Name:                         
Email address:              
***(please provide email only if it is ok for other volunteers to email you about project)
Partner organisation:   Cenit
Start date:                    30 de Abril, 2010
End date:                     2 de Julio, 2010

1. What were the main tasks you undertook at the project? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?

My main task at CENIT, Rescate de Calles, was to work with children aged 4-13 (on average). As a small group of volunteers, we were to collect children from their puestos and make them feel comfortable coming with us to the school room. There, each volunteer was responsible for making a lesson plan at least once a week and teaching the children a simple subject around a weekly theme.

1. Was the explanation and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not please explain why.

Yes, it was fairly adequate. I received a lot of help from long-term volunteers as to what was expected of us, but the heads of the organization seemed too overburdened to really explain anything thoroughly.
My one complaint would be that no one explained the benefits that volunteers receive from volunteering with CENIT. For instance, volunteers are made to pay a volunteering fee to work there, and my understanding toward the end of my volunteering experience there was that this fee covers lunch provided by CENIT. However, I was not made aware of this until the end of my service to CENIT. I think this should be more thoroughly explained to future volunteers.

1. Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? What are the main areas of skills and interests that volunteers need for this work? Please give reasons.

Yes, I would recommend working with CENIT to other volunteers. I would suggest having at least intermediate level Spanish-speaking ability since that is the primary mode of communication among the volunteers, and the children only understand Spanish. I would also suggest having some prior experience working with young children. Also, volunteers who would consider themselves creative might particularly enjoy this project, as each volunteer has to come up with weekly projects for the children, which are normally arts and crafts type projects.

1. Was the communication and support you received from Yanapuma, before and during your time volunteering adequate? Please comment on the initial orientation session, showing you to your site and communication throughout.  If not, please specify why and how it could be improved.

There wasn't much of an initial orientation to the project provided by Yanapuma, but this was okay because, as stated above, the long-term CENIT volunteers did a very good job of explaining what was expected of us. I did appreciate that a Yanapuma worker accompanied me to the project site the first day, as finding the building and navigating the public transport system could have been daunting otherwise.

1. How would rate your overall experience at this project?

Very high.

Muchas gracias!!!

Volunteer Ecuador Final Evaluation

1. What were the main tasks you undertook with the organisation? Did you have any prior experience or knowledge that helped you with these?

In the mornings I worked in the markets. We usually brushed the teeth and washed the hands of the children, played games, and provided an art activity. In the afternoons, I sometimes worked at a different market and followed the same routine as in the morning. For two weeks in July, I worked at a summer camp in the morning and taught English classes in the afternoon. The summer camp was very similar to market outreach, but the educators from CENIT school helped. I taught the English class with two other volunteers. I also assisted with a medical brigade that came to the markets. This was only one day.
My prior experience involved a great deal of work with underprivileged children. I have worked at a summer camp, afterschool program for refugees, and also taught in summer programs in the United States.

1. Was the information and support you received from the organisation adequate to ensure you could carry out your work successfully? If not, please explain why.

Not exactly. It was difficult contacting the volunteer coordinator at CENIT because it took so long to hear back from her after I emailed her. Also, she didn't know many details about dates and details until a few days before. However, the volunteer coordinator was very very nice and friendly.

1. What skills or interests would other volunteers need for this work? Would you recommend working with this organisation to other volunteers? Please explain.

Volunteers would need to love working with kids. They would also need to be able to take initiative in planning activities and not be too concerned with things following a schedule. Flexibility is also very important.
Yes I think it would be a great place for volunteers to come help because I felt like I really made a difference in the lives of the children. CENIT is also able to attract many other volunteers from all parts of the world and therefore it was a great way to learn about other places. CENIT is also big enough to have many different kinds of volunteer opportunities.

1. Was the information, communication and support you received from Yanapuma, both before and during your volunteer placement, adequate? If not, please explain why and offer suggestions on how it could be improved.

Yes, Fran was great! She responded to my emails and my mom's emails very very promptly. She also helped by contacting CENIT in order to find out some details for me regarding dates. It was also so great that she brought me to CENIT when I arrived. On the way, she told me many things about living in Ecuador. I felt a lot more comfortable on my first day of CENIT after meeting the volunteer coordinator with Fran.
Fran also offered to find me medical volunteer opportunities if I wanted, but I didn't end up having the time.

Some ideas for improvement--It would have been nice to have some kind of reunion with other Yanapuma volunteers in order to learn about what they are doing and maybe some reflection during this time. I took Spanish classes and got to know people at Yanapuma but these were only students studying Spanish and not volunteering.

1. How would you rate your overall experience?

It was definitely a good use of my summer. I think taking Spanish classes and traveling and of course salsa enhanced it! I will never forget the friends I made at work. Quito is a place I definitely plan to visit again in the future.  I would definitely recommend living with a host family too.  It made me feel at home and helped me to improve my Spanish. 

1. If you would like, please write a short paragraph summing up your volunteer placement to help Yanapuma, our partner organisations and future volunteers learn from your experience.

1. Any additional comments?

I'm so glad that I had the support of Yanapuma during my time in Quito!

1. Do you authorise Yanapuma to share the information contained in this evaluation with other volunteers and partner organisations?                   YES                

We would like to thank you for volunteering with us and for taking the time to complete this evaluation. Volunteer feedback is invaluable as it helps us improve the programs and services we offer and assists us with our goal of providing meaningful experiences for both our volunteers and the organisations and communities with whom we work.

Thanks again,

The Yanapuma Team