English (US) ▾
Nederlands
English (UK)
Deutsch
Italiano
Português
Español
Sports Coaching Program
The Sports Education Project aims to provide disadvantaged children and adolescents with access to fun, healthy activities that promote physical fitness, self-esteem, and good sportsmanship. By offering safe, competitive environments, the program helps prevent crime and violence, fostering positive engagement and supporting vulnerable youth in Argentina.
In Cordoba, Argentina, you assist local coaches teaching football, basketball, handball, artistic gymnastics, athletics, rugby, and hockey to disadvantaged children and adolescents who cannot afford organized sports activities. During the summer months you help supervise pool time and lead outdoor games and camping trips instead of formal training sessions. This program suits volunteers age 18 and up who speak Spanish and want hands-on sports coaching experience rather than classroom teaching.
Placements run 2–24 weeks, with new starts every week (Sundays) — the next is 20 Sep 2026. You stay in a centrally located hostel with a fully equipped kitchen, hot showers, and Wi-Fi, cooking for yourself or eating at nearby inexpensive restaurants. Prices start at $1,649 (deposit included), and the coaching schedule shifts with the school calendar: afternoon sessions from March to December, morning sessions in January and February, plus occasional Saturday tournaments.
Your role on this program
- Assist local coaches teaching football (soccer) to children and adolescents
- Help run basketball, handball, and hockey sessions alongside local coaches
- Support artistic gymnastics and athletics training sessions
- Assist with rugby coaching sessions for local youth
- Supervise children during recreational swimming pool sessions in summer
- Organize outdoor games and camping activities during the summer program
- Help coaches run weekend tournaments when scheduled
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You assist local coaches and teachers who lead the sports sessions; you do not run training independently or take sole responsibility for the children's supervision or safety. A criminal background check is required because you work directly with minors, and duties may vary with the placement's needs.
A typical day and week
Volunteers work 20-25 hours per week, from Monday to Friday and sometimes Saturdays if there are tournaments. During school period (March to December) activities starts at 4 pm to 8 pm, in summer (January and February) activities start at 9 am and finish at 1 pm.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 18
- Able to speak and understand Spanish
- General good physical and mental health
- Tolerant of others, able to work in a team or independently, and proactive with initiative
- Minimum stay of 2
- Criminal background check, issued within 12 months of the start date, since you work with children
- Travel/medical insurance (your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges)
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The Sports Education Project works with disadvantaged children and adolescents in Cordoba who otherwise cannot afford organized sports and recreational activities. Volunteers assist local coaches and teachers running football, basketball, handball, artistic gymnastics, athletics, rugby, and hockey sessions, plus summer pool time, games, and camping trips. Volunteering Solutions' local partner team manages the hostel accommodation and placement logistics in the city.
Because the program works directly with minors, a criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date is required before you can join. You work under the supervision of local coaches and teachers rather than leading sessions on your own, and a local coordinator plus a 24-hour emergency contact are available for support. Your role is to add extra hands to existing coaching sessions and free-time activities — the coaches remain responsible for training content and the children's welfare.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Safeguarding policyBackground checks, supervision and our code of conduct with children
- Child & vulnerable adult protectionThe rules every volunteer follows on placement
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in ArgentinaCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $1,649 | |
| 3 weeks | $1,899 | |
| 4 weeks | $2,149 | |
| 5 weeks | $2,399 | |
| 6 weeks | $2,649 | |
| 7 weeks | $2,899 | |
| 8 weeks | $3,149 | |
| Each additional week | +$340 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Pickup from Cordoba Airport
- In country induction
- Donation to the project
- Cultural activities
- Customized project placement
- Accommodation in a centrally located Hostel
- Certificate of Participation(On Request)
Not included
- Airfare
- Visa and Visa extension fee
- Travel Insurance
- Vaccinations
- Transport to and from your placement
- Any personal expenses
- Return Airport Drop
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfers
We will pick you up upon arrival; our transfer service will be waiting for you with a sign with your name. It is very important that you send us your flight information beforehand. It takes about 40 minutes to get from the airport to the accommodation. Please bear in mind that the transfer back to the airport is not included, you will need to take a taxi or a bus when you finish your project.
Accommodation and Meals
Our local partner team in Cordoba manages two hostel accommodations which are located in strategically important points of the city; near business areas, shopping centers, theaters, cinemas, bars and restaurants. Our guests will be able to enjoy their independence, and at the same time, get to know friends from all over the world. The best choice if you want to share time with students of different countries and diverse cultures; you will be able to enjoy the independence that you need, and at the same time, getting to know friends from all over the world. The hostel is fully equipped, hot shower, TV and Wi-Fi access available. We do not offer meals; you will have a fully equipped kitchen to cook or a cheap restaurant or a bar to buy food nearby. Supermarkets are open from 8 am to 10 pm.
