My time in Rio with the other volunteers was hands down one of the best experiences of my life!
Helping on the Carnavale program was incredible and the level of industry and passion I witnessed and shared was inspiring. As I am an Art teacher in Australia, I found the immersion in the Carnavale culture exciting and educational - I can't wait to share it with my students.

As I was quite a bit older than the other volunteers and on my Long Service Leave, I was relieved to discover that, it turns out - age doesnt matter at all! There were so many people of different ages, backgrounds and personalities, there was always someone to share the fun with. Did I mention how much fun the Lapa night life and beaches are???
If you really want to connect with the locals and immerse yourself in the culture, this is the perfect way to travel. You will get so much more from the experience and you will be helping out and making a little difference in the lives of others. The level of support you will recieve will help you to stay safe - I was so glad I had the IVHQ network around me.
I encourage you to give it a go! You will come away touched by a beautiful city, lifelong friends and a yearning to go back.

Volunteering in Brazil completely changed my whole perspective on the world. My problems back home seemed minuscule compared to the problems I saw in Rio De Janeiro. It is crazy how different they live there compared to the United States. I recommend this program to anyone that enjoys culture shock and is open to new life experiences. I worked with the Carnaval program and it was amazing to be able to see the floats and elaborate costumes before the parade took place. It is absolutely beautiful there. I will forever cherish my time in Brazil!

During the course of this program I was able to starting learning a new language, see old friends, make new ones, visit a Wonder of the World, eat amazing food, and make a small impact in the local community. All for a reasonable price and with great support.

If I had the courage to travel to Brazil alone to volunteer anyone can do it! I was scared, nervous and anxious! and actually asked myself in the taxi to the host house 'what on earth am I doing here' but I had the biggest smile on my face!. Then you meet the amazingly beautiful people you will live with, which are now my friends for life!! When I first saw my placement for the first time I fell in love instantly! I could see the children playing football and just wanted to get stuck in straight away. I cherished every minute with them and the legend of Barreira do Vasco; Carlao. A very inspirational man, ex professional footballer and present football coach to the children and young people living within this area. My only regret is not being able to speak fluent Portuguese as this prevented me from truly getting to know the children and their lives. Volunteering in Brazil I have learnt a lot about myself and I am not the same person I was before this journey began. I will forever be grateful to IVHQ and more so JIVE (Vivi and Zac) for helping me achieve my dream. DO IT GUYS! DO IT! :)

My three months volunteering in Rio will always be a cherished highlight. With a background in support work and aid-teaching back at home, it was such a eye-opening experience to teach English in a country totally foreign in every aspect to me!

To be brutally honest, I remember the first week feeling quite 'shocked'/disorientated with my surroundings, as it was my first time travelling to a developing country solo - but I am so grateful for the support given from both Zac and Vivi. From formal introductions to our projects to proactive advice on how to travel smartly around the city, Zac and Vivi do a fabulous job at making you feel at ease and confident living in such a new (but very exciting!) environment. What I admired most about volunteering with the program was the ongoing support you received which was genuinely dished out whenever needed, selflessly! If you choose to volunteer with Jive, I have no doubt you will feel at home so easily thanks to these support these guys provide!

Looking back on my experience, I could have not asked for a better way to spend my summer. Not only do you immense yourself into a community, actively contribute to their growth and learn about the daily challenges they face, but you will create such strong friendships with fellow volunteers (and maybe a few locals too!) that are bound to last a lifetime. If you're thinking about volunteering with Jive, I have no doubt you will also be in great hands! The greatest challenge you'll have is saying goodbye (good luck with that!).

This program has allowed me to gain experiences that I will always remember. From the volunteer sites to the friendships you'll make to exploring Brazil, there isn't one moment you won't love! If you ever get a chance to participate, do it with no hesitations.

Volunteering with JIVE for two months was the best and happiest time of my life. I was in the hands of amazing people who genuinely cared about us and did everything to help us to feel comfortable. During my time there I was very ill, and the coordinators were there for me all the way - and I'm talking about leaving our house at 6am in order to be the first to be seen by doctors. They supported me so much and gave us the best experience. I was lucky enough to experience two different types of programs - Childcare and Teaching English and both have impacted me in ways I never thought it would. After two months, I went back home with a different outlook on life. I'm so more grateful of the things I have in my life and I can not say this enough times but this experience really was the best thing that ever happened to me and changed me forever. I also made best friends FOR LIFE from other places of the world and I'm so blessed to of met the amazing people that were there. We now all share this amazing bond and experience together that none else will ever know or understand, no matter how many time we talk about our experience to other people. I'm so happy to of made this decision to come on board with JIVE, and really just stress how amazing your life will be if you guys go on board with this company! Rio has now a great place in my heart, and I can't wait to graduate University in two years to return back to this amazing place with this great company :)

*Disclaimer: IVHQ no longer works with Iko Poran*

A hands on approach to improving peoples lives - helping to build a home. Powerful, constructive, heart touching, rewarding and growthful. A life reinforcing experience - not to be missed. Thank you!