Overview
Guatemala Community Development Internship

During this internship you will make a real difference to the lives of underprivileged children and local community leaders, and gain invaluable hands on practical experience in a variety of fields including project management and team leadership. You will be typically working with children aged between 5 and 12 on basic education and literacy projects and will work alongside a dedicated staff supervisor to ensure you maximize your placement, cultural and learning activities. Education is not free in Guatemala and much of the population lives below the poverty line, so GVI, along with leaders of the indigenous communities, has built schools that are free to attend.

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This experience has changed my life. This experience pushed me to try new things that I would never have the chance or the confidence to do at home.....

Jennifer Youngman, GVI Intern

What Difference Does This Internship Make?

A substantial part of the fee goes towards the day-to-day running costs of the projects themselves throughout the year, which includes rent, electricity, local salaries, fruit and other food for the children, educational materials for classes, monthly birthday and other celebrations, painting and maintenance. We currently pay for over 400 children to attend National School, as well as our own schools. Of these, almost 50 children entered Secondary School and 8 entered College. Included in your fee is one scholarship per child, per year.

Highlights

Living with a host family in Antigua; learning Spanish (optional); teaching literacy and numeracy to indigenous children in remote communities in GVI schools; going on an adventure weekend at Lake Atitlan (optional) to enjoy activities including hiking, biking and kayaking, opportunities for Salsa Classes and further travel. Gain an internationally recognised certificate in Team Leading.

Location

Guatemala is one of the jewels of Central America, packed with ancient ruins, active volcanoes and intriguing Mayan culture. Volunteers live in the beautiful old Spanish colonial town of Antigua and project work is carried out in communities all within a one hour journey from the town.

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Field Conditions

Living with local families in comfortable but basic accommodation allows for an enriching cultural experience and the valuable opportunity to practice your Spanish! All accommodation provided is private and includes three meals a day (apart from Sundays). Lunch is eaten in the communities with a local family during the week. Travel upgrades are available for this project see dates and costs for more information.

See Life on the internship page for more information