Description

Volunteers live together in a volunteer house and work with two different projects in Arequipa, an orphanage and a community English school.

Volunteering at the orphanage involves assisting with the day-to-day running of the orphanage, helping the children with their homework and general care. You can also teach the children and play all sorts of games with them.

Volunteering at the school involves preparing and teaching both English lessons and different types of games. You can also teach arts and crafts, music, dance, drama etc. There is also a need for volunteers to help with maintenance at the school which involves building and decorating.

A typical day

At the Orphanage:

The objective is give give the full time workers a break by undertaking domestic chores although there are also chances to get involved with the care of the children and babies, and have some fun with them too!

Daily tasks (Monday to Friday and occasional weekends) at this project include:

- Washing clothes etc
- Ironing
- Cleaning
- Cooking
- Playing with the children
- Assisting the children with homework
- Teaching the children English, art, music, sports etc (depending on volunteer skills)

Every month or so a "Special Saturday" visit or outing is arranged for the children in which all volunteers are welcome to participate.

The orphanage is approximately 20 minutes from the volunteer house and volunteers travel by local bus.

At the Community School:

The basic objective is to improve the lives of the children by spending quality time with them, keeping them off the streets and providing them with a stimulating environment and resources which they can utilise to improve their skills, concentration and confidence. And hopefully to take some of the pressure off their parents as well!

English is taught as the main source of income in Arequipa is tourism and the majority of tourists / travellers here speak English so it is providing them with a very desirable skill.

Daily tasks (Mon to Fri) include:

- Planning and teaching English lessons
- Playing / teaching sports to the children
- Teaching the children arts and crafts, music, dance, drama, other languages etc.
- Maintenance activities - only if you want to get involved in this aspect of the project

The school is approximately 1 hour from the volunteer house and volunteers travel by local bus.

Mini projects:

Whichever main project you are working with, volunteers are encouraged to devise and execute their own mini projects. These are run by volunteers (either individually or as a group) and can involve a wide variety of things. Past projects have included making post cards to sell, painting murals, helping to develop a curriculum for school.

Highlights

How you can make a difference:

Peru has become famous for its amazing historic sites and stunning landscapes, but unfortunately, even with all of these advantages, it is still a very poor country and the majority of the population has very little opportunity to make a better life for themselves.

By volunteering on these projects you will be helping make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and enabling them to have a better start in life. You will also provide much needed assistance to the local carers and staff who have dedicated their time to these projects.

Location:

Volunteers live in Arequipa, also known as the Ciudad Blanca (White City) famous for its historic and beautiful buildings and architecture, using white volcanic stone. In 2000, the historical centre of the city was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Arequipa is always a lively city to enjoy and never more so than during the celebrations for the birthday of Arequipa in August when there are many colourful processions with dancers dressed in extravagant costumes. Arequipa has an excellent climate with almost 300 days of sun a year, with transparent blue sky.

Arequipa is surrounded by some of the most spectacular terrain in Peru including the world's deepest canyons. Colca Canyon, home to the majestic Condor, is a must see for visitors.

Accommodation and food:

Volunteers stay in a very comfortable volunteer house, located about 15 minutes walk from the centre of Arequipa.

The house has a fully equipped kitchen, a dining area, computer and wireless internet, and a big lounge for volunteers to relax in with cable TV, CD player, DVD player and games.

Bedrooms are shared with at least one other volunteer of the same gender and most have en-suite bathrooms.

Food is not provided so you can explore the wealth of cuisine Arequipa has to offer, or cook for yourself in the kitchen. Arequipa has a range of restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes (including vegetarians and vegans).

What our volunteers say:

"I spent the most amazing 3 months of my life in Arequipa, with some really great people. Everyone is committed to giving the children placed in the orphanage the love and care all children deserve. A once in a lifetime experience - so great I'm doing it again!!" - Nicola

Qualifications

No previous experience or specific qualifications are required to volunteer on this project.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

2 weeks: GBP 475, extra weeks: GBP 50

Program Fees Include:

* A comprehensive information booklet and pre-departure support
* Travel advice and assistance
* Being met on arrival at Arequipa
* An introduction to the volunteer house and Arequipa
* Introduction to your project
* Accommodation in the volunteer house (shared rooms)
* Ongoing support, help and advice from our local team

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Orphans
• Teaching
• Volunteering
• Youth

Age Range

18 and above

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone/Video Interview

Post Services Include

• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Personal Overseas Development (PoD)'s Mission Statement

PoD is a leading non-profit organization arranging ethical, inspiring and supported volunteering opportunities around the world. Established in 2001, our aim is to support ongoing projects with our partners in Belize, Cambodia, Nepal, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam by providing passionate and committed volunteers. We work with long term projects that we know personally and where there is genuine benefit to local communities. A placement with PoD will not only develop volunteer's skills and confidence, get them out of their comfort zone and exploring incredible parts of the world but also the ability make a genuine difference. We currently offer gap year, career break, working holiday, volunteer projects and school expeditions from 1 week to 6 months with year round departures. We offer a personal and professional service drawing on years of experience from staff in the UK and overseas. Volunteers are needed to help work with disadvantaged children, communities, animals and conservation projects including: caring for elephants and wild animals; joining an Amazon jungle conservation project; scuba diving and marine conservation; community building projects; volunteering at orphanages and care homes; teaching English and running summer English camps. PoD believes in providing challenging, safe and fun experiences for individuals and groups to enjoy. We are passionate about giving volunteers of all ages the opportunity to use their energy, enthusiasm and personality where it counts.

Year Founded

2001