SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amigos de las Américas, a nonprofit youth leadership development organization, is currently accepting applications for students ages 13-22 in Silicon Valley who want to go beyond travel in 2019.
AMIGOS provides volunteers ages 13 to 22 the safest, most authentic service and immersion experiences in Latin America. Living and working in a new country gives young people the chance to improve their Spanish, make an impact, gain confidence, and build leadership skills. AMIGOS programs offer volunteers a unique way to see the world while being supported by an unsurpassed health and safety system.
AMIGOS believes that health and safety start at home, so they require all volunteers to attend training programs that prepare them for the field. As the industry leader in health and safety management, AMIGOS staff is prepared for any situation that may arise. All volunteers receive a personalized emergency plan, as well as support from local staff teams and a professional 24-hour On-Call Safety Team of travel specialists, doctors, and mental health specialists. AMIGOS also has an established network of vetted medical clinics and hospitals throughout the region.
“I was impressed by the AMIGOS organization,” said Jennifer, the parent of a volunteer.
“They teach the participants how to be effective volunteers. My daughter had a good degree of independence in her AMIGOS work, but there was also a strong support system of AMIGOS staff in the country, as well as the local host organization, her host family, and other AMIGOS volunteers in her community that she could always turn to for help or guidance. It was the perfect balance of support and independence in a safe environment.”
2019 Summer Program offerings include national park conservation in Costa Rica, developing a sports league to promote youth leadership in the Dominican Republic, working on small business development in Ecuador, educating on community health in Panama, and more.
“[AMIGOS] programs aim to channel the energy of youth … to benefit both their host communities abroad as well as the students themselves through service work and intercultural exchange,” said Kent Campbell, Silicon Valley Chapter President.
“Through the experience, teens return home more mature and globally aware... This is a way for students to cross borders to learn more about our global neighbors, to find themselves by living and working in a challenging new environment, and to develop their own personal values. Our culture doesn’t have many rites of passage – this AMIGOS experience is one of the most challenging, rewarding, and transformative activities for our young people today,”
To learn more about AMIGOS and sign up with the local Silicon Valley Chapter, please visit the AMIGOS Silicon Valley Chapter at https://siliconvalley.amigosinternational.org/.
About AMIGOS
Founded in 1965, AMIGOS is the safest, most authentic volunteer and immersion program in Latin America for young people ages 13 to 22. Volunteers get the opportunity to explore a new country, learn Spanish, bond with their host family, and make a positive impact by working on a community service project side by side with local peers and community partners. Our relationships with local and international organizations — built over 54 years — enable authentic engagements in communities across the region.