Teaching and Integrated Social Work

We are an NGO that helps more than 5000 families throughout two favelas (slums) and one disadvantaged rural area in Sao Paulo through projects in education; healthcare; the arts; culture and the environment. These include a number of kindergartens; pre-school and after-school programs; workshops in various employment skills for youngsters and adults from 15 to 60 years of age; a health clinic; an organic and a pedagogical vejetable garden; a cultural centre and a waldorf school; beside other projects. Our principle objective is to foster human development. By cooperatively finding solutions to the severe lack of services in these marginalised communities; we aim to rebuild social cohesion and address the local people’s needs; enabling them to regain their human dignity; against all odds.

Volunteers work as assistants in nearly all areas of our work; except for healthcare; which is usually restricted to trained professionals. Most of our volunteers are placed in educational settings; ranging from nurseries to workshops for adolescents; hence; encompassing children of all age groups. Initially; volunteers assist teachers in conducting their daily routines. However; we would like to see volunteers taking responsibility and playing an independent role in our organisations’ procedures. Particularly for school clubs and musical activities; volunteers are expected to be able to contribute their own ideas and to motivate the children. We are always interested in volunteers’ skills (music; arts; theatre; sports; etc) and would like to give volunteers the opportunity to realise their ideas (within reason). We always need violinists and cellists to provide music education for children at our music school. Two volunteers (one violinist and one cellist) usually give lessons with the support of a professional teacher; along with extra private tuition for the children. To fulfil these tasks you should be well trained and confident in the use of your particular instrument and be motivated to give lessons. At times there are also vacancies for people in the office to help with administration; to assist with the coordination of volunteers; and to do correspondence in English or German. This type of role would usually be part-time; split with another project that involves working with the children.

For those who are interested in working with us; but are unable to stay long term as a volunteer; an internship is a good alternative. Interns can work in all the same areas as volunteers with the exception of working with the children. This is because the children we work with have potentially suffered a lot of difficulties in their lives and we aim to provide adult role models who can give them stability; so short-term helpers are not placed in these educational or caring roles because it can upset the children’s routine a lot if people are always coming and going.

Summary of the work:

Volunteers work with both children and adults in the areas of languages; sports; dance; theatre; arts; music; handcraft; etc.; or on special projects that they themselves bring to Monte Azul (e.g. some volunteers once contributed with a circus project). They may also help in the International Relations office; with volunteer-related work (e.g. creating work programs for volunteers; responding to emails; helping to obtain relevant documents such as visas).

Interns generally can work in the International Relations office; helping with international co-operation projects to support Monte Azul. They may also help in the garden or kitchen. Interns are not able to work with small children or people with disabilities because it is disruptive for them when interns leave after a short time.

To apply; please send us the following by email (international@monteazul.org.br):  motivation letter (in which you should specifically include the following: when you would like to volunteer and for how long; why you want to volunteer at Monte Azul; what you think you will contribute to the work/project in our community – languages; music; sport; dance; theatre; arts; handcrafts; agriculture; International Relations office etc; what is your proposed plan of work to accomplish in Monte Azul); CV/ Resume; a recent photo. In the motivation letter; please let us know if you can teach violin or cello. Monte Azul always needs three volunteers who play violin or cello. Also needs two volunteers that play piano or flute.

The volunteer program is restarting after two years due to the pandemic. We still have open vacancy for the second semester (from August 2022).