The volunteer program
is for people interested in learning about sustainable solutions
to poverty. All volunteers will work in partnership with local
people in a variety of community - based projects. This unique
program offers exciting hands-on work opportunities, meaningful
cultural immersion, and enriching language program.
Minimum two weeks preparatory
classes, followed by two to twelve weeks of volunteer work.
After this requirement is met, students may extend their program
with work only. The student will need to send us a resume
of their studies in order to arrange a half time work according
to their needs. Students will receive a certificate from Academia
Latinoamericana and the Institution at the end of the course.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
PRONOEI KINDERGARTEN
(Social/Education Placement)
History/Purpose:
PRONOEIs (Programa No Escolarisado de Educacion Inicial) are
government-run nursery schools / kindergartens for the extremely
impoverished areas of Cusco. The volunteer placement at a
PRONOEI (there are various locations) would include teaching
English, helping the teachers in the classroom, and doing
special activities with the children. There are about 5 different
locations where you might work on the outskirts of the city.
Each building holds about 35 children and there are very few
resources, so the children lack pens, pencils, paper, etc.
Therefore, a volunteer must possess creative skills to compensate
for the lack of materials.
Placement:
Teacher´s assistant. Volunteers for this placement must
be highly motivated “self-starters” who are able
to work independently. Also, some of these schools are in
the outskirts of Cusco, so there may be some travel involved.
Requirements
- Minimum work
commitment: 4 weeks
- Spanish:
High intermediate
- Schedule:
Monday through Friday from 9:30 - 12:00
- Capacity:
1 volunteer
- Other:
Patience and a willingness to be helpful in all areas of
the daycare.
CHILDRENS HOME MARÍA
SALOME FERRO (Social/Educational Placement)
History
/Purpose: A non - profit organization working with
high - risk street children and adolescents. All funding for
the project comes from religious organizations and voluntary
donations. The children are offered a structured educative,
formative program with the aim of identifying and relating
with the needs of the individual.
General
information: This home functions under the direction
of the Social Security and Charity of Cusco. Capacity for
50 children and teenagers in material and moral state of abandonment.
The ages of these children vary from 7 to 17 years. They receive
attention oriented to form values and to prepare them for
the adult life through workshops, lectures and specific training.
The courses are: - Woodcarving
- Tailoring - Shoe Making.
Activities
for the volunteer:
8
- 10 AM: To participate in the workshops collaborating
with the personnel to organize the children and to direct
them in work. - In this schedule the volunteer can also
organize art work art (painting- theater - music).
10 - 12 AM: To help
the children in the resolution of school tasks. In this
schedule volunteers can help the children with their school
classes and assignments (mathematics – English, or
other).
Requirements
YOUTH CENTER - MARCAVALLE
(Social/Educational placement)
History:
The Marcavalle Youth Center, is an official non profit organization,
founded on January 17, 1997. The organization is part of the
Reform of the Peruvian Social System, which is trying to reintegrate
adolescent offenders into the community. This project tries
to offer special education in conjunction with spiritual beliefs,
moral, and social values.
Description
of the center: This is a social reintegration program
for children and teenage offenders of the law, ages vary from
12 - 17 years. The activities that are carried out are divided
into four areas.
-
Educational
Program: Offers an occupational
program with the aim of developing personal aptitudes
and practical skills including :- carpentry, shoemaking,
sewing, handicrafts, farming etc.
-
Educational
modules: Offers a formative
program with the objective of developing self - esteem
and cultural identity. (one of the volunteers is a qualified
psychologist.) Also orient the adolescents in personal
themes of formation, values, sexual orientation, prevention
of alcoholism and other subjects.
-
Modules of
Learning: Children and
adolescents receive classes of: culture, identity, ecology,
health, communication and English.
-
Recreational
Activities: Participation
in sports activities (soccer, basketball and ping pong),
the center has it own sport facilities. Artistic activities
(dances, painting, chorus and theater).
Activities:
The volunteer can aid in all the areas of work indicated.
However teaching English will become the main activity during
the time the volunteer is at the center.
Requisite
for volunteers: Some teaching experience with children
or adolescents. Have a great deal of energy, love and affection
for children and willing to help them in every way. Organizational
capacity and creativity. Patience and willingness to work
with a challenging group of children and adolescents. The
understanding and ability to handle conditions of the poor
(for example, kids can go for days without a bath and lack
many standard social skills).
