Volunteer Terms & Conditions

Definitions

Expanish organizes a cultural exchange program whose objective is to offer foreigners (hereinafter referred to as the Volunteer(s)) a non-paid work and cultural experience (hereinafter referred to as the Volunteer Program) in a non-profit Argentine organization (hereinafter referred to as the Host Organization) for a duration designated by the Volunteer upon his/her application.

"The Volunteer" is the person in whose name the booking is made. The "Volunteer Supervisor" is the Volunteer's Supervisor at the Volunteer placement site from the Host Organization, with whom the Volunteer signs the Volunteer contract during their placement orientation.

Company Liability

Expanish organizes Volunteer Programs in Argentina. Where Expanish is represented by outside promotional companies or individuals, travel agencies or other parties

(hereinafter jointly referred to as "the Agents", Expanish is not liable for any errors or problems that occur due to misinformation resulting from any agreement or information exchange between the Volunteer and the Agent. Expanish is not liable to pay compensation in these instances. Instead, recourse should be sought with these Agents directly by Volunteer in case of disagreement or damages.

Expanish is also not responsible for any errors, problems, or damages that occur during the Volunteer Program, or in the relationship between the Volunteer and the Host Organization and its staff. Expanish is not liable to pay compensation in these instances. Instead, recourse should be sought with the Host Organization directly by the Volunteer in case of disagreement or damages.

Volunteer Responsibilities

The Volunteer understands and fully accepts without reservation the content of the present terms and conditions with full conformity and agrees to strictly adhere to each of its provisions.

Expanish accepts no responsibilities or liability of whatever nature for Volunteers' actions or omissions. Volunteers are expected to obey the laws and adapt to the customs of their Host country and Host Organization, and housing hosts if in Expanish accommodation. On formalizing enrollment in a program (and accommodation) Volunteers accept the Code of Conduct, as well as the norms, rules and guarantees of Expanish that they have previously been given and read, otherwise the norms, rules, and guarantees of the Host Organizations, that are contained in the Volunteer Agreement that the Volunteer has to subscribe, before starting the Volunteer Program. Expanish reserves the right to expel from the program (without refund) any Volunteer whose behavior violates the Code of Conduct and rules of Host Organizations, program providers, tour operators, Host families, etc. Any expenses incurred by Expanish or the placement Host or the Host family in terminating the program of a Volunteer will be the sole responsibility of the Volunteer.

It is assumed and required that Volunteers have personally filled out and signed their applications, and therefore are personally held responsible for adhering to the terms and conditions of their program.

The Volunteer recognizes that they have been properly advised of the terms and conditions of his/her Volunteer Program and of the terms of the Volunteer Agreement and have completely understood the reach of all terms, and that the Volunteer exercises complete discernment and freedom in agreeing to these terms, having been provided with the information and clarifications of the content and reach of the present agreement.

Personal Information

Volunteers will never be maliciously discriminated against for any kind of special medical condition; however, if the Volunteer has any current or past medical condition, physical or mental, that affects their health & well-being and could potentially affect the people around them, such as fellow workers, housing hosts, Expanish staff, workshop teachers, trip coordinators, etc., the Volunteer should disclose the disorder(s) to the appropriate Expanish staff member before their program begins, or if it develops during the program, as soon as possible following the time that the Volunteer first becomes aware of the disorder(s). If a Volunteer is suspected of having a non-disclosed illness that could greatly affect their own person or people around them, the Volunteer will be asked about this, and if necessary, their emergency contact will be notified. Examples of such illnesses can include, without limitation: alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, bipolar, attention deficit disorders, past or current cancer, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, etc. (hereinafter the "Illness") Any medical information disclosed will be kept confidential and only revealed to those providers involved in the Volunteer's program that absolutely must know, such as housing Hosts, in the case of an emergency.

If any of the providers on the Volunteer's program who is directly affected by this illness was not advised beforehand because the Volunteer did not disclose the information and the provider is not comfortable with the situation, the Volunteer may be moved into a different placement, housing placement, etc.