Weather
Depending on the time of the year Cordoba could be very hot or very cold. The temperature during summer varies from 29°C to 40°C o and the temperature in winters varies from 2°C degrees to 15°C or 18°C. Sometimes you wrongly assume that Latin America is always hot, but this is not true for Argentina. It can be really cold in winter especially for projects that are located in the middle of the mountains.
During your free time
Cordoba is the second largest city in the country. Its Jesuit heritage and its strong Spanish vividness result in a fascinating blend of past and modernity. Cordoba is also a university city, home to several colleges and universities which endow it with a youthful and forward-looking environment in many different aspects. This is the reason why people from Cordoba are kind, friendly, and open-minded, and easily integrate their visitors and students, a really valuable distinctive feature.The people of Cordoba are known as fun-loving folks with a fondness for cuarteto music, rally car racing, and the drink of Fernet and Coke. Feel free to linger over a long lunch, relax in the square with a coffee or ice cream, and meet a few of the laid back locals.Its rugged outskirts provide plenty of adventurous activities like parasailing and horseback riding.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Argentina
Airport pickup
A driver meets you at Cordoba Airport (COR) with a name sign; the transfer to the hostel takes about 40 minutes. Send your flight details in advance so the pickup can be arranged.
Settling in
You stay at a centrally located hostel with a fully equipped kitchen, hot showers, and Wi-Fi, near shops, restaurants, and other city amenities.
In-country induction
The local team runs an induction that includes a city tour and a cultural orientation session before you start your project.
First project day
You receive a customized project placement and join the local coaches for your first sports sessions.
Ongoing support
A 24-hour emergency contact is available throughout your placement for any support you need.
From volunteers in Argentina
Frequently asked questions
What do volunteers actually do on this program?
You assist local coaches running sessions in sports such as football, basketball, handball, artistic gymnastics, athletics, rugby, and hockey with disadvantaged children and adolescents, and in summer you help with pool time, games, and camping instead of formal training.
Do I need a coaching qualification or sports experience?
No formal coaching qualification is required; you support local coaches and teachers rather than lead sessions yourself, so enthusiasm and willingness to help matter more than credentials.
What does a typical day look like?
You work 20-25 hours a week, Monday to Friday and sometimes Saturdays for tournaments; sessions run 4pm-8pm during the school term (March to December) or 9am-1pm in summer (January-February).
How long can I volunteer and when can I start?
Placements run 2–24 weeks, with new starts every week (Sundays); the next start date is 20 Sep 2026.
What does the program cost and what is included?
Prices start at $1,649, deposit included, covering 24-hour staff support, pre-departure information, airport pickup, in-country induction, a donation to the project, cultural activities, your customized placement, and hostel accommodation.
What is not included in the price?
Airfare, visa and visa extension fees, travel insurance, vaccinations, transport to and from your daily placement, personal expenses, and the return airport transfer are not included.
Where do I live and what about meals?
You stay in a centrally located hostel with a fully equipped kitchen, hot showers, and Wi-Fi; meals are not provided, so you cook for yourself or eat at nearby inexpensive restaurants.
How does airport pickup and arrival work?
A driver meets you at Cordoba Airport with a name sign for a transfer of about 40 minutes to the hostel; you need to send your flight details in advance. The return transfer at the end of your placement is not included.
What safety and support is available during the program?
The local team provides an in-country induction, a customized placement, and a 24-hour emergency contact throughout your stay.
What about visa, insurance, or vaccinations?
Travel or medical insurance is compulsory (your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges); visa requirements and vaccination guidance are not detailed here and are sent in pre-departure information.
Is a background check required for this program?
Yes, since you work directly with children, a criminal background check issued within 12 months of your start date is required to join.
Who is this program suited for?
Volunteers age 18 and up who speak Spanish, are comfortable working in a team or independently, and want a hands-on sports coaching role rather than classroom-based teaching.
Related pages
Schedule a meeting with a program advisor
We're here to help — a 20-minute one-on-one with detailed info, expert advice and application guidance.
Book a free meetingMore projects in Argentina
Volunteer at a Puma Reserve
Volunteer at a renowned puma sanctuary and wildlife reserve for an unforgettable conservation experience. Explore the breathtaking landscape…
Women Empowerment Program
Argentina continues to face significant human rights challenges, especially concerning violence against women. Despite a 2009 law aimed…
Volunteer in a Horse Sanctuary
In Córdoba, Argentina, horses used for recycling face tough lives—until they’re rescued by the Sanctuary. Founded in 2013,…