Volunteering with Children in Mexico

This project is perfect for anyone who loves working with children. It’s also a great option if you’re interested in studying childcare or early childhood development and want practical experience.

It will also help you develop important life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and planning. You can apply these skills to any career you pursue.

You don’t need previous experience to join. You’ll support local staff and carers, and Projects Abroad staff will be there to guide you. We also run regular workshops for all Childcare and Teaching volunteers, and our online resources are a great facility for you to draw from.

You can join this project at any time throughout the year. We encourage you to stay as long as possible so you can have a bigger impact on the children you work with.

Each day in Mexico starts with breakfast at your host family’s home. Then, you’ll head to your placement using public transport or walking if you’re close enough. We’ll show you how to get there on your first day.

Your workday will start at 9 am and finish around 5 pm, Monday through Friday. It will be filled with lots of running around and activity, and it will undoubtedly go by in a flash!

The majority of your day will revolve around hosting the next lesson, overseeing playtime, or conducting activities. These activities will aim to help with physical advancement and cognitive development. Play-dough, arts and crafts, and colouring are all great activities that help refine the children’s motor skills.

Your evenings, however, will be much more laid-back. You will get the opportunity to spend your free time with your fellow volunteers and explore the city.

Your main role in Mexico is to support local teachers and carers. Your work will cover the following areas:

• Support early childhood development through fun games and lessons
• Make educational resources like flashcards and posters
• Participate in workshops surrounding local childcare and educational practices

The aim of this project is to improve early childhood development in Mexico. Our volunteers play a vital role in helping children reach the developmental milestones typical for their age.

Mexico is still recognised as a developing country, and this is reflected in its education system in which imbalances still remain. The country also suffers from economic inequality, and many families continue to rely on the struggling public school system.

Today, there is an increasing amount of evidence pointing towards the importance of early years education. The care centres we work with are overcrowded and understaffed, and we need your help to make sure each child gets the education they need. Projects Abroad has elected not to work with children in orphanages in Mexico, but rather to focus on community-based programmes that allow children to remain within their families.

By supporting early childhood development, you’ll give young children the skills they need to cope with the demands of the first year when they start school. In line with this, we’ve identified four long-term, sustainable goals to work toward in Mexico:

• Promote early childhood development
• Improve hygiene
• Improve English
• Improve the level of stimulation each child receives

Volunteer with children in Mexico and help us achieve these goals.