Community Promoter Assistant

Purpose: To support Puente’s Health Educators in various aspects of their work in rural villages

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, and surrounding villages

Time Commitment: Minimum three months. 30 hours per week. Some overnight trips.

Level of Spanish needed: Intermediate-High

Level of English needed: Basic

Skills/Qualifications:

• Basic knowledge of rural communities and/or Latin American culture
• Interest in public health
• Experience providing constructive feedback in a professional or academic setting
• Outgoing, friendly personality
• Volunteers in this position must be responsible and dependable.

Responsibilities:

Puente’s Health Educators visit two to five villages per week, where they employ various techniques to diffuse information about amaranth, its production, and regular consumption. Promotion techniques are based on participative, adult-appropriate learning tools, marketing tools, and community diagnostics.

This volunteer will accompany Puente’s Health Educators to rural communities, observe amaranth promotion techniques, provide auxiliary support to the Health Educator as needed, and give concrete feedback and new ideas to the staff. Additionally, this volunteer will have a checklist and will assist the Health Educator in the completion of tasks.

Database Expert

Purpose: To ensure that Puente's databases are maintained and properly functioning

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Approximately 25 hours (can be spread out over several weeks)

Level of Spanish needed: Basic

Level of English needed: Fluent

Level of MS Access knowledge: Advanced

Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience creating and managing MS Access databases

Responsibilities:

Puente has a few simple databases that track program contacts, fundraising efforts, and program evaluation results. Because several staff and volunteers use the databases, it is necessary to periodically update and verify that information is entered correctly. This volunteer will be responsible for repairing data and answering questions about using the databases. For one day, this volunteer has the opportunity to visit a rural community in order to observe Puente's work firsthand.

Fundraising / Development Assistant

Purpose: To enhance the fundraising capabilities of Puente

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Minimum one month, 25 hours per week

Level of Spanish needed: Basic

Level of English needed: Fluency

Skills/Qualifications:

• Previous experience in fundraising or grant writing
• Internet research abilities
• Excellent writing skills
• Attention to detail
• Experience using database programs
• MS Access experience, a plus!

Responsibilities:

This volunteer will assist the Puente Development Director in researching and locating potential donors. Donors might be foundations, businesses, or government agencies. This volunteer will also edit grant proposals and enter donor information into the database. Depending upon the amount of previous experience, this volunteer might also assist with other fundraising initiatives. Once per month, this volunteer has the opportunity to visit a rural community in order to observe Puente's work firsthand.

Graphic Designer

Purpose: To improve the graphics and layout of Puente's publications and didactic materials

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Minimum two weeks, 25 hours per week

Level of Spanish needed: Basic

Level of English needed: Basic

Skills/Qualifications:

• Previous experience working with graphic design programs
• Artistic talent
• Experience designing brochures, flyers, or newsletters
• Ability to draw well

Responsibilities:

This volunteer will improve drawings in the manual and handouts that Puente uses to educate women and doctors about amaranth. Also, this volunteer will design flyers for local businesses to publicize Puente's mission and information about amaranth. Amount and type of work will depend on how long the volunteer will be in Oaxaca. Once per month, this volunteer has the opportunity to visit a rural community in order to observe Puente's work firsthand.

Office Assistant

Purpose: To assist Puente's staff in staying organized and efficient

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Minimum one month, 15 hours per week

Level of Spanish needed: Basic

Level of English needed: Advanced

Skills/Qualifications:

• Knowledge of MS Office programs
• MS Access experience, a plus!
• Proofreading and editing experience
• Organizational skills
• Experience using database programs
• Attention to detail
• Internet research

Responsibilities:

This volunteer will be given projects on a daily or weekly basis. Projects will most likely involve data entry, proofreading, errand-running, internet research, and small organizational projects. This volunteer might also assist the directors with special projects as needed. Once per month, this volunteer has the opportunity to visit a rural community in order to observe Puente's work firsthand.

Public Relations Assistant

Purpose: To increase Puente's visibility in Oaxaca City and Oaxaca State

Location: Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Minimum one month, 25 hours per week

Level of Spanish needed: Intermediate

Level of English needed: Intermediate

Skills/Qualifications:

• Outgoing, friendly personality
• Research abilities
• Ability to work independently
• Previous experience in public relations
• Good writing skills

Responsibilities:

This volunteer will research and visit businesses in Oaxaca in order to publicize Puente, our mission, and general information about amaranth. Depending upon the level of Spanish ability, this might include speaking to a manager about Puente, asking to leave flyers at the counter of a store, or requesting publicity in an advertisement. This volunteer will also research and compile contact information of various media outlets and be responsible for sending press releases to these contacts about Puente. Once per month, this volunteer has the opportunity to visit a rural community in order to observe Puente's work firsthand.

Special Event Organizer

Purpose: To facilitate a successful fundraising and publicity event for Puente

Location: City where the volunteer lives

Time Commitment: Minimum three months prior to event

Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience organizing events
• Strong desire to plan and implement an event to benefit Puente
• Ability to recruit volunteers
• Capacity to solicit in-kind donations

Responsibilities:

This volunteer will be in charge of planning and organizing an event to raise money and publicize Puente's work. Depending upon the location and type of event, this volunteer will complete a variety of duties in order to produce a successful event. This will likely include securing a low-cost location, food donations, entertainment, publicity, and other donations for the event. This volunteer may also need to send invitations and press releases to local businesses and individuals. Puente's staff will support the volunteer in her/his efforts in every way possible.

Special Event Volunteer

Purpose: To support Puente's staff in carrying out a successful fundraising and/or publicity event.

Location: San Francisco, CA; Austin, TX; Houston, TX; or Oaxaca City, Oaxaca

Time Commitment: Minimum three months, five hours per week, attendance on day(s) of event

Level of Spanish needed: Varies

Level of English needed: Varies

Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience organizing events
• Ability to complete tasks in a timely manner
• Capability to solicit in-kind donations
• Ability to work independently or with others

Responsibilities:

Depending upon the location and type of event, this volunteer will complete a variety of duties. Most importantly, this volunteer will assist in securing a low-cost (or no-cost) location, food donations, entertainment, publicity, and other donations for the event. This volunteer may also be responsible for sending invitations and press releases to local businesses and individuals. During the days prior to the event, the volunteer may be expected to spend a few more hours to make sure that everything is in order.