Do you want to improve your teaching skills in the home of the Incas?

Peru is a country with one foot in the past; well aware of its ancient history it has managed to hold on to its identity despite invasions first by colonials and then tourists. That’s what makes Peru such an appealing country, along with the mountains, beaches and jungles of course. Cuzco was the heart of the Incan empire, and it’s very proud of it, so if you happen to be a 16th century Spanish colonialist be warned. It’s also a great place from which to explore Macchu Piccu as well as the foothills of the Andes. You’ll be working in an Andean school which teaches more than 300 students ranging in age from 6 to 12. Most of your time will be spent teaching English but you may also be given the choice to get involved in arts, music and even karate. We’ll include our TEFL certification to help you prepare.

Project details:
Working in one of two schools there is the option to be in Cusco or based just outside in Calca, the sacred valley of the Inca's, 50km north of Cusco.

San Luis Gonzaga founded in 1954, is a primary school with about 550 pupils from the ages of six to 12. There is currently no budget to pay English teachers in this school. However, Calca is located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Cusco and is therefore a destination for tourists, where some families accommodate them in their homes. Children could play an important role in helping with the tourists if they spoke English. Also, when they grow up they would find better jobs if they spoke English.

We work with Colegio Andino Khipu in the magical heartland of the old Incan Empire. Andino Khipu is a non-profit making, mixed male and female school that teaches around 300 children between the ages of six and 16.

Khipu in Quechua, derives from the concept of tying, knotting, lassoeing.
'Khipu' - by which we lassoe our ancestral Andean culture with the modern world.

Why the project needs volunteers:
The project needs volunteers as English teachers are in short supply and they play a very important role in helping native Peruvians learn English. Acquiring strong language skills can broaden their horizons and give them access to far better employment opportunities in the future.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
As the locals do not speak that much English, you'll get more from your experience by learning some Spanish before your project starts. You should be a confident communicator, be patient, and above all, hard working and enthusiastic!

Your role as a volunteer:
The main focus is on teaching English, however there may be opportunities to get involved in arts, music, guided tours to historical monuments and even teaching karate!

Where the project is based:
The projects are based in the legendary city of Cusco and Calca in the heart of the old Incan Empire and an exciting and spiritual blend of the mystical and modern. Close to the mythical Machu Picchu, Cusco is the perfect place to both volunteer and experience the best of Peru, and indeed South America. Accommodation is in a comfortable family run guesthouse with modern facilities in Cusco and comfortable homestay in Calca.

You will need to arrive into Lima (LIM) on your specified arrival date for orientation. You will need to arrange your own flights to Cusco on the Sunday after you arrive. If you are taking language lessons this will mean that you will need to fly on the Thursday after your project starts. Please contact your desk officer for more information.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

VVolunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Peru.

You will arrive on the Arrival Date : Friday and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night. You will be taken to your accommodation for orientation, a local homestay in Lima, where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight.

Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please contact Fiorella directly for your allocated accommodation in Lima.

Your orientation will take place the next morning and will introduce you to life in Peru as well as important information about staying healthy and safe and information on getting to your project. Over lunch you will have the chance to ask any questions of the team before starting work.

You should book your flights to Cusco for Sunday morning and will be met In Cusco by your host.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

EU Customers – find out more here >>

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 17.00