Volunteer Roles
Asociación Caras Alegres is committed to supporting the holistic development, well-being, and future opportunities of children and youth in our community. Through education, psychosocial support, creative expression, health initiatives, and community engagement, we strive to create safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces where young people can grow with dignity and confidence.
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Our volunteers play a vital role in strengthening our programs and expanding our impact. We welcome individuals who are committed, responsible, culturally respectful, and passionate about contributing their skills in a meaningful way. Whether your background is in education, psychology, communications, sports, administration, nutrition, monitoring and evaluation, or technical support, your contribution can help transform lives.
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All volunteer roles operate under our Child Protection Policy, safeguarding standards, and Guatemalan regulations, ensuring that the safety and well-being of children remain our highest priority.
If you are interested in joining our team and making a positive impact, please contact Veronica Di Maggio at info@carasalegres.org for more information about current opportunities and the application process.
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All volunteers must comply with:
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Caras Alegres Child Protection Policy
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Guatemalan child protection legislation
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Confidentiality and ethical conduct standards
Volunteers may not engage in unsupervised one-on-one interactions with children, nor record or share images without authorization and consent.
List of all available roles
Artistic and Creative Programming Volunteer
To contribute to the holistic development of children and youth by facilitating artistic and cultural activities that foster self-expression, emotional well-being, creativity, and confidence.
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Requirements:
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Basic Spanish fluency
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Key responsibilities:
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Design and facilitate age-appropriate creative activities (art, music, dance, crafts, theater) in coordination with program staff
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Create inclusive and emotionally safe spaces for expression
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Support positive group dynamics and participation
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Prepare materials and ensure proper organization and cleanup
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Support networking and outreach initiatives for fundraising purposes
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Assist youth in researching scholarship (beca) opportunities
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Observe and report any safeguarding concerns to staff
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Time commitment:
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1–2 sessions per week
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4–6 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 1 month
Sports and Recreational Initiatives Volunteer
To promote physical health, teamwork, discipline, and emotional regulation through structured sports and recreational activities.​
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Requirements:
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Basic Spanish fluency
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Key responsibilities:
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Plan and facilitate sports activities adapted to age and ability
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Promote teamwork, fair play, inclusion, and respect
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Ensure participant safety and risk prevention
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Support community events, tournaments, and outings
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Encourage positive behavior and conflict resolution
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Communicate incidents or concerns to staff immediately
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Support networking initiatives for fundraising
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Assist youth in identifying scholarship opportunities
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Time commitment:
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1–2 sessions per week
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4–6 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 1 month
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Communications and Content Support Volunteer
To strengthen Caras Alegres’ visibility, transparency, and storytelling through ethical and high-quality communications.​​
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Key responsibilities:
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Draft, edit, and proofread newsletters, website content, and social media materials
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Document program activities and impact stories
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Support content planning with the Communication Coordinator
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Ensure compliance with child protection and consent policies
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Maintain ethical, respectful, and accurate representation of beneficiaries
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Time commitment:
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Flexible schedule
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4–6 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 2–3 months
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Administrative, Fundraising, and Grant Support Volunteer
To enhance operational efficiency and support the financial sustainability of Caras Alegres.
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Requirements:
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Basic Spanish fluency
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Key responsibilities:
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Assist with data entry, document management, and filing
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Support fundraising campaigns and donor communication
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Research and assist in drafting grant proposals and reports
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Monitor deadlines and reporting requirements
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Handle sensitive information confidentially
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Time commitment:
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6–8 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 3 months
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Psychology Practicum Volunteer
To support psychosocial well-being initiatives under professional supervision while fulfilling academic practicum requirements.​
Requirements:
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Fluent Spanish required.
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Enrollment in or graduation from a recognized psychology program
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Commitment to ethical standards and safeguarding policies
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Key responsibilities:
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Assist in planning and facilitating psychosocial workshops under supervision
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Observe emotional and behavioral dynamics
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Support safe emotional expression
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Document activities ethically and confidentially
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Refer concerns to supervising professionals (no independent clinical intervention permitted)
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Time commitment:
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8–12 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 2 months
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Duration aligned with academic requirements
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Nutrition and Healthy Living Program Volunteer
To promote nutrition, hygiene, and overall well-being among children and families.
Requirements:
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Fluent Spanish required
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Key responsibilities:
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Support workshops on nutrition and healthy habits
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Assist in supervised meal preparation
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Develop educational materials
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Promote food safety and hygiene
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Support monitoring and reporting activities
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Time commitment:
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4–8 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 2 months
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English Language Instruction Volunteer
To strengthen educational opportunities through English language instruction and academic support.