SAN JUDAS CHICO (Social/Educational
placement)
History
/ purpose: This is a religious non-profit organization
directed by the Congregation of the Holy Rosary in Cusco.
Facts about the center:
-
The center works
with about 45 children and adolescents.
-
Offers an educative
program which enables preparation and reinforcement of
school work and literacy.
-
Offers a formative
program with the objective of developing self esteem and
cultural identity. (one of the volunteers is a qualified
psychologist.)
-
They receive attention
oriented to form their values and to prepare them for
the adult life.
-
Children prepare
their own meals, with the help of staff, which are provided
at the end of each session.
Placement:
3.00 to 4.30 pm. During this time the volunteer will help
the students in the resolution of their school tasks. The
topics a volunteer will help with will relate to the background
of the individual. The volunteer will also provide English
lessons.
From
4.30 to 6.30 different activities are carried out:
handicrafts, sports, recreational or artistic. For this it
is necessary that the volunteer show interest in organizing
activities (ideally the volunteer will have experience in
these areas). For example during the months of November and
December the girls prepare Christmas cards. Volunteers that
have artistic abilities will direct these activities.
Requirements
- Minimum Time
Commitment: 4 weeks
- Spanish:
high level beginner/intermediate
- Schedule:
Monday to Friday, from 15:00 to 18:30 hours
- Other:
Show interest in working with girls and to be willing to
help them. Have a great deal of energy and patience. To
have organizational capacity and creativity. Initiative
to organize extra activities.
HOGAR CLINICA SAN JUAN
DE DIOS (Social Placement)
History/Purpose:
A clinic run by a religious order that offers free treatment
(or treatment for a symbolic fee such as a bag of rice or
a bag of corn) to mentally and physically disabled children.
Due to the present economic situation in Peru, the government
has cut funding for institutions like this one. The institute
is mostly self-efficient in respect that they grow their own
corn, potatoes and vegetables (in greenhouses), and have numerous
animals that they keep for their own consumption as well.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLINICA
- 52 children living at the hogar
- 40 come for school or therapy daily
- 72 children attend the school daily
- 4 profesoras
- 3 enfermeras por la mañana
- 2 enfermeras por la tarde
- 3 terapistas
- Normally 5-6 volunteers
- Receive little funding from the government,
and are trying to become self-sustaining.
Placement:
In this placement there are many different options. Volunteers
can work in the clinic feeding, bathing and playing with the
children. They can also work as teaching assistants in the
school, assisting with art projects and helping the children
with their work. There is also the possibility to work in
the physical therapy department, assisting with the therapies,
in the greenhouse, or in the administrative office.
Requirements
Note:
Placements where volunteers work with special/disabled/hearing
and/or speech-impaired patients may not be intensive Spanish
placements; however, Spanish IS
needed to communicate with staff and to get the most out of
the placement. Volunteers who want to practice their Spanish
must remember to always make an effort to both avoid their
native language (or English as it tends to be the common language
among world-wide travelers in South America) and to seek opportunities
to speak Spanish.
THE SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOL
is closed during “summer break”: mid-December
though beginning of April and again at the end of July for
two weeks.
ASILO DE ANCIANOS ´LA
RECOLETA´ (Social Placement)
History/Purpose:
This is a home for elderly people. It is run by a Catholic
order of nuns. There are four different wards:
-
The general women´s
ward, with 72 women, run by Madre Soranita.
-
The women´s infirmary,
with 32 women, run by Madre Mariana.
-
The general men´s
ward, with 86 men, run by Madre Soledad
-
The men´s infirmary,
with 33 men, run by Madre Soremilia.
Placement:
Various kinds of work related to the care of elderly people,
including helping to feed them lunch, bathing them, cutting
their fingernails and hair, dressing them, as well as personal
attention in recreation, for example, playing ball with them,
drawing, walking around with them, games like bingo, dancing,
singing, etc. The elderly people like having foreigners around
and start smiling once you walk in the door.
For those volunteers with
a medical background, a general medical placement is available.
