Description

Learn about the fascinating people and culture in Peru. United Planet offers many volunteer opportunities on projects supporting community development and healthcare.

* After School Programs for Street Children Quest:
Work with a local Peruvian organization by helping kids with their homework, teaching English (which is an essential work skill in Cusco), and organizing activities for the children. These children need you as mentors to keep them on track with schoolwork and help them learn work skills so that they can create a better life than they have now. No experience needed and only a basic level of Spanish is required.

* Women's Shelter Quest:
Volunteers work with teenage mothers (from 12 to 18 years old) and their children in a home designed especially for them. They are needed to help in the nursery and also help the older children with their homework, as well as support the mothers when needed. For the smallest children there is a wawawasi. The nursery is open to women in the neighborhood who don't live in the house. They can leave their babies in the care of the house from 7 am to 7 pm. Volunteers are needed to help in the nursery and also help the older children with their homework, as well as support the mothers when needed.

Intermediate Spanish required.

* Wild Animal Care Quest:
Volunteers work in an animal sanctuary where the animals have endured severe trauma during their lives. Animals include pumas, parrots, condors, wild cats, llamas, alpacas, boa constrictors, turtles, and monkeys. Tasks may include cleaning, feeding, gardening, and caring for animals. Basic Spanish required.

* Orphanage Quest:
Work at a state orphanage for kids between the ages of 1 and 18. Volunteers assist the substitute mothers in taking care of the household, helping the children with their homework, and organizing workshops and recreational activities. Intermediate to Advanced Spanish required.

* Juvenile Detention Center:
You will have a chance to be a mentor for boys who have committed acts of violence, theft, or assault. You will be able to use your skill set to create or participate in pre-existing projects and programs such as organizing workshops (shoe-making, furniture construction), helping the on-site psychologist (for psychology professionals), teaching dance classes or leading group activities such as various sports (especially soccer!). Intermediate to Advanced Spanish required.

* Enriching the Lives of the Elderly:
This is a house for elderly in extreme poverty, a lot of them without any family to take care of them. Volunteer service consists of feeding, helping with bathing, organizing group dynamics activities as well as recreation. Basic to Intermediate Spanish required.

* Enriching the Lives of the Disabled:
You will be working with children and women with physical and mental disabilities. Volunteers normally assist with classes. Intermediate Spanish required.

* Special Option Quest to Cai Cay:
The volunteer work here includes working with the children between the ages of 5 until 12 years old. You will be helping the children with their homework, giving lessons in English, and playing with them. You will also be teaching them to cultivate agriculturally in a sustainable way. Advanced Spanish required.

Healthcare Quests

* Women's Shelter Quest:
Volunteers work with teenage mothers (from 12 to 18 years old) and their children in a home designed especially for them. Volunteers are needed to help in the nursery and also help the older children with their homework, as well as support the mothers when needed. Intermediate Spanish Required.

* Orphanage Quest:
Work at a state orphanage for kids between the ages of 1 and 18. Volunteers assist the substitute mothers in taking care of the household, helping the children with their homework, and organizing workshops and recreational activities.The project also has various contacts in the small villages in the Cusco region, where professionals can assist in providing medical services to the children in their centro social. Intermediate to Advanced Spanish required.

* State Hospital Quest:
This is a great program for nurses and other healthcare professionals. Patients who are insured can get help here. The hospital has 200 staff members and the capacity to accommodate 150 patients. As a volunteer you can work in the mornings, afternoons or evenings. Intermediate to Advanced Spanish required.

* Psychiatric Clinic Quest:
This clinic really needs all the help it can get. The main activities for volunteers without relevant experience are playing games and offering assistance with activities such as sports (they have their own gymnasium), dancing, arts and crafts and various other creative activities. Volunteers with a professional psychology, medical or social work background can help the patients in their specific fields. An experienced nurse will be guiding you throughout your time at the clinic. Volunteers must be creative and social. Basic to Intermediate Spanish required. CV/resume for professionals.

* Children's Clinic Quest:
As a volunteer you can help these children even by basic things such as feeding them, brushing their teeth, playing with them, and taking them outside. Paramedics, pre-med/dental, medical/dental students can assist and observe and become part of the clinics team, however, professional skills are not necessary! Basic to Intermediate Spanish required.

* Rural Hospital Quest:
Poste San Jeronimo is a rural medical post where staff perform routine consults and handle emergencies. It's a small clinic that's meant for the poorer population of Cusco. You can help! We need general doctors, dentists, obstetrics, psychologists, lab-workers, nurses, and technical nurses as well as medical students of all kinds! Intermediate Spanish required.

Highlights

United Planet's Volunteer Abroad Quest program, celebrating 60 years of long-term voluntary service, offers signature pre-departure and in-country training, personal volunteer support, meaningful volunteer opportunities, diverse cultural and learning activities, local excursions, a strong host family network, and much more.

United Planet is the proud US and Canadian partner within the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE) Federation, the oldest long-term volunteering federation in the world. With over 60 years of experience, the ICYE Federation has a proven track record and upholds the highest standards for excellence in serving both the volunteers and the communities involved.

Peru

Explore Peru's living past in the city of Cusco, ancient seat of the Inca Empire. Peru is an archaeologists dream: the ruins of several ancient civilizations can be found within the country's borders. But, while 300, 000 tourists visit Machu Picchu every year, all of them stopping through Cusco, poverty levels in the Sacred Valley remain high. Volunteers in Peru can help to alleviate poverty at wide range of community centers in Cuzco. All Quests include home stays, four hours of Spanish or Quechua classes, and a trip to Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Qualifications

* Desire to contribute to communities in need
* Compassion, cross cultural understanding, open-mindedness, courage, flexibility, tolerance
* For some programs there might be Spanish language requirements

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

Cost Includes:

• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction
• Medical insurance
• Pre-departure orientation/Training

Program Fees Include:

* Extensive pre-departure preparation, including training with the United Planet staff in the United States
* Food and lodging in your host country (host family or shared residence)
* Airport transfers
* Emergency medical insurance
* In-country orientation, language training
* On-going support and supervision
* Diverse cultural and learning opportunities

Credit Available

yes

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to join us. We are extremely proud of our international volunteers. Each and every volunteer strives to be a good ambassador through their flexibility, courage, open-mindedness, positive spirit, and genuine desire to make a difference. To help prepare you for the predictable and unpredictable aspects of your time abroad, you will be offered comprehensive pre-departure training and in-country orientations, as well as personal support from our Program Coordinators. We will work with you to help you gain the tools you need for a fun, safe and successful volunteer abroad experience.

Age Range

16 and older.

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone/Video Interview

Typically The Application Process Time is

24hours

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

United Planet's Mission Statement

As an international non-profit organization, United Planet (UP) strives to create a world in which all people understand, respect, and support one another. United Planet's global network of leaders and volunteers fosters cross-cultural understanding and addresses shared challenges to unite the world in a community beyond borders. In 2008, United Planet was one of only ten organizations selected by CNN to be part of its "Be the Change" initiative.

Year Founded

2001