Safe Passage, is a non-profit organization in Guatemala known as Camino Seguro. Safe Passage’s mission is to help children and families in the Guatemala City garbage dump community break the cycle of poverty through education, emphasizing life skills and perseverance in order to thrive in work and contribute to their community. Safe Passage is a secular, non-political organization. Volunteers will live in Antigua and commute daily to nearby Guate City.
Safe Passage/Camino Seguro serves approximately 550 children and their families with an integrated program that incorporates healthy living, strong academics, life skills and psychosocial support, creativity, and fun. Most volunteers work directly with students in any one of the classrooms for students, age three years through high school. The organization also benefits from volunteer participation in a variety of other departments including Adult Literacy and Social Entrepreneurship, Kitchen/Operations, and Public Relations/Development.
Volunteer in Guatemala
International Volunteers
With a minimum of 5 weeks of time, short-term volunteers may work as a classroom assistant in the Escuelita, Educational Reinforcement Center (CRE), as a member of the administrative team, or with our Adult Education Program. In addition to helping the children with their school homework, Camino Seguro actively supports extra-curricular activities that support creative and critical thinking, as the Guatemalan school system can be very rote and limited in its educational approach.
Long-term volunteers will have access to additional roles within various programs, including the health and wellness program, adult education activities, community and family services, and more.
Safe Passage also offers the opportunity for international groups of people to visit the project together for a one-week service learning experience; these experiences, called Support Teams, provide high-school, university, religious or civic groups the opportunity to engage in all aspects of the project including time with students of all ages and activities with women participants of our social entrepreneurship program, Creamos.
National Volunteers
Guatemalan volunteers are welcome to join the team, serving in various roles based on their skill-sets and schedule; while the majority of national volunteers work with the organization during Saturday Clubs, there are positions available during the weekdays.
The majority of volunteers work as Teacher’s Assistants in the Educational Reinforcement Center, helping support the Guatemalan teaching staff in the classrooms. Volunteers are encouraged to assist the teachers in all classroom activities, be they academic in nature (i.e. homework, tutoring etc.) or other enrichment activities (i.e. arts, sports, music, etc.).
Short-Term Volunteer Expectations
- Basic Spanish recommended
- At least 5 weeks of service
- Regular business hours, Monday-Friday
- Work in a supportive or administrative role to help reach program goals
- Engage with students and enhance your teaching experience
- Successful completion of mandatory background screening
Long-term Volunteer Expectations
- Intermediate or advanced Spanish recommended
- 6 months or more of service
- Regular business hours, Monday-Friday
- Qualifications and experience to meet position-specific needs
- Work as an English teacher, tutor, health educator, or program coordinator
- Engage with our students and enhance your teaching experience
- Develop professional skills while living and working abroad
- Successful completion of mandatory background screening