IFP Argentina, Buenos Aires: Poverty, Youth, and the City

Begins: 1 Jun 2009
Ends: 31 Jul 2009
Supervisor: Alberto Minujin
Language Requirement: Spanish (Intermediate-High proficiency)
Required course: Evaluating Development Impact: Slums, Education and Micro-Credit

 

2009 will be the eighth year of the Buenos Aires IFP, where up to 10 students will learn firsthand about Buenos Aires’ social, economic and cultural development.

Students will work with:

Fundación SES, an NGO dedicated to development issues and with close links to the local NGO network. Fundación SES will lead internships related to developing research and active, practical field experience in youth education and work, local development and ongoing scale projects.

Instituto de Vivienda of the Province of Buenos Aires, will allow students to evaluate housing and slum improvement programs.

La Base will involve students in microcredit organization in Buenos Aires.

 

Argentina represents an interesting case of a middle-income developing country recovering from a recent economic crisis. The 2001 crisis was the culmination of a long period of neo-liberal policies and social impoverishment. During this period, almost all public services were privatized and had weak regulation systems. The voice of civil society was absent in that process and is still out of the picture. Throughout this structural crisis, however, cultural expression remained strong and increased, particularly in the city of Buenos Aires.

The 2009 Buenos Aires IFP will give the students the opportunity to integrate their GPIA classroom education with practical fieldwork and instruction on the ground on Urban Development and Education, Local Development and Youth Participation.

 

BUENOS AIRES 2009 GROUP PAGE