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Youth Outreach Volunteer Program
Cusco, Peru
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Volunteer Activities |
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Provide care for orphans |
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Help with homework, playtime, and other activities |
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Spend time with the children of impoverished single mothers |
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Provide health services to physically and mentally disabled children |
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Educate and organize abandoned street children |
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| Volunteer Program at a Glance |
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Start Dates:
Any Monday of the year.
Program Length:
Minimum of 1 week |
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Program Cost:
1 week:
US $1,095
2 Weeks:
US $1,405
3 Weeks:
US $1,795
4 Weeks:
US $2,185
Each Additional Week:
US $390
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Cost includes:
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Airport pick-up and drop-off |
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On-site orientation and training |
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Accommodations |
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Three meals per day |
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In-country support and program coordination |
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24-hour local emergency support |
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Volunteer donation |
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Schedule:
Most volunteers work between 4 and 6 hours per day. Depending on the program site, work hours are generally between 8am and 2pm. There may also be some work (optional or required) in the afternoon. Volunteers who opt for language classes will have slightly different schedules. |
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Requirements:
There are no formal requirements. |
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What Volunteers Can Do: |
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As a volunteer with our Youth Outreach Program, you will provide much needed care and inspiration to the disadvantaged children of Cusco. Volunteers in this program will care for orphans or provide assistance at a daycare center for poverty-stricken families. Volunteers can also work with handicapped children or with groups of abandoned street kids. Whatever program you choose, your enthusiasm and hard work will give hope to children who live in very difficult and challenging circumstances. |
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Why Volunteer in Peru? |
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Children in Peru continue to be the country's most vulnerable and unprotected citizens. Some 20,000 children die each year before they reach their first birthday, while another 25 percent suffer from chronic malnutrition. Many kids, especially in rural areas, have no access to either healthcare or an education. Child labor conditions and the HIV/AIDS epidemic are also growing problems in Peru.
Volunteers in this program will live in Cusco, a colorful, picturesque city that was once the center of the Inca Empire. The famous archaeological site, Machu Picchu, is just 80 miles away, and the surrounding region boasts a diverse landscape of jungles, mountains, plateaus, deep valleys, and canyons. The city itself is dotted with ancient Incan architecture, often incorporated into new structures. As a volunteer with our Youth Outreach Program, you will experience the country's stunning natural and cultural heritage, while providing much-needed care and hope to its struggling children. |
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Peru Youth Outreach Program Goals: |
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In cooperation with various organizations in Cusco, our Youth Outreach Program works to improve the lives of Peruvian children. As a volunteer you can choose to focus your time on one of the following programs:
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Orphanages |
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Volunteers will help orphans with their homework, workshop assignments, and playtime activities. You may work with other volunteers, teachers, and assistants. Most orphanages receive either boys or girls, although a few receive both girls and boys. All of the children, who range in age from 5 to 16 years old, need your care, attention, and companionship. |
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Daycare Centers |
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Volunteers will work at a daycare center that provides housing, care, and food for working single mothers and their children. The children range in age from infants to 5 year-olds, and they are in need of attention and quality daycare while their mothers are working. |
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Handicap Clinic |
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This clinic offers free treatment to mentally and physically disabled children. The clinic currently houses 50 to 60 children and employs teachers, nurses, and physical therapists. Volunteers are assigned various tasks depending on their skills and interests. All volunteers will help in the clinic by feeding, bathing and playing with the children. Volunteers may also work as teaching assistants in the school. |
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Street Kids |
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Volunteers will work with a group of abandoned street children. These children have been separated from their families and live in a police-run home for street children. As a volunteer, you will care for the kids and lead them in organized activities. These children love company and enjoy having volunteers visit with them. |
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Airport Pickup and Orientation: |
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Upon arrival in Cusco, volunteers are greeted at the airport by a volunteer coordinator. You will be taken to your accommodations in Cusco and take brief tour of the facilities and resources available to you. The official orientation usually begins the day following your arrival. |
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Spanish Language Classes: |
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Volunteers enrolled in the standard or complete packages will be taking Spanish classes at our partner language school in Cusco. For more efficient placement upon your arrival, we ask that you take our Online Spanish Placement Test to determine your language proficiency. If this is not possible, we will test you upon arrival at the school. You will be placed according to your language level in a group of 12 or fewer students, learning conversational Spanish for two hours a day. If you enroll in the complete package, you will take an additional hour per day of private instruction.
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Transportation: |
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Airport pick-up is included. Volunteers are responsible for transportation to and from the program sites. |
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Accommodations: |
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Basic and Standard |
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You will stay at the program's volunteer lodge in Cusco. Volunteers sleep in double rooms and share bathrooms. This lodge provides 3 meals per day as well as room cleaning. Hot water is available, although it may be turned off at certain times during the day. |
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Complete |
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Those who choose the complete package will stay with a host family. Volunteers will have their own rooms and will usually share a bathroom with other family members. Families will provide 3 meals per day. All of our host families are carefully screened and must meet BridgeVolunteers requirements before being accepted as a host family. |
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Meals: |
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Three meals are served per day for all packages. |
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In-Country Support: |
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Volunteer coordinators will provide support during your time in Peru. You can expect help from field guides and fellow volunteers. We also provide a 24-hour cell phone number for emergencies. |
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Peru Excursions: |
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Cusco is a major destination for adventure and cultural travel. If you have free time during or after your volunteer program, you will have the opportunity to take part in excursions at your own cost. The following are some examples of activities you can enjoy:
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Paragliding |
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Archeological tour |
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Whitewater rafting |
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Bungee-jumping |
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Machu Picchu (overnight) |
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3-day trekking adventure |
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3-day jungle tour |
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Insurance for Volunteers: |
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BridgeVolunteers provides emergency travel insurance for participants. For more information, please read our Insurance page. |
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