This document is meant to give an overview of the different roles of a COLead3r in each institution.

Also, it
provides information about the role of supporting teachers in English learning environments. Placements
are the institutions where Cultural Agents will be volunteering during the program.

The success of being a Cultural Agent is based on initiative, personality, creativity, and among other
aspects.

What does volunteering in Colombia mean?

In Colombia, the idea of volunteering has been the action of offering help when is needed. Colombian
people are not used to performing actions without receiving remuneration; although several organizations
promote volunteering, there is no culture of giving time without expecting something in return.
For the Colombian government, a volunteer is any natural person who freely and responsibly, without
receiving remuneration of a labor nature, offers time, work, and talent for the construction of the common
good. (Law 1505 of January 5, 2012)
What does volunteering at YMCA Colombia mean?
Volunteering at YMCA Colombia means making a difference through actions that benefit communities and
individuals. We transform lives. For us, it's more than just co-teaching and learning other languages. It's also
about developing leadership skills and supporting social changes in the world. Also, you can inspire others to
grow. One of our worldwide YMCA values is Caring. You show that you care by giving some of your time,
abilities, and talents to leave a mark.

Be a YMCA Volunteer

What being a YMCA

Volunteer means?
What does YMCA COLead3rs mean?
COLead3rs is a word game that stands for a leader participating in the Intercultural Exchange YMCA Colombia
Program co-teaching in schools through 3 pillars.

a leader

COLead3rs
Co-Teaching
Pillars
Exchange
Colombia Educate
Empower
With this in mind, Cultural Agents are volunteers and the core of the YMCA COLead3rs Program, developing
the program through 3 pillars: Exchange, Educate, and Empower.
Exchange: Cultural Agents live a cultural exchange by teaching their culture and learning from Colombian
culture.
Educate: Cultural Agents support teachers of institutions in English teaching.
Empower: Cultural Agents empower children, teenagers, and young people by being role models and
becoming an ambassador for their country.
Cultural Agents do not choose their placements or their housing, nor their geographical location in Colombia.
YMCA Colombia is responsible for the corresponding matching based on:
Cultural Agents profile accepted by the Sending Organizations and YMCA Colombia.

Placements profile according to the tasks, students, and community of the institutions.

Host Families or Host Situations available for the corresponding group of Cultural Agents.

Cultural Agents must be true-blue when providing their ideals/desires because they may be interested in
being placed in the same institution or host family as other Cultural Agents. Also, Cultural Agents need to keep
in mind that the clearer and more honest they are in the information, the easier the MATCHING task will be.
On the other hand, it is also important for
Cultural Agents to know that there will be
Pre-Departure Orientations (PDO) and
Open Spaces. The first one is full of
testimonies about former and future Host
families, Placements, Alumni, and Returners.

After the Pre-Departure Orientations,

Cultural Agents will have an overview of
what Host Families and Placements expect
from them.
 Being placed in a school means working with children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 17 years
old.
The schedule at schools goes from Tuesday to Friday in the morning to the early afternoon. The entry and
exit time may vary depending on the assigned schedule.
Cultural Agents design and implement short activities based on YMCA values, fostering the
development of global, intercultural, and English communication skills. They also support local teachers
with interactive activities, games, and debates related to the scheduled topic of the day, allowing students
to learn from a native speaker's accent and perspective.
Cultural Agents are expected to share their culture through:
Conversation clubs for students to practice speaking English, covering cultural elements and general
topics for debate.
Reading and Conversation clubs for professors, principals, and directors.
These spaces allow the school community practices their English Communication skills with native speakers.
Support school events such as immersion days, debates, panels, open days, spelling bees, and cultural
presentations.
The school was built in 1989 by the YMCA Bogota to increase
the number of leaders able to influence the social development
of the country. Their core values are love, caring, respect, and
peace. It provides educational services for preschool education,
elementary school (1st to 5th), middle school (6th to 9th), and
high school (10th and 11th). It has around 210 students
between the ages of 5 to 18 years old.

Cra. 17 #28A 40
Armenia Neighborhood.

See more here

Cultural Agents have the responsibility to inspire and

empower young people, promoting leadership and a
sense of responsibility. They contribute to improving
educational programs through the establishment of
English clubs.
Cultural Agents are the most important part of the program. Therefore, please keep in mind and follow these
very short instructions and recommendations:

Cultural Agents volunteer for 40 hours per week, divided into leading activities in placements (30 hours)
and supporting other YMCA Colombia areas (10 hours).
NOTE: Depending on the school or university, volunteering hours per week may vary.
Cultural Agents must speak English all the time in placements, even though they are in a Spanish
Environment. Their role is to motivate students, principals, and administrative staff to learn English through
reciprocal interactions.
NOTE: Cultural Agents have other spaces to learn and practice Spanish.
Cultural Agents must fill out a Weekly Report (Google form) every Friday about how they felt during that
week, how many days they attended, the type of activities they carried out, the number of students who
attended, and if they want or need to report any situation that they consider we should follow-up on with
the placement.
 Cultural Agents need to notify the Program Coordinator if they would like to have an early termination of the
program one 1 month prior to leaving.
In case of illness, the Cultural Agent must inform both the Placement Coordinator and the Program
Coordinator. They should seek medical attention because the Placement Coordinator may request medical
leave.
NOTE: Cultural Agents must pay upfront for any expenses covered by the insurance and then
request reimbursement.
The termination of the program and its corresponding consequences are generated by the following
circumstances:
Failure to attend scheduled program activities in placements and YMCA Colombia, as well as monthly follow-
up meetings, will result in the issuance of a warning letter.
In accordance with the YMCA Core Values and YMCA COLead3rs Pillars, inappropriate behavior at
Placements, Host Families Situations, and YMCA Colombia scheduled activities, will result in the issuance of a
warning letter.
The first instance of non-compliance with the correct performance at placement could result in a warning
letter, while the second instance will lead to the termination of the program.
 Travel, teach, and
volunteer in Colombia!

More information:
www.ymcacolombia.org