You will be shadowing the nurses and doctors until you are
comfortable to take on individual patient duties. Patients´
medical needs include: administering of medicine, checking
blood pressure, taking blood tests, performing general physicals,
counseling on better health maintenance techniques, writing
patient histories and updates, etc. It is also possible to
work in the physical therapy clinic. Suggestions for contributions
to bring to the clinic include: hats, towels, sheets, toilet
paper, scarves, knitting equipment, games, cold medications,
antibiotics, soap, candy.
Requirements
- Minimum Time
Commitment: 4 weeks
- Spanish Level:
High-Intermediate by the time the placement begins
- Schedule:
Flexible but preferred is 9am to 1pm
- Capacity:
Maximum 2 volunteers at one time
HIJOS DEL SOL (Social/Educational
placement)
History
/ Purpose: A non profit organization working with high
risk street children and adolescents, who for a variety of
reasons (they´ve been abandoned/orphaned, have alcoholic
parents, etc.) are sleeping/ living rough on the streets of
Cusco. All funding for the project comes from voluntary donations
and the staff team consists of 11 professionals who volunteer
at the center in their spare time. The children are offered
a structured educative, formative and occupational program
with the aim of identifying and relating with the needs of
the individual.
Facts about the center:
-
The center works
with between 40 and 60 children at a time and offers morning
and afternoon sessions.
-
Offers an educative
program which enables preparation and reinforcement of
school work and literacy (first 2 hours of each session
is dedicated to the educative part of the program)
-
Offers a formative
program with the objective of developing self - esteem
and cultural identity. (one of the volunteers is a qualified
psychologist.)
-
Offers an occupational
program with the aim of developing personal aptitudes
and practical skills including :- carpentry, shoemaking,
sewing, handicrafts etc.
-
The project is
also developing a school for parents of children at risk,
working on a variety of relevant topics.
-
Children prepare
their own meals, with the help of staff, which are provided
at the end of each session.
Placement:
There are a number of options open to volunteers depending
on individual skills, including: helping in the classroom,
helping with a variety of occupational activities, etc. Extra
help will also be needed to find funding and the marketing
of the project (current funding runs out in June). Teaching
the children to prepare meals and the cleaning up process
afterwards is also a priority of the school.
Requirements
- Minimum Time
Commitment: 4 weeks
- Spanish:
high level beginner/intermediate
- Schedule:
Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm **3pm to 7pm Saturday 3pm to
7pm (**emphasis is on the afternoon shifts as more children
attend in the afternoon when they have finished at regular
school.)
MARKETING PLACEMENT
“2B” (Marketing Placement)
History/Purpose:
Located in Cusco, Peru, 2B is a social project with the aim
of providing disabled and hearing-impaired and deaf adolescents
with specific work and opportunity to learn useful skills.
Young women between the ages of 15 and 22 are taught the art
of clothes design, production, and sales. In addition, the
project incorporates interdisciplinary facets such as speech
therapy, psychotherapy, and artistic development. The two
Bs are Barbara and Baduc, co-founders (an Austrian-Peruvian
couple).
Placement:
Work closely with core team marketing the organization in
general and its clothing specifically. Working hours are flexible,
therefore the activities to carry out should be coordinated
previously with the person responsible of the center. Basically
the work of the volunteer consists of lending aid in the area
of marketing, promoting and diffusing the work of the organization.
The second main role will be organizing "fashion shows”
once a month to raise proceeds and publicize their products.
Marketing and organizational help are needed for these presentations.
Administrative help is also needed. In this position, the
social aid that can lend the volunteer is indirect, since
upon promoting and to sell the clothing is helping the disabled
youths so that they have more work. Any contribution of the
volunteer concerning production and sales will be greatly
appreciated by the organization.
Be prepared for non professional
working culture (typical example: you may have an “appointment”
to collect 2B´s fabric shipment from Lima, after confirming
twice, the vender never appears…) Good opportunity to
experience business every day problems first-hand while assisting
a very worthy, very needy organization!!
Requirements
- Minimum Time
Commitment: 4 weeks
- Spanish Level:
Mid to High-Intermediate by the time the placement begins
to communicate with clients.
- Schedule: to
be arranged upon arrival
- Capacity:
Maximum 1 volunteer at one time
- Other:
A genuine interest in the overall project, its purpose and
its possibilities!!! A creative person with marketing vision
who is able to working independently.
