Founded in 1996, CESMAR is a Catholic Social Centre that provides alternative education and social opportunities for under social risk children and adolescents aged from 3 to 19 years old.

CESMAR´s main aims are to promote children and adolescents physical integrity, a regular intellectual and emotional growth and a happy childhood in a safe environment. CESMAR provide psychological and pedagogic advise; every child and teenager receives professional advice when necessary. CESMAR offer learning opportunities through informal education and leisure time activities.

The project assists directly about 1500 people, offering also to the community internet point, library, dentist assistance, legal and psychological support for the families etc. for free. It is a very big social project with many buildings, sports facilities and a good structure, so it can provide many kinds of activities and workshops (sports, informatics, language lessons, dance, art workshops, theatre, ecological workshops, music, capoeira, special trip etc.).

It has a lot of open space, nature and animals, so there are recycling and ecological workshops and children learn to take care of animals. On some special dates, the educators organize dance, theatre or music performances with the children as well.

Volunteer will assist staff with general no-formal education, being involved in all recreational and sport activities. There are some specialized workers who lead the workshop (for example a choreographer is the dance teacher, an actress is the theatre teacher etc.) with whom the volunteer could be asked to work with.

According to the project needs and the volunteer’s experiences and skills, CESMAR offers a
wide space of several proposals of activities that can be developed by the volunteer (in any camp).

• Flexibility, patience and respect.
• Empathy and sensibility.
• Optimism and enthusiasm.
• Willing to work with and for people economic and social excluded.

• Ability to relate and interact with others people (children, adults and staff).
• Ability to observe and participate.
• Team work.
• Some abilities: arts, music, sports, singing etc.

The project is located in Porto Alegre, which is the capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the southern most state of Brazil. The city has a population of 1.500.000 inhabitants approximately, being very big and urbanized. CESMAR is located in a neighborhood called Mario Quintana, which is located approximately 40 minutes away from the city center by bus.

Minimum (weeks): 4
Maximum (weeks): 12

In Brazilian host families. Provided by the host family.

- All participants must arrive in Brazil between August 15th and 17th, no other starting date will be accepted. The latest date to finish the programme is October 17th.
- All participants must have health insurance (not covered by ABIC)
- All participants must inform themselves about any vaccination that might be needed to enter the country.
- The exchange participants must bring warm clothes, since the weather here get’s quite chilly during the winter.