Small Business Development

Small business development (SBD) Volunteers provide sustainable business and life skills to youth and micro-business owners to improve employment, increase income, and increase economic opportunities in their communities.

Volunteers focus most of their efforts on conducting courses and individual sessions on entrepreneurship, business and job skills for youth in secondary schools, technical institutes, and in other educational centers, including out of school youth; some Volunteers also deliver courses for university students.

Most SBD Volunteers are assigned to work in secondary schools with the Ministry of Education and live in small towns and cities. Based on community needs and opportunities, they also provide information technology training and business advising to local business owners.

Health

To address the critical health needs of Nicaragua, community health education Volunteers are based out of rural health clinics and posts. Volunteers focus on hygiene promotion, nutrition and garden promotion, adolescent health, and family health, conducting health education activities in the clinics and posts, in local primary and secondary schools, and with community groups.

Environment

Volunteers are assigned to rural school districts, where they work with elementary schools. They work directly with teachers, students and community members supporting environmental education using interactive, student-centered methods and community efforts to address local environmental concerns. Volunteers conduct teacher-training activities and coordinate other environmentally focused activities based on community needs.

Agriculture

Volunteers work with local farm families to improve food security. Their activities include enhancing soil fertility, promoting soil and water conservation, diversifying crops, integrating pest management, and maximizing available resources and space in a family’s backyard or patio area. Agriculture Volunteer also work with families on food-processing activities for consumption or sale.

Youth Development

Volunteers promote positive youth development by providing youths, ages 10 to 21, with information that contributes to their development and decision-making processes. Volunteers are located in remote communities along the Caribbean coast, and they collaborate with local youth organizations, churches, schools and the Ministry of Health. They promote positive youth development with these organizations through cultural activities, organized youth groups, sports, life skills education, environmental awareness activities, tutoring, and community projects.

TEFL Education

Nicaragua’s newest program, which started in August 2006, is the TEFL teacher training project. English language education is a top priority for Nicaragua and the Ministry of Education. Volunteers train new English teachers and work alongside current high school educators to help them enhance their English teaching skills. Activities include introducing English teachers to modern language teaching methodologies, designing and conducting communicative activities, and helping instructors enhance their own conversation skills, in some cases incorporating activities that represent U.S. culture.

Volunteers also coordinate extracurricular activities such as English language clubs and summer programs They promote English language learning through tutoring, and provide classes to other community representatives, such as nongovernmental organization professionals, community leaders, and other interested community members.