Family fee payments can be made online, with several payment options available. Please contact chapter leadership with any questions you have.

The cost of supporting an AMIGOS volunteer in Latin America is significant. Tucson Chapter covers these costs through a combination of letter writing, small group fundraisers, and a family fee contribution. We chose these activities to maximize our ability to provide the AMIGOS experience to all volunteers without regard to family financial circumstances. All volunteers are required to fully take part in each fundraising activity as fundraising skills are an important component of AMIGOS training program and raise awareness of AMIGOS programs in the community. Volunteers receive considerable help with regard to fundraising strategies, and the experience gained in this effort will definitely build important skills!

LETTER WRITING/DONOR CONTACTS

Each volunteer is required to send out a combination of letters and emails to friends, family, and a limited number of previous donors, to request individual tax-deductible donations (the revenue from this effort is pooled). Letters are written by the student with considerable help provided by the chapter during the process. For more information, contact info@amigostucson.org.

Additional funding opportunities

All alumni interested in volunteering again with AMIGOS qualify to apply for the Alumni Award. More info here.

FAMILY FEE $2,997

(payment plan options available)

• Group fundraising participation required.

FEES INCLUDE

• Round-trip international airfare
• Training materials and workshops
• Secondary short-term international medical insurance
• Program excursions
• Food, lodging, and transportation in Latin America
• Supplies for community project and extracurricular activities
• 24-hour On Call Emergency Management System
• Travel hotline and support

Click here for more information about our Fees & Funding.

DUE DATES AND PAYMENT OPTIONS

• Participants pay their family fees beginning December 2019. The fee must be paid by May 4, 2020.
• Fees can be paid online or by mail.
• Payment plans are available.

AMIGOS actively recruits and supports inclusion of volunteers from diverse backgrounds. AMIGOS provides needs-based financial assistance with distribution determined by family income, number of dependents and special financial circumstances. We provide amounts of $100-$1,000 to qualified applicants as deductions on the family fee. The Financial Assistance Application deadline has passed. Please contact president@amigos-tucson.org for additional information.

The transformative AMIGOS experience starts before leaving home.

With 50 years of experience preparing young people for travel and service abroad, AMIGOS training offers unparalleled global youth leadership development. Pre-departure training equips volunteers with the critical thinking, communication skills, and technical knowledge they need to make a meaningful impact across cultures while staying healthy and safe. The Tucson Chapter AMIGOS training is youth-led, experiential learning that prepares volunteers for their AMIGOS experience, builds a community of youth and families with shared values, and develops life-skills to help students succeed beyond AMIGOS. Training sessions are facilitated by the Training Director, Senior Staff, and a team of volunteer trainers as well as local speakers from the community. 

What does Tucson Chapter training look like?

SERVICE LEARNING

The Tucson Chapter incorporates service learning into the AMIGOS training to add depth and first-hand experience to the curriculum. Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities. Volunteers are trained on nutrition education through our partners at Tucson Village Farm. They are expected to complete four hours of service in English or Spanish working on the farm, educating youth on the benefits of healthy eating.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM INCLUDE:

• Unparalleled leadership development
• Cross-cultural awareness and understanding
• Hands-on training for technical aspects of the program
• Extensive health and safety training
• Opportunities to practice Spanish
• Creating a community of young people with shared values

THE TIME COMMITMENT FOR TRAINING ACTIVITIES INCLUDES:

• Three meetings per month (6:45pm-9:00pm) from January to mid-May
• Three overnight retreats
• Four hours of service learning
• Online assessments to determine readiness for the summer

TRAINING CALENDAR

Initial Training Dates:
Dec. 15th – Welcome Potluck
Jan. 6th – First Volunteer Training Meeting