Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities to volunteer at a youth centre located on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. The non-profit youth centre serves children and families living on the reservation and is a grass-roots organisation run by members of the Lakota tribe and the surrounding communities.

The youth centre is located in Eagle Butte. With a population of around 3000, it is the largest town on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation and the center of tribal government. The reservation is situated in the mid-west state of South Dakota, bordering North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. The reservation encompasses approximately 2.8 million acres of rolling prairie land. Volunteers are housed at the youth centr

e in dormitory-style accommodation.

Volunteers will work with children aged from 4 to 18 years old. During the school term the youth centre is open in the afternoons and during the summer holidays it is open all day. There is no typical day at the centre and activities will vary according to the time of the year and how many children are at the centre.

Activities include: Library time, arts and crafts, helping with homework, working in the organic garden, outdoor games, serving meals, fundraising drives within the community, helping with general upkeep of the centre. In addition, volunteers with particular skills, for example language or sporting skills, will be encouraged to implement their own programs with the children. Mornings will often involve some administration and maintenance duties.