Important
things to consider: Volunteers must have patience.
New organization with small disorganized staff. This organization
is severely under funded and resources are few.
Other
comments: The maximum number of volunteers that this
organization accepts is 1 at a time.
ASOCIACIÓN KUYCHIWASI
(Marketing placement)
History
/ Purpose: Asociacion Kuychiwasi is a non-profit organization
working for the promotion of the coca leaf and coca leaf products.
It was founded by Spanish friars in 1999 to sell coca based
products in the hope of persuading the coca farmers to sell
their crop on a legitimate basis rather than resort to selling
to cocaine producers. Virtually all funding comes from the
sale of their products in the store as well as from the sale
of ceramics/ pottery produced by local youths in the coca
producing areas that also comes within the aim of the organization:
developing artistic ability and
generating employment and a self sustaining way of life.
These items are sold, along with coca based products, in their
shop situated in the Qorikancha.
Placement:
This position is for a volunteer who is interested in promoting
and marketing the beneficial uses of coca products and also
helping out in their shop. Coca leaves are used in a variety
of products including:- tea bags, biscuits, energy bars, chocolate,
bread, spaghetti, shampoo, soap, etc. and emphasis is on the
nutritional and beneficial value of the coca leaf, something
often neglected due to the links with cocaine production.
Requirements
-
Minimum
time commitment: one month
-
Spanish
level: medio- intermedio
-
Schedule:
Mon to Sat (hours changeable)
-
Capacity:
1 volunteer at a time
-
Other:
A genuine interest in the overall promotion of alternative
coca leaf products, bringing new ideas of marketing a
product which although has negative connotations, is also
of great nutritional and cultural value.
SOUTH AMERICAN EXPLORER´S
CLUB INTERNSHIP (Cultural Internship)
History/Purpose:
The SAEC is a non-profit, international club for travelers
with clubhouses in New York, Quito, Lima and Cusco. The Cusco
clubhouse helps members plan trips, has a common area for
travelers to commune, posts messages, holds luggage, etc.
Placement:
Basic office tasks plus assisting travelers would be the main
duties for the volunteer. Good atmosphere, great way to meet
people, great book exchange and lots more.!! Good for Business
Administration folks looking for international/intercultural
experience.
Requirements
-
Minimum work
commitment: 4 weeks
-
Schedule:
Flexible. Open Monday through Saturday: 8am-5:30pm - It
is possible to work at the clubhouse in the afternoon
while taking classes (or in the morning if you have afternoon
classes).
-
Spanish:
beginner
-
Capacity:
1 volunteer
-
Other: Enthusiasm
and a love for travel. Mostly an English-speaking placement
as the clients are travelers who usually speak English
as a common language. Not an intensive.
CONDITIONS FOR VOLUNTEER/INTERNS
-
Financing:
Volunteers must pay their own expenses, including airfare
to Cusco, Peru.
-
Lodging:
With host family or at student residence that are shared
with other volunteers. Volunteer fees must be paid in
advance and are non-refundable. With the participation
of 5 non-Peruvian volunteers, a Peruvian person will be
able to become a volunteer supported by organization.
-
Health Insurance:
Volunteers must have their own health insurance and need
to sign a waiver to release from responsibility from any
illness or injury incurred in Peru.
-
Duration
of internships: The minimum time limit for internships
is two weeks. The maximum time limit at any of the options
is three months (exceptions can be made in special cases).
A special visa is required to remain in Peru more than
90 days.
-
Work Schedules:
Volunteers are expected to work 4 hours a day, 20 days
per month, from Monday - Friday.
-
Educational
Requirements: A good working use of Spanish is
required to participate in most of the programs. University
study is not a prerequisite to be accepted into the program.
Prospective volunteers should have interest in conservation
and related human issues.
-
Volunteers are not tourists and are
expected to work as any other employee of the program.
Interns should be able to undertake strenuous, and sometimes
tedious labor under primitive conditions.
Requirements:
-
Payment of the specific
program.
-
Application letter indicating:
experience, future interests, reasons for applying, preferred
organization and participation dates (participation dates
are needed to guarantee space availability).
-
Curriculum Vitae
-
Recent health certificate
-
If you have an original
project include the work plan (2-5 pages)
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