Non-profit organisation PoD Volunteer (www.podvolunteer.org) has announced a new education project in Peru and is now calling on willing volunteers to join and support their work.
The partnership, with a local community education initiative, is in the Peruvian town of Huaraz in the Ancash region and will provide educational and emotional support to children from low income families. If you want to join them in Peru, here’s a flavour of what you could be experiencing…
Activity
The project encourages a holistic approach to education combining homework tuition, emotional well-being classes, recreational activities and daily nutritious meals in a family orientated environment. The community school was established in 2006 to support a low income area where many children were struggling to achieve in the school system. The school runs two daily sessions to compliment the state school system;
- 9am – 12pm: Secondary school students attend the community education project, they then spend the afternoon at state school
- 3pm – 6pm: Primary school students attend the project following their morning classes at state school. This is a big help also to many single parents who would not be home to look after their children in the afternoon.
The objective is to provide the children within extra support in their studies. Volunteers act as mentors offering help with homework, education on health and wellbeing and emotional support for students from difficult backgrounds.
Volunteers are involved with a number of tasks which can include:
- Helping with homework; Spanish, English, Maths and other subjects
- One-on-one tuition with children who are struggling
- Informal lessons
- Creative activities; music, arts and crafts
- Active games and sports
- Help on the nutrition awareness program, healthy living and hygiene education
- Building and maintenance at the school
If you have any specific skills or interests then the community education project are always eager to involve this in the volunteer work. Especially if you have experience in social work, psychology, art, environmental sustainability, literacy and numeracy intervention, health education, fundraising, or languages and translation.
Accommodation
Volunteers stay in a basic but comfortable volunteer apartment, located in the centre of Huaraz and about 10 minutes’ walk from the community school. The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen where volunteers can cook. Bedrooms are shared with shared bathrooms.
Recommended for… Anyone with an interest in education, community development and working with young people and volunteers who want to immerse themselves in Peruvian culture.
Be aware that… The language barrier can be tough, we recommend volunteers try to pick up a few phrases before you travel and consider lessons when in Peru. You will find you pick up many phrases naturally whilst volunteering! Also, accommodation is not private – bedrooms and bathrooms are shared with other volunteers on the project.
Good credentials
- Help fight poverty and child labour in Peru by providing educational and emotional support to children and adolescents from low income families.
- Build self-esteem through helping plan and execute personal and emotional development workshops, crafts, and sports.
- Support an ongoing local community initiative which has been operating in the region for seven years.
For more information on the role, what’s included and the project price visit PoD Volunteer – Peru, Community Education
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