Even in the case that the Volunteer duly informs the providers of the Volunteer's program about the Illness, but the Illness is still not under control and is negatively affecting the Volunteer or those around him/her, Expanish will once again contact the Volunteer, contact their emergency contact, and if necessary, terminate the Volunteer Program without refund. Expanish shall further be entitled to terminate the Volunteer Program without notice.

Volunteers are required to independently notify Expanish of any past, present, or future criminal proceedings that could affect Expanish, the Host Organization, or fellow volunteers directly, or cause an unsafe environment. Accordingly, Expanish shall be entitled to terminate the program without notice if it is seen that the Volunteer has culpably made false or incomplete statements about their criminal history or future proceedings.

Admission Eligibility

Expanish reserves the right to accept or reject Volunteers who apply to the particular placements, based on the eligibility requirements stipulated either by Host Organizations and/or on Expanish promotional materials. Volunteers' age will be taken into account, along with their level of Spanish, as well as their level of English if applying for a volunteer English teaching placement. Their experience in particular fields or tasks requested should be stipulated in their Resume or CV, which should be in Spanish unless a zero Spanish level placement has been requested, and will be taken into account. They will also need to have a valid passport for the duration of their Volunteer Program, be in proper conditions to enter into Argentina, be legally residing in Argentina with a current visa, and show proof of health insurance with international coverage.

All Volunteers must provide proof of the above eligibility requirements, including a passport valid for the duration of the Volunteer Program with their birth date listed. To prove language fluency, Volunteers will be asked to indicate on their application their estimated level and truthfully complete a pre-placement Spanish level test, however if Volunteers are found to be below the level necessary for their requested placement based on the discretion of the Expanish School Director and/or Volunteer Supervisor, Volunteers will be required to take Spanish courses to raise them to the appropriate level before they can begin their Volunteer Program. This is for the safety of the Volunteer beneficiaries (for example, patients in a hospital setting) and for the safety of the Volunteers themselves. For any English level requirement, Volunteers will be asked to prove English fluency by the following certificates:

By applying for an Expanish Volunteer Program the Volunteer declares that he/she is the person who is named in the application and that all the submitted information is true; false information will make the Volunteer subject to dismissal from the courses without refund. Admission into the Volunteer Program will not be final until all application materials have been received and it can be confirmed that the Volunteer meets all eligibility criteria. Volunteer Program reservation will not be final into the Volunteer's payment has been received in full.

Application Deadlines

All Volunteer applications must be turned in at least 30 days before the Volunteer's desired start date, and the application is not considered complete until all the additional documents have been received by Expanish staff.

Late applications (including application forms received without all additional documents) will be accepted dependent on availability in Host Organization placements, and Expanish does have the right to delay the Volunteer's start date if there is no placement availability.

Insurance

Expanish has a civil liability insurance policy that covers possible incidents that may occur in the main Expanish building in Buenos Aires located at Tte Gral Juan D Perón 700. Expanish is not responsible for loss or theft of Volunteer's personal property and any incidents or accidents that may occur outside the main Expanish School and Center, for which Expanish recommends Volunteers take out their own insurance policy.

Any Volunteer participating in the Expanish Volunteer program must show proof of health insurance valid for the duration of their Volunteer Program in order to participate. Volunteers can send in a copy of their card or policy from their home country, or they can purchase a third party health & travel insurance plan such as Expanish packages available through CareMed International. Expanish does not take any responsibility whatsoever for making Volunteer insurance claims to any insurance company, including CareMed International, and Volunteers are held responsible for understanding the claims process of their chosen company in the event that the Volunteer must seek medical attention.

Descriptions

All Expanish Brochures and promotional material is correct at the time of publication to the best knowledge of Expanish and every reasonable effort has been made to describe the Expanish School and Center and environs and to provide the amenities described therein. However, Expanish reserves the right to change without notice any condition or circumstance described in the Brochures and promotional material. Expanish can therefore not be held responsible for any changes that become known after the brochure was published. (up-to-date information can be found on the website), nor can Expanish accept liabilities for happenings outside its reasonable control. Expanish undertakes to advise the Volunteer of any material changes known, prior to the Volunteer's departure.

