Volunteer Opportunities
Since BCA believes that students can learn both in and beyond the classroom, our Barcelona staff has established partnerships to ensure professional volunteer and practicum experiences that complement academic study.
- Terral: Collaborate in the instruction of immigrant children working with them on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. (fall and spring students)
- Bank of Time: This project consists of exchanging time and abilities with others according to your own interests and talents and involves people from different countries and social realities. (fall and spring students)
- Tot Raval: Participate in and contribute to the coordination of events, such as the fall and the spring multicultural fairs, which open opportunities to become involved with people from different countries and to cooperate in projects aimed to promote understanding and to strengthen the ties among the diverse populations of Barcelona. (fall and spring students)
- Colegio Gornal: As a volunteer practicum, you may assist in the education and societal integration of women by assisting in the teaching
Examples of Volunteer and Field Study Experiences
Student Name: Katherine Marcoux, Bryn Mawr
Description: An aspect of my life in Barcelona has been a practicum at an elementary/Junior High school that the Director of BCA found for me, with my interests in mind. It allows me to work with children and help them with their English. I have found this experience very rewarding and unique. I am learning about the educational system and the culture and also benefitting from the practice of teaching while helping the students with their English.
Student Name: Kelly Grice, Elizabethtown College
Description: "I've been doing my field study at Colegio Pineda. An all girls, private, Catholic school here in Barcelona. I was really excited to start, as it's my first time working in a private school setting. I go on Fridays from 9-5 and work on phonics with 1st and 2nd graders, then conversation with high schoolers. Their English language skills amaze me and continue to make me question why we don't have more language learning opportunities in the states. My students are fantastic and so enthusiastic about learning and working with me. People here, not only my students, are in love with the U.S. They just see it as this magical country where you can live the "American Dream." As my host little sister would say (translated), "it's just like the movies, with flags on every house."
Student Name: Kelly Cakert, Tufts University
Description: “I fully submerged myself in the culture of Barcelona through volunteering, tutoring, teaching basketball, participating in classes and daily conversations with my host family. I made a point to motivate myself to talk to my host family at every meal, and ask them a lot of questions. By tutoring middle school students in their English, I was forced to work on my Spanish as well and ended up learning just as much from them as they learned from me.”
Student Name: Lisa Ewing, Manchester College
Description: "The Raval Festival is a weekend event. One of the nights that I volunteered, I walked with a drum group going on a parade and passed out programs for a choir concert. Another night I checked strollers at a theater, and threw candy for a parade. I got to see the inside of a beautiful theater that many Barcelona locals have never seen, and I also met some nice people who were helping out with the festival."