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Mercy Wings Vocational Center is an innovative vocational-technical training program for adolescents, between the ages of 15-19, who have not completed traditional schooling. Vocational tracts are offered in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, child care, and catering. Volunteers are needed as teachers in the Adolescent Development Program and in remedial subjects (math, reading, computer literacy), as counselors, and to assist with music, dance or art. Educational and/or social work background is helpful but not required.

While serving full-time for 2 years at this site, volunteers also have the opportunity to commit to living a simple and spiritual lifestyle in community with other volunteers. A member of Mercy Volunteer Corps must be 21 years of age or older, a high school graduate, able to work 40 hours per week at the assigned service site, able to live in an intentional community where there are persons of faith, and able to commit to living on a small stipend provided for personal and communal expenses. Volunteers should also be flexible and adaptable, gifted with a sense of humor, and comfortable with the Catholic church.

Volunteers are provided with:

• housing

• transportation

• food stipend

• medical insurance

• personal stipend

• orientations and retreats

• support from the Sisters in the local community as well as the main office in the US

No foreign language skills required as volunteers serve in the only English speaking country in South America.

The service commitment begins each year in July with Cross-cultural Orientation and finishes two years later.

To apply, visit http://www.mercyvolunteers.org/apply or e-mail ContactUs@mercyvolunteers.org