Description

Your work as a volunteer will support many areas in Guatemala City, and most volunteers work in one shantytown Villa El Salvador during their work with Cross-Cultural Solutions. Volunteer in Guatemala for 1- 12 weeks, and change the lives of the locals in communities around you. This town has fought adversity to become recognized as a leading example of community development in the Americas, and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

We commit to providing volunteers to the community at-large, supporting various initiatives in meeting their mission.

Peru is a country of amazing physical beauty, home to nearly a tenth of the world's rainforests, a long coastline along the South Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. For years Peru has been known to international travelers as home to some of the world's greatest ancient wonders, including the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines.

Volunteers in Lima are involved with caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, sharing their professional skills/experience, caring for the elderly, caring for people with disabilities, and assisting teachers of special education. Volunteers and interns in Ayacucho are involved with caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, working towards women's empowerment, caring for the elderly, observing and assisting local health professionals and assisting teachers of special education.

Cross-Cultural Solutions is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that addresses critical global issues by providing meaningful and sustainable volunteer service to communities abroad and investing in the local economies and people.

To-date, more than 25,000 people have participated in our volunteer programs, providing over two million hours of service to communities we serve in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe. The continuous, year-round service that CCS provides creates opportunities for cultural exchange; promotes education, childhood development, and healthy living; encourages domestic volunteering and awareness of community needs; breaks down stigmas and stereotypes; and improves quality of life.

Highlights

Remotely located high in the Andes Mountains, Ayacucho has experienced little change over the past 100 years. In Ayacucho, Spanish and Quechua culture live side-by-side. The unique Quechua culture originated in central Peru more than 1500 years ago, and was later adopted by the Inca. However, most Quechua identify with their Inca heritage, and refer to themselves as Runa, or the people. Along with its own unique language, Quechua culture has distinct religious practices and social system. Quechua society places great emphasis on mutual help (ayni), based on reciprocity: help your neighbors, and they will help you in return.

Although unknown and untouched by most travelers, Ayacucho has been an important part of Peru's history since prehistoric times. The first signs of life are dated from 20,000 years ago, and were found in caves in Ayacucho. The town has been home to the Wari and Inca Empires and was established as a Spanish city in 1539. Later, it was the site of the Battle of Ayacucho, which played a pivotal role in the fight for Peru's independence. Today, the area is celebrated for its scenic beauty and mountain air.

Lima is the epitome of urban, filled with the symbols of commercialization, with fast food chains and popular magazines sold on every corner of the city. Lima is home to more than eight million people; its neighborhoods are sharply segregated by household incomes. Most of our volunteer work occurs in Villa El Salvador, a shantytown born out of necessity during the era of that stands as a model for community development. A remarkable place started on barren sand dunes to the south of Lima by the city's poor in need of a better place to live. Completely community based, Villa El Salvador is a great example of the determination of Peru's people.

Cross-Cultural Solutions offers a wide variety of programs and experiences, but all of our volunteers come away with the same benefits:

* Personal Growth
* Having a Purpose
* Gaining Independence and Confidence
* Connecting with Others
* Seeing a Country from the Inside-Out

The CCS Home-Base

CCS offers volunteers unprecedented support, and our entire infrastructure is designed around volunteer safety. Each of our programs is located close to a CCS Home-Base, your "home away from home" while volunteering abroad. Each Home-Base is exclusively for CCS volunteers, and designed for your safety and comfort. Here, you can connect with other volunteers and CCS staff, reflect on your experiences, enjoy meals together, read and relax.

The CCS experience also includes cultural and learning activities so that you can learn about the local culture. These include an in-depth orientation, language training, guest speakers and more. Volunteers also have plenty of free time to relax, reflect or explore the community and country.

Qualifications

No special skills or experience required.

Intern Types

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Visit our website for program fees.

Program Fees Include:

What you get for the fee
* Personalized Volunteer Placement with our Partner Programs, based on your skills and interests, including all the coordination, in-person visits and communication necessary with each local organization.
* In-country Perspectives Programming that includes excursions to nearby points of interest, special events and discussions with a variety of local cultural, professional, governmental and community agencies and people.
* Cross-Cultural Solutions' Home-Base structure, providing you with a comfortable, safe place to live, the basic amenities, all of your meals, and transportation to and from all Cross-Cultural Solutions' placements and programs.
* An experienced U.S. based Cross-Cultural Solutions Program Manager (and former volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions) who will serve as your coordinator, guide, and liaison with our in-country staff.
* In-country basic language assistance (optional).
* Professional, locally-based staff to provide orientation, supervision and guidance throughout your stay.
* Travel medical insurance and emergency evacuation insurance, applicable to participants worldwide.
* Important documents, including in-depth pre-departure packs, orientation information, and all in-country informational materials.
* Country-based airport transportation.
* Local phone calls.
* In-coming international phone service.
* A toll-free 24-hour emergency hotline in the U.S.

Credit Available

yes

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

While other volunteer programs may require certain skills or degrees, Cross-Cultural Solutions' programs are open to everyone. No matter what you believe your skill level to be, you have something meaningful and helpful to offer. We are dedicated to providing a meaningful placement for anyone willing to volunteer, and believe that the only skills required for international volunteering are a willingness to learn and an open mind.

Age Range

16 and older

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Other

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Cross-Cultural Solutions's Mission Statement

Our mission is to operate volunteer programs around the world in partnership with sustainable community initiatives, bringing people together to work side-by-side while sharing perspectives and fostering cultural understanding. We are an international not-for-profit organization with no political or religious affiliations.

Year Founded

1995