Overview
If you have an innate fondness for kids, then you'll absolutely love working at the daycare centers in Cusco. Volunteers opting for the Day Care Center Program will get an opportunity to help, guide and play with children aged between 6 months to 4 years old. The majority of the children are, however, between 1 and 2 years old. The oldest kids are learning how to spell and are doing other basic lessons in preparation for kindergarten admission.
Each center has only one caregiver and very basic utilities (small old beds, old sheets and blankets, and few pillows). Therefore, the value of having volunteers in these centers is obviously great; it is even more obvious when taking into account that 25% of the children have single mothers, and 95% of them come from very difficult backgrounds.
As a volunteer, you will be involved in the day to day care of the children, playing with them, teaching some English lessons too or arranging creative activities such as drawing or arts and crafts.
Volunteers need to help these kids to develop their skills in order to be ready for kindergartens. The day care centers are open on Mondays to Fridays, from 08:30 AM to 04:00 PM. At each center, the kids have no real schedule - they come to the centers to play, eat and learn basic lessons.
This program offers you a chance to use your own creativity in a highly productive manner. Volunteers work for 4-5 hours/day, either during mornings or at afternoons - 5 days a week (volunteers are reminded to remain flexible, always, with their working hours).
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Participants should have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and have a passion for working with children. You should also be proactive and have the ability to take initiative All volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report prior to joining the program. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program. A beginner-intermediate level of Spanish would be an added advantage for the participants in the program.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
- Being a volunteer, your main task would be to ensure that the kids are drenched in love and care because that's what they need the most.
- You'll have to work alongside the existing staff to care for the children as well as assist them in any sort of administrative work.
- You'll have to use your creativity to keep the kids engaged in different kinds of activities, that will help them learn something as well.
- Play with the kids, organize art and craft sessions etc. You must also teach basic English lessons to the ones who are a little older and are about to take admission in Kindergartens.
Volunteer Work Schedule
- Sunday - Arrival in Cusco, Peru
- Monday - An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, informing the volunteers about relative topics such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behavior, food, and other suggestion over things to do in Peru.
- Tue to Fri - Volunteer Work.
- Weekends: Free to explore the city/ Head out for Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley etc.
- Breakfast - 07:00 am to 08:00 am
- Working hours at the placement - 09:00 am to 01:00 pm and 02:00 pm to 03:00 pm (The second shifts depends on the requirement at the placement)
- Lunch - 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm
- Dinner - 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards.
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating in.
Living
When you choose to volunteer in Peru, just pack your bags and arrive at the destination with a relaxed mind. Our dedicated coordinator at the location arranges airport transfers, stay, meals and also weekend tours for you. All you have to do is arrive.
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from the Cusco Airport by the local coordinator or representative. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in Peru will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand or at the bus station.
Accommodation
Volunteers are provided with accommodation with local host families. By staying with a host family you will experience the local culture, customs and Peruvian way of living. Volunteers are hosted in shared bedrooms with other volunteers. Usually, there are 2 bathrooms in every host family with hot showers. Accommodations are clean and comfortable. Some houses have the WiFi connection and cable TV as well.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by the local staff. Areas like culture, greetings, locations, transportation, safety, and volunteer placements are given during the orientation. The orientation will be given by the local staff in Peru.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with three cooked meals a day (Monday- Saturday) at the host family house. Meals vary from day to day and generally include soups, vegetable salad, rice, potatoes, juice, dessert etc.
During your Free Time
Volunteers are free to visit and see places or do shopping during their free time. On the weekends most of the volunteers plan a trip to Sacred Valley or the world famous 'Macchu Picchu' - the lost city of Incas. In Cusco, you can walk around Plaza de Armas and explore the different restaurants and shopping areas.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Insurance (Provided at an extra cost)
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Airfare
- Visa and Visa extension fee
- Airport drop, airport taxes
- Local Transportation
- Any personal expenses
Program Dates
Months | 2021 |
January | 0317 |
February | 0721 |
March | 0721 |
April | 0418 |
May | 0216 |
June | 06 |
July | 041118 |
August | 0815 |
September | 0519 |
October | 031731 |
November | 0714 |
December | 05 |
FAQ's
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
Accommodation and Living
Three meals are provided in a day of which the lunch is the specialty of Peruvian families. The food is tasty, hygienic and nutritious, suited to all volunteers. The volunteers should note that the food is provided from Monday to Saturday of each week. On Sundays, volunteers can eat at nearby eateries or find out good restaurants as per choice.
Places like Barrio de San Blas, Hatton Rumiyuq, Convent and Church of La Merced and Cathedral of Peru have been declared as a World Heritage Sites by UNESCO and must be visited by volunteers during free time and weekends. Of course, we also arrange for tours to Macchu Picchu.
Volunteers are also free to plan quick getaways and explore Peru. We also arrange programs for groups in Tambopata Rainforest areas and the country coordinator can be contacted for the same.
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
Volunteers can also look up resourceful sites like Lonely Planet to gather more information about Peru and its general atmosphere. You are also recommended to follow the safety guidelines provided by the in-country coordinator during Orientation Session.
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Yellow Fever
Diarrhoea
FAQ's Application and Program Details
We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care for providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program.
He/she should have the flexibility to adjust to a new environment and culture.
Volunteers should have a basic/ intermediate knowledge of Spanish Language.
For Medical Program – Pre-Medical , Medical and Nursing students as well as Medical Professionals are welcome to join. Participants with other qualifications in the medical field such as CAN, EMT can also join the program.
The participant should be in good health.
Volunteers are picked from the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco by the in-country coordinator or representative. Accommodation is provided in a homestay or with the host family.
A short orientation is given after arrival about the city, placement, safety precautions. The volunteers are also taken for a short tour of the city before the commencement of the program. However, the tour is dependent upon the arrival time of your flight.