La fiesta de Navidad!

The Chistmas Party!

Last week we held a Christmas party for the kids at the club... and it went very well! All the kids made Christmas cards and here are a few photos that we took at the party. All the volunteers donated a little money and we were able to raise enough between us to buy each of the kids a present... I can't tell you how happy they were!

They were happy but, at the same time, sad because the club will be closed during January for the summer break. Also, they were scared that the club might not run next year. The kids really want the club to continue and to not be left without it.

We have a huge responsibility to the kids of Club Union de los Pibes and we need your help. Please be so kind as to donate a little bit of money to the club so that we can find and rent a new place for our kids in the new year... think of it as your Christmas present to the kids!

Many thanks and Happy Christmas!

---------------------------------------------

La semana pasada hicimos una fiesta de Navidad por los niños del club... y salió muy bien! Todos los niños hicieron tarjetas de Navidad y aqui tienen ustedes algunas fotos que tomamos de la fiesta. Todos los voluntarios donamos un poquito de dinero y reunimos suficiente para comprar regalos para todos los niños... No hay palabras para describir la alegría de nuestros pibes!

Los pibes estaban felices pero, en el mismo tiempo, tristes porque teníamos que cerrar durante enero. Tambien tienen miedo de que no volvamos. Los chicos quieren que volvamos y no los dejemos!

Es una gran responsabilidad y necesitamos su ayuda. Por favor, sean tan amables de donar poquito de dinero para que podamos encontrar y rentar un lugar para nuestros pibes en el año nuevo... como un regalo de Navidad para los pibes!

Muchas gracias y feliz Navidad!

'Vos amis' son nuestros amigos

Read a short piece about Club Union de los Pibes, published online today at the following link:

http://www.lepetitjournal.com/buenos-aires/breves-buenos-aires.html

Thanks to Le Petit Journal and its readers for their support.

Merci beaucoup!

(Le Petit Journal is an online newspaper. They have page aimed at the French speaking population of Buenos Aires.)

Taekwondo at Union de los Pibes

Here are a few photos from the Taekwondo classes that one of our volunteers, Rafa, has been leading at the club.

We are always happy for our volunteers to pass on their skills and enthusiasm to the kids. The kids enjoy the opportunity to take part in activities that they might not otherwise have access to.

Thanks Rafa!

Un evento para recaudar fondos... en Inglaterra

¡GRACIAS JOHN!!! Por hacer este pro-fondos en Inglaterra para ayudar a nuestros pibes, me emociona cuando cada uno de los voluntarios pasa por nuestro club y regresa a su país llevando el corazón de cada uno de los niños, esto hace ver a todos que nuestro club tiene un encanto especial.

A fund-raising event... in England

THANK YOU JOHN!!! for organising this fund-raising event in England in order to help our kids. I am always moved to see that each volunteer who comes to the club, goes home carrying with them in their hearts a place for each of the kids. This just goes to show that our club has a very special charm.

Very many thanks to the Hampden Way Children’s Centre of the London Borough of Barnet; they very kindly welcomed John to hold the fund raising event for Club Union de los Pibes at their centre in Southgate, North London. You can find out more about the children's centre at their website: www.barnet.gov.uk/hampden-way

A comment from a recent volunteer:

"Pibes is such a lovely and friendly organisation and it has been a privilege to be a part of it. The atmosphere created by Rossi and the team is very warm and the kids are fantastic."

Sarah Hall

Hablas ingles?

With many of our volunteers coming from America, Australia and Europe, English and Spanish are the common languages of the club. Some basic English is also very valuable for the kids (and their parents) especially when the time comes to look for work. We aim to provide regular English lessons at the club; one lesson for the older kids and one for the smaller ones. Recently, one of the mums has even started taking lessons.

Whether you have teaching experience or not, your help will be appreciated; even if you are not leading the session, a few extra people to assist is always extremely helpful and gives the kids a bit of the one-on-one support they need. If you are interested to help adults learn English, we may be able to put you in touch with the kids' parents or other adults in the community so that you can help them outside club hours. They are often interested in the opportunity as English lessons can be prohibitively expensive for them.

Most of the older kids do learn some English at school but the age range, ability and concentration levels (!) vary widely so we try to keep it fun and simple.

Learning colours by singing a song....

... and colouring in!

A well earned snack.

Of course all the kids are fluent in the international language of football!

Tenes tarea?

At the start of every club session, our volunteers sit down with the older kids to help them with their homework.

Large class sizes, a lack of resources and difficult family lives mean that it is easy for the kids to fall behind at school; we hope, by regularly spending a little time with them on their school work, that we can help to remind them of the importance of their education and, through taking an interest in their progress, to encourage them to keep trying.

Not to mention that however much they protest, and however slowly the books and pencils are drawn out of their bags, I think they all secretly enjoy having a bit of one on one attention!