Requirements:
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Fluent Spanish required
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Key responsibilities:
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Facilitate conversational English sessions and tutoring
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Support homework and language reinforcement
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Apply interactive teaching methodologies
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Support networking for fundraising purposes
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Coordinate lesson plans with staff
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Time commitment:
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1–2 sessions per week
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4–6 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 2 months
Technical Assistant to Program Educators
To provide technical and logistical support during educational sessions to ensure smooth program delivery.
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Requirements:
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Fluent Spanish required
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Basic knowledge of computers and audiovisual tools
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Clear communication skills
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Respect for confidentiality and safeguarding policies
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Key responsibilities:
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Provide technical support during workshops and classes
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Assist in preparing digital and audiovisual materials
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Support setup and storage of equipment
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Assist with online or hybrid sessions
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Maintain safe and responsible technology use
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Report technical or safeguarding concerns immediately
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Time commitment:
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4–6 hours per week
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Flexible schedule aligned with class times
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Minimum commitment: 2 months
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Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting Volunteer
To support systematic tracking, evaluation, and reporting of program impact, ensuring accountability and transparency.​
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Requirements:
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Fluent Spanish required
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Background in M&E, Development, Social Sciences, or related field
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Strong analytical and writing skills
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Fluency in English and Spanish preferred
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High attention to detail
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Key responsibilities:
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Track program progress against objectives and indicators
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Collect qualitative and quantitative data
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Support development of monitoring tools
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Analyze impact data
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Identify lessons learned and improvement areas
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Prepare donor reports and impact summaries
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Support dashboard and data visualization development
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Ensure compliance with reporting deadlines
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Consolidate program information
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Maintain organized digital records
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Ensure ethical data use
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Time commitment:
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6–8 hours per week
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Minimum commitment: 2 – 4 months
General Volunteer Position
The General Volunteer supports Caras Alegres’ programs through active participation in educational, recreational, administrative, and community-based activities. Volunteers contribute to the daily operations of the organization while gaining meaningful hands-on experience in social impact work. This role is adaptable based on the volunteer’s skills, background, and program needs.​
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Requirements:
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Interest in social impact, education, community development, psychology, nutrition, or related fields
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Responsible, respectful, and culturally sensitive
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Ability to work in a team environment
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Basic English and/or Spanish (preferred but not mandatory depending on role)
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Commitment to child safeguarding principles
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Key responsibilities:
Depending on experience and organizational priorities, responsibilities may include: ​
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Assist with after-school activities and homework support
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Support educational workshops (English, literacy, arts, life skills, etc.)
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Help facilitate recreational, sports, and creative activities
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Assist during meal distribution and nutrition programs
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Participate in community outreach initiatives
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Fundraising networking
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Help document activities through reports (if applicable)
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Contribute to content creation (reports, social media drafts, internal documentation) Supervision & Safeguarding
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Always work under staff supervision
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Follow all Child Protection and Safeguarding policies
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Maintain confidentiality of all beneficiary information
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Time commitment:
Schedules are agreed upon prior to placement, but this is what you can expect:
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Flexible placement duration (short-term, medium-term, or long-term)
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Typical schedule: Monday–Friday
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Morning hours (quieter administrative time)
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Afternoon hours (more active program engagement with children)
Volunteer Stories
"It will broaden the view you have right now on the world."
Lise Ranselaar, volunteer in 2022
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering at Caras Alegres is more than just giving your time,it's a chance to immerse yourself in authentic Guatemalan life and contribute meaningfully to a local community.
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As a volunteer, you’ll take part in our afternoon program three days a week. You’ll engage with children through fun and creative activities like soccer, jump rope, street chalk art, and crafts. You’ll also support our director, Allan, in facilitating planned activities—and your own ideas and input are always welcome to help enrich the program.
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In addition to working directly with the children, volunteers can also get involved in administrative support and community development initiatives, including workshops for parents and women in the neighborhood.
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While fluency in Spanish isn’t required, a basic level of proficiency is helpful, as it’s the primary language spoken by the children and most community members. If you're looking to improve your Spanish, we encourage combining your volunteer work with language classes at one of the many local schools in Quetzaltenango. For example, you might volunteer on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and attend Spanish classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Join us at Caras Alegres to create lasting memories, make a real impact, and experience the warmth and vibrancy of Guatemalan culture.