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GYC1119 - Volunteer in an orphanage Country: Peru Cost: £1450.00 Please note: The cost includes training, in-country support and adventure activities Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, food, kit or visas    Duration: 12 weeks (Can be extended) Company Rep Nearby: All 0845 344 7535 or

 

	This placement would suit... you if you want to help disadvantaged children in an incredible and lively city high in the Andes in one of the most outstanding countries in South America. Please contact us to find out more and we can let you know our website which has all the details or give you a call to tell you all about it. Introduction We work with a number of locations in Cusco and the surrounding villages. When you arrive in Cusco we take you to visit the places that have a need for volunteers at the time and then you decide which placement (or placements) suit you best. Daisy who manages our placement in Cusco provides support throughout your time and ensures that all of our volunteers are placed in locations that have a real need. Your first choice is whether you want to live in Cusco and be part of the lively social scene, or whether you want to live in a village and have much more of a local Peruvian experience. About the orphanages and care homes As a regional capital, Cusco has a large number of orphanages and care homes, most of which are run by nuns from the Catholic church. Each specialises in a different area of care work. Most care for children who have lost their parents or been abandoned, some look after the very young whilst others care for older children. There are also homes for children with special needs. A typical week Most orphanage placements are either in the morning or in the afternoon and are normally 3 or 4 hours long because children usually go out to school at certain times of day so there is no work while they are at school. You can therefore often decide the hours you would like to work by choosing placements that fit. Volunteers generally either do two different placements in a day, or work half days and use their free time to go to the language school, get to know Cusco better, relax or study the history of Peru. You may also want to work Monday to Thursday to give yourself time to travel around the Cusco area on extended weekend trips. The priority however with all our projects is the benefit to the local organisation and their requirements. There is no typical day in an orphanage as there is so much variety. You may spend the day just playing with the children, you could take the children on a visit or you could arrange a sports day for them. Many volunteers arrange English, art or music lessons for the children. Equally you may end up shopping in town to buy food for the orphanage, you could find yourself taking one of the children to hospital, or you could be working on a strategy to raise money for the orphanage. Working in these homes presents a real challenge and gives a great sense of satisfaction. It is a very humbling experience to work with the nuns and other care workers who have dedicated their lives to serving the children of Cusco. Lifestyle in Cusco Cusco, the city where volunteers spend most of their time, was the ancient capital of the Inca Empire until the Conquistadors defeated them in the 1500s. Spanish colonial grandeur replaced the majesty of Inca engineering, and today both vie for dominance in this city alive with history. Cusco’s main square is an incredible place where many of Peru’s formative historical events took place. It was here that Tupac Amaru I was killed by the Spanish Conquistadors to finally destroy the Inca Empire. The Spanish built several grand cathedrals and fringed the square with beautiful stone arches. It is now a great place for restaurants, bars, salsa clubs and night life. However poverty is never very far away, and the wealth divide between tourists and locals is nowhere more visible than in Cusco. You just need to go a few roads away from the main square to find people living in tin shacks with open sewers. You will also find a large population of street children who make a living selling postcards, polishing shoes or even scavenging rubbish. Cusco is a city of great contrasts and a place where volunteers can have an incredible experience and give a huge amount to the local population. You will be able to get to know the local people, shop in local markets and experience the routine of life in a Peruvian city. It will be up to you how much or little you want to come into contact with the more western and tourist element of Cusco. Location of accommodation and workplace Whilst based in Cusco, Gap and Summer Mini-Gap volunteers will live in our historic Spanish colonial apartment on San Blas square. The apartment is over 200 years old and built using ancient Inca stone. It is less then 10 minutes safe walk from the Plaza de Armas (the main square) on a a very cool little square in San Blas with bars and restaurants around it. It was a hotel before we took it over so has plenty of rooms, showers and toilets. Your workplace may be walking distance or a short bus or taxi ride from your accommodation. The specifics of your day will depend on where you work as different institutions have different daily routines, but whichever one is chosen, there will be lots to do and plenty of opportunities to work closely with Peruvian children and adults and get to know them very well over the time you are there. What’s included A information pack and support prior to departure We put you in touch with the other volunteers on the placement Travel advice and assistance Pick up from Cusco airport A training course that introduces volunteers to Cusco and their project A 5 day (20 hour) intensive Spanish course at a language school in Cusco Accommodation in our apartment in San Blas Adventure activities a visit to Machu Picchu, a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. white water rafting Ongoing support, help and advice from our local team Optional extras 2 week adventure package 5 day alternative Inca Trail trek 5 day jungle expedition Further weeks of Spanish Lessons Dates, duration and prices The placement is for 6-12 weeks, but can easily be extended. Gap groups start in Jan, Apr, Jul, Sep and independent placements can start at any time throughout the year. 6 weeks - £1050, 12 weeks - £1450 Our users say: "My two months volunteering and living in Cusco organised by PoD were truly fantastic. The volunteer placements were unforgettable and I made so many friends and had massive amounts of fun on the trek to Macchu Picchu and the rafting. The co-ordinator Daisy was a constant source of support and friendship which really made our time out there the best it could possibly be. PoD in Peru was good value for money as well as offering me the trip to Cusco that every traveller wants combined with useful and rewarding volunteer placements to give something back to an amazing country that gives many people such a great experience." Sophie "My time at the placement was great in both the personal development sense and also in the way it was just great fun, I meet some great people and did some amazing things. The only thing I would change is maybe packing a razor (!), but apart from that very little was less than perfect in the three and a half months I spent away." - John 0845 344 7535 POD - Personal Overseas Development: PoD provides the opportunity for people to volunteer and make a difference overseas, while experiencing incredible parts of the world that are rich in culture, variety and natural beauty. We also arrange placements and courses for people wanting to develop their skills in amazing locations. Great value 1 week to 3 month placements in Cambodia, Belize, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand. PoD is a small non-profit organisation that focuses on quality and safety rather than quantity.