Location: Habitat for Humanity Chile, National Office
Term of Service: 6-12 months

Summary: Are you a dynamic and proactive individual that has volunteer experience or has worked with volunteers? We’re looking for you! This is a good fit for someone who enjoys working outdoors and in visiting rural areas. You must be able to travel independently and be a good problem solver. Additionally, you should be comfortable communicating and meeting with businesses and institutions about the central “Building Homes without Borders” project.

Reporting to the volunteer mobilization coordinator, this volunteer will provide logistical and organizational support to national and international construction work teams. With international teams, this includes picking them up at the airport, taking them to their hotels, accompanying them to the construction site and serving as an interpreter when necessary. With national teams, the work consists of helping identify and recruit individuals and help them organize into teams. The volunteer will also help support the department with orientation for new and potential volunteers. We provide an orientation about Habitat-Chile’s programs and our project “Building Homes without Frontiers”, our main construction project with volunteers.

We’re looking for someone with advanced English and Spanish with a background in one or more of the following: public relations, tourism or hospitality, marketing, advertising, translation and interpretation, communications, education and recruiting or interacting with groups.

Requirements: Flexibility; fluent written/oral skills in Spanish and English; excellent communication skills both written and oral; basic marketing and organizational experience; ability to work with diverse groups; Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint). We are looking for someone who takes responsibility and initiative, is motivated, dedicated and proactive.

Preferred: 2-4 years of university education; construction site experience; ability to work in a team; creativity; experience working in multi-cultural environments.

Support from Host Organization:
HFH will provide: office space, office equipment, computer, work-related transportation (by bus), Habitat-Chile is attempting to secure free housing for the volunteer. If the office is unable to do so, we will provide a $200 monthly housing stipend. There are a number of shared apartments and residential hostels for rent to students in the area surrounding the office.

Volunteer Budget:
Volunteers will be responsible for all costs associated with living in the host country. An estimate for a single individual is given below. (All figures in U.S. dollars.)

Expense per month:

Home Stay:
Housing $365
Utilities $0**
Food $65
Transport to and from work $30
Other (recreation, personal expenses) $150
Monthly Total $610.00
**Utilities are often included with the housing cost in home stays.

Apartment (furnished):
Housing $250
Utilities $50
Food $175
Transport to and from work $30
Other (recreation, personal expenses)$150
Monthly Total $655.00

One Time Expense:
Visa: $150*
Entry tax: $75
MedEx Insurance $(based on a 6-month term)
$364-546**
Total one time expenses: $225+insurance

* The volunteer staying for more then 3 months will need to apply for a visa of temporary residency. Contact the nearest Chilean consulate for specific information regarding visas. Be sure to clarify what type of visa you will need (tourist/business, single or multiple entry), length of stay and what to do about visa extensions, if necessary.
**Within 30 days of departure, you must confirm the purchase of MedEx insurance for your term of service. Depending on the plan selected and age of volunteer, a price range estimate is provided. Please visit the MedEx website to verify details.

Description of Assignment Location: The volunteer will be serving in the National Office, located in downtown Santiago. The role of the National Office is to provide administration and support, as the actual construction occurs only outside of the city. Santiago is a city of approximately six million people, and as such has all of the attractions, activities and services that one would expect form a city of this size. Phone service is good, internet access is almost universal and cell phone usage is common.

The prices listed for the home stay would include a private room in a family home, with breakfast, dinner and utilities (electricity, water) included. Although housing could be found relatively close to the office, the volunteer would most likely have to take a bus or the subway to and from work.

Appropriate dress for the office would best be described as business casual (nice jeans and khakis are acceptable). Chilean dress outside of work is generally casual. Chilean weather runs the gambit from very warm in the summer to quite cold and wet in the winter, so it is important to bring clothes for all types of weather.

Additional Information: The volunteer must provide proof of valid MEDEX medical insurance, a visa, passport, work permit (if necessary) and plane ticket for the return trip home. It is suggested that you purchase an open-ended flight ticket. Your passport must be valid for at least six months past the return date.

Additional items to pack: Essentially, anything you could find in your home country you could find in Chile, so there is little need to stock up on anything before coming. Although, while most anything in readily available in Chile, not every type of everything is available, so if you have a particular brand of something that you prefer (say, sunscreen for example) it may be best to bring a good supply. Also, it would be prudent to bring along all prescription medications as well as emergency contact phone and fax numbers in your home country.

The International Volunteer Program with Habitat for Humanity International that has been designed to engage people globally in our mission of eliminating poverty housing.

Currently “special project” volunteers can work on projects and programs for an average term of 6 months at Habitat offices ranging from finance, specialized construction, communications and resource development to training, volunteer coordination and a variety of other areas. In the past we have had placements in: Argentina, Armenia, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania or Uganda.

Habitat for Humanity International is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. The purpose and goal of Habitat for Humanity International is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses in partnership with families in need.

TO APPLY: visit our website at http://www.habitat.org/ivp
You can download the application and fax or mail it in to the International Volunteer Program.