One of our kids enjoying being better at maths than our volunteers... yes we remember doing long division, we just don't remember how! Back to school for us before the next session!

Ah yes... the answer is 4. Or is that some sort of hand gesture that I'm not cool enough to recognise...?

Yes, always good to keep the hood up - it helps warm the brain.

And for those too young for homework, another volunteer helps to keep them occupied.

Very studious... although I'm not sure those glasses are yours....

Many thanks to all our volunteers for their patience (!) and for providing this support to all the kids at the club.

Club Union de los Padres...?

Last Thursday we invited the kids' parents along to show them what we've been doing at the club and to share a snack with us.

Thanks to all our volunteers for organising all the activities and of course to the kids for taking part!

The kids were proud to show off their work...

...and they performed some songs they're learning in their singing classes.

Later everyone had a well deserved snack...

...and one of the mums certainly enjoyed herself...

...or perhaps she was just impressed at the size of the cake!

More photos on our flickr site.

¡Pibes cantores..!!

No serán los Niños cantores de Viena, pero... Sí que se hacen notar jeje... Aunque Bryan es mejor para dormir jajajja.

Singing kids...!!

They're not quite the von Trapp family children, but... if you hadn't noticed, he he.... Bryan still sleeps better than he sings, ha ha ha.

Many thanks to Camille and Nienke for leading the singing classes.

Arteterapia ¡Poniendo su propio sello...!!

Una de las cosas más importantes para nuestros pibes, es poner su propio sello en la creación de un trabajo artístico. Hoy se dejaron llevar por su gran imaginación exponiendo su creatividad en este hermoso collage. ¿Verdad que es ¡Hermoso!?

Art Therapy: Make your mark!

One of the most important things for our kids, is making their own mark during the creation of a work of art. Today they let their imaginations run wild and displayed their creativity in this beautiful collage. It is beautiful, isn't it?!

Una tarde de licuados UMMMHHHH...!!!

Que importantes se sienten nuestros pibes cuando participan en la preparación de su propia merienda.... Hoy hicieron un rico licuado de bananas con leche. Ummmmhhhhhhh....!!!

An afternoon of milkshakes MMMmmmmm...!!!

How important our kids feel when they participate in the preparation of their own snacks... today they made a tasty banana milkshake. Mmmmmm....!!!

Day trip to the Childrens' Museum

El pasado sábado 28 de agosto, como regalo y motivo de celebración del Día de los niños, fuimos de paseo al Museo de los Niños! (http://www.museoabasto.org.ar/). Los chicos y voluntarios jugamos a ser conductores de radio, de colectivos, médicos, banqueros, arquitectos, periodistas, etc.! Recorrimos todos los juegos y espacios de aprendizaje, y no pudo faltar un partido de futbol en la canchita del diario Clarín, donde los chicos muy orgullosos jugaron con sus remeras de Unión de los Pibes. Los chicos se divirtieron muchísimo y los grandes volvimos a ser chicos. Muchas gracias a Laura Castro (Guía del museo) por habernos invitado a pasar una tarde inolvidable!

On Saturday 28th August, as a treat to celebrate Childrens' Day, we went to the Childrens' Museum! The kids and the volunteers pretended to be radio presenters, bus conductors, doctors, bankers, architects, reporters etc! We went round all the games and learning zones and we couldn't leave without having a game of football on the little pitch at the museum, where the kids played proudly in their Union de los Pibes football shirts. The kids really enjoyed themselves and the older ones enjoyed being kids for the day! Many thanks to Laura Castro (Museum Guide) for inviting us to spend an unforgettable afternoon at the museum!

Paint for the Pibes

Every week for the past couple of months, Malu (a volunteer from Colombia), has been running art therapy classes for the kids at the club; helping them to express their feelings and develop their individuality. Here are some photos from her latest class.

Another volunteer helps out during the class...

Everyone hard at work...

Keeping an eye on the best materials....

Trying a change from the usual Boca colours...

Thanks Malu!

To see some more photos from the club see our flickr set

tortas, fútbol, dibujando y cantando .. solamente otro día en el club

A day at the Zoo!

Last Saturday, we made the most of a cold, sunny Buenos Aires winter's day and headed off to the zoo. We met at the club in Barracas at 11 and after having had the rules read to us, we all jumped on a Number 12 and headed across town to Plaza Italia and the zoo.

The 5 volunteers and 11 kids had a great day out, saw lots of animals and everybody really enjoyed themselves. Below are some pictures from myself, Chris, Sarah and Jacinta.

Lunch for the little ones

Feeding the goats
Self Portrait
The Gang

Vicky enjoying the day out
Are those your sunglasses?

Yeah, pretty sure those aren't yours either

All of Chris & Sarah's pics can be found in their Flickr set here