Volunteer in Guanajuato - Senior Care
Live an eco-friendly experience in the French countryside with a team of volunteers as you assist with wildlife rescue, natural preservation, and biodiversity projects.
Overview
Our volunteer program is aimed at students seeking to learn Spanish, as well as make a social impact. Our volunteer programs give you a global perspective, and the ability to give back to the local community by volunteering at Refugio para Ancianos – Cosme Olivares Torres. This home is run by nuns, offering housing, clothing food and specialized medical attention for seniors. There are also areas for physical/occupational therapy and for recreational activities with groups of children, young people, and volunteers who visit the residents to give them company and conversation, fill them with life and make them feel at home.
Students will attend Spanish classes at the local school for 4 weeks, while volunteering at Refugio para Ancianos – Cosme Olivares Torres for a minimum of 6 hours per week.
Volunteers will visit the residents to provide company and support during assigned activities. They will also help out in the areas for physical and occupational therapy and recreational activities.
About Guanajuato, Mexico
Travelling to Guanajuato means delving into a land of contrasts. Its extensive volcanic mountain ranges turn into vast plains, where the magical towns of the region are located. The city’s colonial treasures will surprise you with bright colors and unique architectonics. Guanajuato, an old mining town, is famous for its history, its mummies, and its cuisine. Among the many typical local dishes, you’ll find sweet treats like charamuscas. Studying Spanish in Guanajuato can quickly become a journey to the heart of Mexico. Make the most of the International Cervantes Festival and other important events in the city to put the Spanish you’ve learned to the test. Be amazed by the history of the city walls, which have been declared a World Heritage Site, and experience everything Guanajuato has to offer

Mexico - Guanajuato
About the School
Thanks to its spacious central patio, natural light shines into our Spanish school in Guanajuato, lighting up our classrooms and inspiring our students. Enjoy learning Spanish in an authentic Mexican environment, complete with bold colors, traditional tiles, leafy plants, and teachers dedicated to your language success. After class, you and your new international friends can walk along the Pastita river and relax in the nearby parks or take a short stroll into the heart of one of Mexico’s most important historical and cultural colonial cities.
School Facilities
- 10 colorful, bright classrooms circling a sunny central patio
- Library and multimedia center
- Kitchen
- Terrace, lounge area
- Computers for student use, study tables for laptops
- Free Wi-Fi
- Surrounded by parks, plazas, and green zones
- Close to city center
- Whole city easily accessible by foot
- Walking distance: 15-20 min.: Plaza de la Paz (main square), University of Guanajuato, Jardín de la Unión, Teatro Juárez, Museo Iconográfico del Quijote. 20-25 min.: Alhóndiga de Granaditas, Templo de la Calzada de Guadalupe, Jardín Reforma, Mercado Hidalgo, Museo Diego Rivera
About Refugio para Ancianos - Cosme Olivares Torres
This home for the elderly was created to provide comprehensive and dignified support to older people with limited resources who have been abandoned and/or cannot care for themselves. The home, run by nuns, offers housing, clothing, food, specialized medical attention for seniors, and spiritual guidance with expert thanatologists. It has areas set aside for physical and occupational therapy and for recreational activities with groups of children, young people, and volunteers who visit the residents to give them company and conversation, fill them with life, and make them feel at home.
Program Dates & Lengths
The program in Mexico is offered all year round, with the ability to join classes on any Monday. You’ll work with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts to set your specific dates and duration.
Program Costs
The cost for our 4 week (1 month) program in Guanajuato, Mexico is $3,440.
What's Included
Included in the Program Cost:
- 20 Spanish lessons per week
- Volunteer Program at Refugio para Ancianos – Cosme Olivares Torres (6 hours per week)
- 24/7 emergency support
- Personal program representative
- Host Family accommodation with half board (breakfast & dinner)
- Transportation to and from the airport
- Local assistance
- Medical insurance
Not included in the Program Cost:
- Airfare
- Local transportation
- Personal expenses
- Passport fees
Eligibility
Eligible Program Participants Must:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Volunteer for at least 6 hours a week at Refugio para Ancianos – Cosme Olivares Torres
- Have an intermediate knowledge of Spanish
- Be in good physical health and motivated
- Have an interest in learning Spanish, helping senior citizens and immersing yourself in the culture
What to Expect
As a participant of this program, you can expect the following:
- 20 Spanish language classes per week (approx. 55 minutes each)
- Placed in classes of no more than 8 students, with the average size being 4 students
- Free time to explore the city and culture
- Volunteer for a minimum of 6 hours a week at Refugio para Acianos – Cosme Olivares Torres
Schedule for Refugio para Acianos – Cosme Olivares Torres
Volunteers will visit the residents to provide company and support during assigned activities. Volunteers will also:
- Provide assistance in the physical therapy area
- Provide assistance in the occupational therapy area
- Provide assistance during recreational activities
- General work with the elderly
- Variety of assigned tasks
Application Process
- Explore our programs, options and countries to find your best match.
- Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
- You can submit the interest form here: Travel & Study Abroad Interest Form
- Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
- Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
- Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program costs, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure.
Parent FAQs
- Severe anxiety
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Gap Year FAQs
- Language Tutoring
- Teacher’s Assistant
- Volunteering/Community Development
- Farming & Sustainability
General FAQs
- Stand out during the college admissions process
- Develop new language skills in an immersive environment
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Identify interests to better select academic & career paths
- Establish cross-cultural skills
- Improve academic scores
- Improve personal organization and time management skills
- Develop a sense of adaptability, independence, and self-reliance
- Boost self-confidence
- Learn about new lifestyles
- Experience new cuisines
- Make lifelong friends
- Gain life experience
- Short Term Option (1-2 months)
- Trimester and Semester Options
- Full Year Options
- Program options from 1-8 weeks
- 12-month program option
- Explore our programs, options, and countries to find your best match.
- Complete our interest form and, if applicable, let us know who referred you to us.
- Schedule a meeting with one of our Travel & Study Abroad experts.
- Submit your application and a $200 application fee. This non-refundable fee will be applied to your overall program costs.
- Upon acceptance, you will be required to pay a deposit of 50% of the total program cost, up to $1500. The final payment is due several weeks before your departure.