Volunteer teaching sports classes with poverty-stricken children in Peru

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Project Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

Enjoy the stunning city of Arequipa from the foothills of the Andes while volunteering with children on this sports-focused project.

Your role will be to organize and facilitate sports and physical education programs with varying grade levels. Additionally you may be expected to assist in teaching basic numeracy and literacy which will provide you with a full cultural and community immersion.

GVI runs this program in conjunction with its in-country partner, Phoenix who has been successfully operating programs throughout Latin America since 2003.

Highlights Include: Living in the heart of the community; working with indigenous children; learning Spanish (optional); adventure side trips, cultural workshops and excursions, amazing community interaction.

This project, run in conjunction with GVI’s in-country partner, has been supporting disadvantaged communities all over Latin America since 2003.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This program offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the program for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. If you would like to work towards a field career and make the very most of your time abroad, you might want to work towards a place on a GVI Scholarship. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI, and many of our current staff have come through this route. Contact us for more information!

Please note, the awarding of scholarships is at the sole discretion of GVI and may be offered immediately after the completion of your program or at a later date.

Life on the Program

You will spend most of your time working in the community just outside the city. As you work around the scheduled classroom lessons you will facilitate your physical education courses to promote leadership and teamwork. While working alongside the children is undoubtedly rewarding, you will be expected to be active throughout the day as you motivate these energetic children!

If, while you are on the project local teachers and other volunteers require assistance in the classroom, you may be asked to lend a hand for extra support.

Your accommodation will be with a local family in Arequipa, providing you with a basic but comfortable place to call home. Your weekends and evenings will be free to give you time to explore the area and get to know your fellow volunteers.

Project Details

Phoenix has been in this region since 2006, working with the Quechua-speaking indigenous communities. Here, they address the many issues faced by the population as they make efforts to integrate into Arequipa life. This struggle is mainly due to Spanish not being their first language.

In providing education, construction and sports programs Phoenix aims to prepare these poverty-stricken communities with essential education and life-skills to increase their chances of full-time employment in the city.

Each and every program that is operated by Phoenix is based on a 25-year plan whereby the youngest child in the community will ultimately start their own family, allowing their future children to attend classes at the Phoenix school. This long-term vision is what makes our local partners sustainable for years to come.

How this program makes a difference:

Your presence allows for the children to receive extra attention that they would otherwise not be able to receive in understaffed schools where teacher-pupil ratios are very high.

Education is one of the best tools in fighting poverty and sports have proven a vital tool to reaching children, helping them to stay engaged in school.