At present, SamConnects offers two internships which have a strong social service component: one in Community Development and one in Teaching. For these internships, SamConnects has teamed up with a rural municipality in Chile’s beautiful Lake District. Both programs offer several advantages: (1) A great Chilean team to work with; (2) Location in one of the most spectacular regions of the world. Chile’s Lake District is renowned for its beauty; (3) The opportunity to combine theoretical policy with practice in the field.

The Internship in Environmentally Sustainable Development involves working with a small fishing community, to assist them in articulating and implementing their vision for an economically and environmentally sustainable future. We are now accepting applications for the second phase of this three-month program, which begins Jan. 5, 2008 and has space for a limited number of volunteers.

A small fishing community on the Pacific Ocean wants help to realize its potential for environmentally sustainable tourism. Home to some 200 families, the village of Estaquilla currently lives from the extraction of shellfish and native forest timber. The Los Muermos municipal government and local community groups want to develop a plan to clean up the village, implement environmental education in its primary schools, teach adults the English they need to interact with tourists, and increase environmental awareness throughout the population. We are looking for three able volunteers to work for a minimum of three months. Housing is provided in exchange for your work – you buy your food. This is a rare opportunity in community development for someone with studies in Environmental Science, Forestry, Marine Biology, Socio-Economic Development, Latin America, or other related fields.

The three-month Internship in Enhancing Rural Education contemplates a minimum of three volunteers, who work together to bolster English language skills at up to a dozen rural schools within a single municipality. Some of the schools are very small – picture the one-room schoolhouse of America’s pioneer days – so it is easy to become involved in other aspects of the community life and your contribution is highly valued. Our next internship begins April 2008 (the school year starts in March).

There are 33 rural primary schools in the municipality, some of which have fewer than a dozen students! Volunteers will support teaching in some of these schools, and work directly with the local government to develop educational programs and workshops that will have a lasting impact. Your impact will extend well beyond the classroom, as you have the opportunity to become a valued member of the community, participating in all aspects of school life, sports, workshops, etc.