Visas & Work Permits

The Volunteer must be in legal conditions to enter into Argentina and is held entirely responsible for securing their own entry visa to Argentina or any subsequent work permits. Expanish will advise the Volunteer when possible, however Volunteers are responsible for contacting their appropriate embassy and completing all appropriate paperwork necessary before entering into Argentina.

Compensation and Job Facilitation

The Volunteer recognizes and accepts without reservation that the Volunteer Program does not generate any type of work relationship between the Volunteer and Expanish or between the Volunteer and the Host Organization where the placement will be carried out, being that the relation is of an entirely discretional, personal, free, altruistic and of solidarity/supportive nature, without any type of wages or remuneration of any kind.

The Volunteer recognizes and fully accepts and conforms to the fact that he/she will not be considered in a dependent labor relationship, under any of the established modalities of Argentinean Contract Labor Law..

Volunteer placements are unpaid, and Volunteer may not accept payment for the donation of their time and efforts in accordance with Argentina law. No paid job facilitation will be offered to Volunteers.

Volunteer Agreements

All Volunteers are required to sign a Volunteer Agreement with their Host Organization at their placement orientation. Within this Agreement will be a description of their tasks, rules of the Host Organization, etc. It will be in Spanish, however a legalized translation into English will be attached for all Volunteers. Anything filled into the Agreement will need to be at least in Spanish, though the Volunteer can work out individually with their Volunteer Supervisor if these items can also be written simultaneously in English.

Volunteers will not be allowed to begin their placement until the Volunteer Agreement has been signed by both the Volunteer and his/her Volunteer Supervisor

Payment

Payment of the entire program balance must be received 4 weeks before arrival.

If registering more than 4 weeks before arrival, to confirm volunteer placement and accommodation, a minimum deposit of US$ 500 is required. Until the deposit is received Expanish cannot guarantee any placement or accommodation. The remaining program balance is then due 4 weeks before arrival.

If registering more than 4 weeks before arrival, for programs over US$ 2500, a deposit of 20% of the total program fee is required to confirm registration. The remaining program balance is then due 4 weeks before arrival.

Cancellation Policy

If the Volunteer wishes to cancel their booking this must be done in writing by the person who signed the booking form or who made the online order. The date of cancellation will be the date that Expanish receives the written notification.

Alterations by the Volunteer

If the Volunteer wishes to change their booking in any way after the Registration Form has been submitted, they must inform Expanish immediately, in writing, and Expanish reserves the right to charge US$100 per person, per change, to cover the additional administration involved, plus any additional charges incurred by schools, accommodation suppliers or other suppliers (details available on request) and any other costs involved with modifications in the program. This fee is not applicable to Volunteers who wish to extend or upgrade their existing program.

In the case that a Volunteer requests a placement change they must give a valid and necessary motive in writing for requesting the placement change, and it will be left up to the Expanish staff to decide if it is a necessary reason to change placements. If Expanish agrees to a placement change, Expanish has 14 days to organize the start date of a new placement, however Volunteers will be responsible for filing any additional paperwork required by the new Host Organization before they begin Volunteering for the company. Volunteers will be subject to the US $100 change fee at the discretion of Expanish staff.

If the Volunteer informs the Expanish staff of an urgent and necessary reason to change his/her housing within the first 3 days, the Volunteer can ask for relocation and there will be no charges. All relocations will take place the following Sunday. Final discretion will be left to the Expanish staff to determine whether or not relocation is the only available solution to the problem presented in each individual case. After the first 3 days of the Volunteer's program, a charge may be incurred for any relocation requests. Volunteer will be subject to the US $100 change fee at the discretion of Expanish staff.

Program, Placement, and Price Changes

Expanish may change placements, timetables and prices at its discretion without notification. The Volunteer is entitled to a refund of program fees if Expanish is not able to offer a placement in the field of their first, second or third choice if the Volunteer has turned in his/her application on time.

