BASIDA, a charitable, non-profit making association, that has been declared as a Public Utility since 1996, has the general aim of providing attention to needy people from biopsychosocial point of view, with a scope of performance at a local, regional and national level.

BASIDA was founded in 1989 with the desire of joining forces to alleviate the problems which are posed by the illness:

• The progressive increase in the number of affected people.
• The nonexistence of a vaccine or of any effective treatment.
• The characteristics of its special risk of transmission.
• The exclusion.
• The population of prisoners: a great percentage of prisoner population has been or is A.D.V.P.; and has possibilities of being HIV-positive or of getting the virus while they are shut away, (blood transmission or sexual transmission).

1. Shelter for people suffering from HIV-AIDS: This program tries to offer a fitting place, a warm home and a family for those people of both sexes, drug addicts, HIV-positives, people suffering from AIDS, as well as other terminal diseases, and due to the advanced stage of the diseases they have no other alternative than dying in prison, in the hospital or on the street.Therefore we try:

• To assist the sick people in recovering their personal worth, increasing the level of their self-esteem and valuation.
• To offer suitable medical and health care to them for the state of their disease.
• To offer, in the cases where it is possible, a social reintegration to them using an individualized way of planning that guarantees them the possibility of an introduction to the socio-professional and familial environment.

• To help the residents recover their personal worth, increasing the level of their own esteem and valuation.
• To assist their rehabilitation and social reintegration. Helping them discontinue using opiate and psychotropic substances.Assist them in the acquisition of some social skills and relationships by means of psychological therapy and monitoring.
• To provide medical-health care with the administration of prescribed treatments and suitable therapy.

• Impelling measures which make it easier to access the training and labour integration (course of occupational training,…).
• Developing and supporting institutional and social measures directed at improving the social image of the drug addict.
• Developing and promoting attention to their social needs.
• Intervening in the social and familiar environment of every resident to get the participation and the involvement of the family in this program.
• In the last years the fruit of the preceding formative work has been collected, with the contribution of those people whose have ended the program, and been incorporated into the cooperative of associated work "Base of Madrid Cooperative".

Volunteers are there to help and support the staff. They will never substitute them. The volunteers will have a mentor who will guide them specifically in the tasks they carry out.

Volunteers may participate in all activities in the professional departments previously mentioned (psychological, therapeutic etc), always taking into account factors such as the characteristics of the volunteer, their previous professional training and their personal preferences; considering these aspects is fundamental in allowing the volunteer to integrate and adapt to the dynamics of the hosting home and at the same time empathise with those being treated.

Volunteers will collaborate a maximun of 35 hours per week from Monday to Friday. The schedule time will be principally during the morning although it will depend on the current necessities.

Some of the most frequent activities to be carried out by the volunteers are:

• Attendance to sick people and to those who are in bed.
• Personal attention: support for meals, cleaning the residents, etc..
• Support in the activities of physical rehabilitation and of occupational therapy for their cognitive rehabilitation.
• Participation in workshops (carpentry, gardening, painting…).
• Participation in the educative department: workshop of adult literacy, out-of-school support to children who live in the hosting home.
• Collaboration with the organization of workshops and occupational activities: magazine, theatre, computer science, yoga and relaxation, sport activities,… workshop.
• Collaboration with the organization of workshops and leisure activities (excursions, cultural activities, etc.).

• A certain level of maturity, sensitivity and interest in knowing the problems generated by HIV-AIDS and drug dependency.
• A willingness to learn about the experience of people with HIV-AIDS and a drug dependency, and who have the additional motivation to learn and self-improve.
• A self-belief in their capabilities as well as an engagement with the activities they take part in and a desire to work as part of a team.
• Capable of actively listening and showing empathy- people that like to listen and are capable of seeing things from the perspective of the users to whom they are talking.
• Tolerant and flexible.
• An interest in the Spanish language and the desire to learn about the Spanish culture.
• Willing to complement the dynamics of the group and abide by the rules of co-habitation (they will not be able to consume any drugs, including tobaco and alcohol).

No specific or professional training is required.

Rural Enviroment.

It is situated 47 Km from Madrid.The hosting house is 9 Km away from the train station, in a country house inside the local limits of Aranjuez.

Aranjuez is a royal village at the south of Madrid, located 47 Km away from Madrid, by Tajo river, and 45 Km away from Toledo; there are many tourist spots in Aranjuez.

From Madrid, it is quite easy to get to Aranjuez, either by road or train. RENFE offers a train service every 30 minutes from Madrid- Atocha- Puerta del Sol (Madrid city center) to Aranjuez and 45 minutes travel time.

Internet is available in Basida Community, but, there is a very slow conexion.

The volunteer will live in the Hosting House in a shared room.

The volunteer will have five meals a day in the structure where they live. (Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided).