers quitting because they did not properly anticipate transportation costs and/or transportation time to meet their volunteering commitment.
Please become familiar –ahead of time- with the social programs offered by Poder Joven, as well as the objectives, mission, and context of the social programs. This information is all available in the foundation’s web site: www.fundacionpoderjoven.org.
Volunteers are expected to deliver the work that they committed to when signing up.
Please follow any recommendations and directions given by the personnel of Poder Joven Foundation
Volunteers should have a basic understanding of Spanish.
All volunteers are required to provide a criminal background check. Please ensure you allow sufficient time to acquire this document before you depart, as processing times vary. A background check is important to determine whether any serious criminal offense (especially related to child sex abuse) has been recorded against your name. The check must have been issued within 12 months of your program start date.
Our Foundation does have a volunteering program but we do not have the resources (physical or human) to offer internships or exchange programs because of the associated logistics and paperwork that these require (issuing transcripts, writing reports, etc).

¿Steps to become a volunteer for Poder Joven Foundation?

Because of the large number of requests for volunteering, Poder Joven Foundation has developed a process of evaluation and selection. The process is necessary to out the logistics so volunteers can have a meaningful experience and at the same time be useful to the foundation. We encourage prospective volunteers to careful read the steps listed in the application process.

Fill out the volunteering application form, which will be emailed to those expressing interest to become volunteers. The form can be filled out in Spanish or English. Please contact us at poderjoven@une.net.co and we will email you the application form.
Volunteers should apply at least two weeks prior to their desired start date.
Volunteers should indicate their desired start and end date as well as the desired time commitment during that period.
Applications may not be approved if the application form is not properly filled out.
Applications will be evaluated within three business days after they are received.
You will receive an acceptance letter via email once your volunteering application is approved. The letter would indicate the addresses of Poder Joven’s children service centers (Casa Karah and Casa Maren) along with the assigned volunteering time slots.
You should print this acceptance letter and bring it to Poder Joven the first time you come. This serves as a proof that you completed the selection process to become a volunteer for the foundation.
You may not bring friends or family with you just because they also want to volunteer, unless they have gone through the application and selection process.
Volunteers should notify Poder Joven Foundation about any change in their start or end time at least two weeks in advance. Failure to do so may result in denying future volunteering opportunities.

¿What can I do as a volunteer of Poder Joven Foundation?

Volunteers help to support the work planned by the foundation’s personnel. Specifically, volunteers could help with reading and writing activities for the children, art workshops, self-esteem workshops, recreational activities, and field trips. In addition, volunteers can propose additional activities like teaching children another language, new skills, or a sport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of a meal in Medellín? To give you an idea, a lunch menu in a decent (but not fancy) restaurant costs between COL$12000 and 18000. Remember that Poder Joven offers free lunch to volunteers from Monday through Friday during the times that he/she is doing her volunteering work.
How about transportation costs? Public buses are COL$2300. Subway METRO system is COL$2500. The metro system ticket can be used to go to any train station within the city. People from Medellin pride themselves, with a good reason, about the high efficiency of this transportation infrastructure. More information about subway lines and stations can be found here.
Where do volunteers typically live during their stay in Medellín? We recommend finding a hotel in these areas: i) Laureles, ii) Estadio, iii) la 70, iv) El Poblado. There are subways stations in all of these and you will find it advantegous to be close to one. To commute to the Casa Karah children service center you just need to take the subway to the “Cisneros” station. To commute to the Casa Maren children service center you will need to take first the subway and then take a bus to Brisas del Jardin.
Is it safe to visit Medellín? Overall, Medellin is safe for local and foreign tourists. Over the years, we have had more than 350 foreigners volunteering in Poder Joven and nothing has happened to them. As in any other major city in the world, you should exercise common sense and be cautious. For example, you should not be wearing expensive (or expensive looking) jewelry or showing an expensive cell phone when you go to downtown or the slums. New volunteers are given an orientation where we discuss transportation and lodging options.
Can Poder Joven help me get a Colombian Visa prior to my visit? Unfortunately no. Poder Joven strives to minimize administration costs so there is no personnel available to deal with immigration paperwork .

We thank you in advance for your generous interest of becoming part of Poder Joven Foundation. We are convinced that this is a life changing experience for you and for the children that we serve.

Donations

Your donation can be transformative to the lives of 130 underprivileged children in Medellin.

Colombia

Donations in Colombia can be performed through direct deposit in Poder Joven’s bank account:

Bank: Bancolombia
Account: Ahorros
Number: 10162884539
Name: Fundación Poder Joven
NIT: 811.006.346

U.S.A & Canadá

If you live in the United States or Canada, we recommend to donate through our sister organization “Friends of the Third World”. FOTW is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the USA and they can provide you with a donation receipt for tax deduction purposes.

Or if you prefer, you can send a check. For this option, please follow these instructions:

* Make a check payable to “Friends of the Third World”
* Write “Poder Joven” in the memo field of the check
* Mail the check to:
Friends of the Third World
611 W Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
USA

You can also make a payment through PayPal, but please be aware that is not tax deductible.

Donations from overseas

Donations from overseas can be done through Paypal

Also donations can be done through international wiring to Poder Joven’s bank account and the following information:

Bank Name: Bancolombia
Swift: COLOCOBM
Account Number: 62509524772
Name: Fundación Poder Joven
NIT: 811006346

Fundación Poder Joven

Phone +57-4-4799810 E-mail poderjoven@une.net.co

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