If a placement must be discontinued because of a problem with the Host Organization, or an incorrect fit between the Volunteer and Host Organization that did not result due to any illegal or immoral activity on behalf of the Volunteer, Expanish will replace the Volunteer's placement within 14 days of the end of the first placement.

Activities and Excursions

Descriptions of activities and excursions that accompany the programs are for guidance only, unless specifically noted in the confirmation invoice. For these activities there may be minor fees associated with the activities. These extra fees typically cover expenses such as transportation and entrance fees. If Expanish offers weekend trips and extra excursions Volunteers are expected to pay the full cost of these trips, aside from any included program trips.

Course Materials

For any Volunteer + Spanish packages, all course materials for Spanish courses are included in the price.

Minimum Age

The minimum age for Volunteer Programs is 18 years old.

Minimum Program Duration

The minimum amount of time that can be booked for our regular Volunteer Programs is a 4-Week program (maximum of 24-Weeks booked in 4-Week long intervals). The minimum amount of time that can be booked for our any of our special Volunteer Vacations is a one-day program (maximum of three weeks). The minimum amount of group Spanish courses that can be booked as part of the Volunteer + Spanish Special Package is 1 Week.

Placement Attendance

The Volunteer agrees to attend their placement each day as well as be on time (all hours and says will be laid out in the Volunteer Agreement signed by both the Volunteer and the Volunteer Supervisor). Volunteers who are constantly tardy or absent from their placement site may be expelled from the program without refund, at the discretion of their Volunteer Supervisor and/or Expanish staff. Volunteers with a valid reason for an absence or a tardy may be able to make-up work or be excused at the decision of the Volunteer Supervisor.

If a Volunteer will be absent, they must notify their Volunteer Supervisor ahead of time directly by phone, NOT the Expanish staff.

Volunteers can only begin mid-week at the discretion of the Host Organization. Otherwise Expanish reserves the right to postpone the Volunteer start date until the following Monday.

Holidays

Where a placement coincides with a Public Holiday ("Feriado Nacional"), it will be up to the Host Organization's discretion about whether or not the Volunteer must attend. Any placements scheduled to begin on a holiday, will be postponed until the following working day. National holidays include:

For the Volunteer + Spanish Package, the Expanish Spanish School and Center will be closed for all holidays. Weeks with national and local holidays will have one extra hour per day for group classes (making courses 5 hours per day for 4 days, with the total remaining 20 hours per week).

Minimum Spanish level

Upon registration, all Volunteers are asked to fill out an at-home Spanish level test and send it in to their Expanish advisor, before their placement is arranged.

If the Volunteer, Expanish School Director, Spanish Teacher, or Volunteer Supervisor believes that the Volunteer does not have an adequate level of Spanish for their placement or that the level test sent to them upon registration yielded results that do not reflect the reality of the Volunteer's Spanish skills, an additional Spanish level test will be given upon the Volunteer's arrival. The Expanish School Director and the Volunteer Supervisor will evaluate the Volunteer's situation and will determine if the Volunteer must take Spanish classes before they begin their placement. The Volunteer is not required to take those classes with Expanish, however they will not be able to begin their Volunteer placement until they can function at the appropriate Spanish level, both written and orally, which will be re-evaluated by a level test at Expanish if Spanish courses are taken elsewhere. No refunds will be made in this case.

Start Dates & Orientations

The Program is defined as starting on the first day of the placement, classes or the first day of entry into the Accommodation, whichever is first. If the Volunteer is studying in multiple locations, the program starts on the first day of entry or attendance at the first location.

Volunteer placements can be requested to begin on any Monday year-round, except for National Holidays in Argentina, HOWEVER:

In these cases, if Volunteers apply late or there is little availability, Expanish can delay the Volunteer's start date.

Placements will usually begin on the Monday or Tuesday of the Volunteer's first requested week, however sometimes Host Organizations require extra paperwork that Volunteers may need to complete. In these cases, Volunteers still must arrive by the first Monday for their orientation(s) and to complete this paperwork.

Placements requested to begin after Monday or Tuesday each week are up to the discretion of the Host Organization in conjunction with Expanish, however most Volunteers will be asked to begin the following week.

