Description

Get involved in childcare, teaching, construction, healthcare and conservation projects, located in Cusco, the historical capital of the Inca Empire.

Peru boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in South America and volunteers will primarily be based in the city of Cusco, the historical capital of the Inca Empire.

Peru is a land of contrasts, where from one end to the other you will have quite different experiences, not only with regards to the environment and climate, but also with culture and food.

Peru is rich in copper, silver, lead, zinc, oil and gold. Despite this, Peru's progress has been held back by corruption and the failure of successive governments to deal with social and economic inequality. 51.6% of its total population is defined as poor, including 19.2% that is extremely poor.

Volunteers have the opportunity to work in the following areas:

Childcare: At childcare placements volunteers assist the children with their homework, organise educational activities, and provide the children with love and attention. There are many different childcare placements available in Cusco, including working at orphanages, homes for abused children, daycares for babies, community centres, and at shelters. There is also the possibility to work at a boarding school for deaf children and at a school for children and young adults with Down syndrome.

Teaching English: Volunteers assist the full time teacher with speaking, listening, writing, reading, grammar, and vocabulary lessons. Volunteers may also be asked to help with specific learners in terms of their pronunciation and for one-on-one tutoring.

Construction: Volunteers assist with construction and/or renovation usually at a childcare project. Construction projects change all the time, however our partner organization is currently helping to build a new orphanage in Oropesa, near Cusco. Tasks on the construction program may include: renovation, labouring, painting, decorating and carpentry. Volunteers will assist with cement mixing, sand sifting, cutting wood and transporting building materials. The building projects are to help the community improve their schools and community centres. Be prepared to be very patient and flexible, and to get your hands and clothes very dirty.

Healthcare: There are two options for this program: the first is to work at a clinic for mentally and physically disabled children. This project does not require any qualification or experience. It is in a clinical setting but volunteers essentially help to look after the children, organizing activities and helping at meal times. There are options at this project to assist in physiotherapy and to shadow a doctor as well.

The second option is to work at a clinic for low-income families. This project is for med students or qualified nurses or doctors. Notarized documentation of your medical school, nursing school, or other medical credentials will be required. Volunteers for these projects require at least intermediate Spanish.

Conservation: There are two options for this program also. The first is to volunteer at a zoo in Cusco, assisting with cleaning and feeding. This is a small zoo which also houses injured animals. These are taken in and rehabilitated to go back into the wild.

The second option is to work at the Manu National Park in the jungle region of Peru in the Sacred Valley. At the jungle project, volunteers may assist in orchid planting, bamboo removal, teaching at the local school, and creating an inventory of species. Please note that for the Jungle project volunteers will complete one week of Spanish lessons in Cusco before heading to Sacred Valley for the remainder of their stay.

Highlights

Holidays in Cusco are perfect dates to go on trips and combine volunteer programs with travel and other activities. There are some projects that are always open, so if volunteers want to work these days it is still possible.

Peru celebrates a huge number of festivals every year. Most of them are held in homage to a patron saint and are part of the Christian calendar adopted in colonial times, although they have blended with the magical beliefs of ancient forms of worship. These religious festivals occur alongside pagan celebrations dating back to ancestral myths in native communities in the jungle, as well as dozens of festivals created over the following centuries.

In contrast to its stunning geography, which attracts growing numbers of international visitors to Peru, poverty and unemployment remain high throughout rural regions and more than half of the population live below the poverty line.

To apply for our Peru volunteer program please go to our website and fill in our online application form.

Please feel free to email us with any questions about this program. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Qualifications

As a volunteer in Peru you must:
* Be at least 18 years of age
* Have no health problems
* For the Healthcare and Cultural Immersion Programs volunteers must have at least an intermediate level of Spanish (i.e. be able to hold a relevant conversation, understand and follow instructions, and so on).
* For the Construction and Conservation/Wildlife programs volunteers must be physically fit.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Please see our website for information on costs

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

The in-country fee covers your breakfast, lunch and dinner, accommodation, orientation session, airport pick-up and Spanish lessons. The other costs you will need to meet are your flights, tourist visa (if applicable), shots, travel insurance, and departure tax. You will also need to cater for other expenses including transport to your project each day (approx. USD 0.20 per day), bottled water, personal costs, beverages, and entertainment.

Experience Required

yes

For the Healthcare Program volunteers must have a minimum basic level of Spanish, be studying medicine or have a qualification in medicine, nursing or related subject.

Volunteer Types

Age Range

18+

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

2-3 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Global Volunteer Network's Mission Statement

The Global Volunteer Network (GVN) is a New Zealand Charitable Trust (non-profit NGO) based in Wellington, New Zealand. Our Charitable incorporation number is: CC46460. Our vision is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through the placement of international volunteers. We believe that local communities are in the best position to determine their needs, and we provide volunteers to help them achieve their goals.

Year Founded

2000