All Expanish and Volunteer placement orientations are obligatory. The Volunteer should present him/herself well at their orientation - while they do not need to where formal business attire, they should be well-groomed and present themselves to their Volunteer Supervisor in the same manner they would for any job interview.

Declarations and Guarantees of the Volunteer

The Volunteer declares and guarantees to Expanish and to his/her Host Organization:

  1. That he/she does not find him/herself with any impediment that would inhibit the realization of a Volunteer Program in Argentina.
  2. That he/she is covered by an International Health Insurance.
  3. That during the entire duration of his/her program, the Volunteer promises to behave responsible, conform to all laws, morals, and good customs put forth in the volunteer agreements, and conform to public order, refraining from committing any illicit acts or impeding on the rights of any other person or third party.
  4. That he/she understand and accept all the terms of this document and the conditions of the Volunteer's Program.

The breach, distortion and/or hiding of information related to any of the declarations and guarantees established in the present agreement, authorizes Expanish at its discretion or the discretion of the Host Organization to exclude the Volunteer from the Volunteer Program, and such circumstances will further rescind the right of the Volunteer to file any formal complaint, or demand reimbursement, compensation and/or indemnity of any kind.

Obligations of the Volunteers

The Volunteer must: 1) comply with the hours, norms and internal regulations of the Host Organization where they will carry out their Volunteer Program, in complete agreement with the current terms; 2) consider all of the information confidential if it is irrefutably classified as such by the Host Organization and not reveal said confidential information to third parties outside of the Host Organization.

The non-fulfillment of the above points will be sufficient cause for Expanish at its discretion or the discretion of the Host Organization to exclude the Volunteer from the Volunteer Program, and such circumstances will further rescind the right of the Volunteer to file any formal complaint, or demand reimbursement, compensation and/or indemnity of any kind.

Indemnity

The Volunteer is obliged to hold Expanish and the Host Organization totally and absolutely indemnifies and holds harmless for all court and out of court complaints, damages, sanctions, tickets or fines, expenditures or costs of any nature claimed by any person, caused by the behavior of the Volunteer or due to the breach of any of the present terms and conditions of the Volunteer Program. The obligation of indemnity does not cease at the conclusion of the Volunteer Program, but rather continues without limit and with respect to any of the complaints written here, including those that occur after the termination of the Volunteer Program, without any type of time limit.

Said obligation to indemnity extends likewise to all controllers, affiliates, directors, civil servants, employees, representatives, all present and future, including those that pertain to Expanish and the Host Organization of the Volunteer.

Confidentiality

The Volunteer assumes confidentiality as a formal duty. This implies that the Volunteer must: a) Keep secret any information and/or documentation supplied by his/her Host Organization; b) Expressly refrain from making public to any physical or legal person information and/or documentation supplied by the Host Organization in order to fulfill the responsibilities of his/her Volunteer Program tasks.

It is not considered a violation of the obligation to confidentiality set forth under the present terms to reveal confidential information that (a) Should be revealed by law, for an official process or by order of a court or governmental agency of appropriate jurisdiction or of similar disposition, or (b) the Host Organization expressly authorizes the divulging of the information or its use for modifications to this agreement.

Evaluation, Certificates & Letters of Recommendation

Volunteers will be evaluated in writing right before the end of their placement by their Volunteer Supervisor, which will be given to the Expanish School Director.

Each Volunteer will be given a certificate at the end of their Volunteer placement as long as they are positively evaluated by their Volunteer Supervisor, which will outline their period of Volunteering and their area of interest.

Letters of Recommendation will only be given to the Volunteer at the end of their program by the Expanish School Director if they are positively evaluated by their Volunteer Supervisor and will only be given upon request by the Volunteer.

Copyright

Expanish reserves the right to use all possible photos taken during the Volunteer's stay unless the Volunteer declares otherwise on his/her arrival at Expanish. Expanish also reserves the right to use any information included on course evaluations in Expanish promotional literature/ publications/broadcasts/etc.