Do you want to develop your teaching skills where it will be most appreciated?

Lima houses roughly a third of Peru’s entire population so it’s no wonder it cuts a somewhat untidy figure as it bursts at the seams. Such a big city in such a small country, Lima has experienced the predictable invasion of people from the countryside in search of a better life. As a result, parts of the city have become very overcrowded and resources can’t stretch to meet the needs of everyone. The schools we work with need volunteers to teach English to their students, as they have very limited budgets. Though underfunded, these schools still offer the children their best hope of an education and a better future, and your efforts make that more likely.

Project details:
We work with several schools in Lima, Peru's capital. One is a mixed public school founded in 1944 with the purpose of providing pre-school education to approximately 420 children with ages ranging from 3 to 5 years. old. It operates two periods with 14 classes - 1 teacher per class. It is located in the central district of Barranco, presently one of the most artistic and bohemian districts of Lima. You may have the opportunity to work here once a week and spend the remainder of the time working at a mixed public school based in Miraflores with children between the ages of 6 and 12.

Another opportunity is working at The "Fundación Ciudad de Papel" is a non-for-profit institution, founded in 1958 by Father Juan José Frisancho Pinelo, with the objective of helping the poorer and marginal families of Lima. Working with children from the ages of 3 up to 9 you will provide a vital interaction with native English speakers.

We also have the opportunity to work within an orphanage and the institute we work with is very well known in Lima. it was founded in 1930 and lodges around 600 children of which about 10% are orphans, 10% are totally abandoned, and the other 80% come from extreme poverty families or are under physical or psychological risk.

Why the project needs volunteers:
The schools need volunteers to teach English to their students, as they have very limited resources, in common with many schools in Peru. Volunteers are very much appreciated for their native English, teaching skills, hard work and enthusiasm! Volunteers who can help are highly valued for the skills and positive attitude they bring.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
You need to have basic level Spanish to work in the schools, and you should learn as much as you can before you go. You should be a confident communicator, enjoy working with children, patient and above all hard working and enthusiastic!

Your role as a volunteer:
Typical activities include teaching English to the students.

At the orphanage you may be working with children aged between 1 and 13 you would be teaching English and you may have the possibility of getting involved in extra curricular activities, such as drawing, music and crafts work, as well as helping with babies and social activities.

Where the project is based:
One school is located in Barranco, which is renowned for its' attractive architecture and artistic heritage. Miraflores is a nice neighbourhood well known as Lima's most important area for entertainment, shopping etc. Accommodation is in Lima based homestays with a local family. They are all comfortable and well equipped with electricity, running water, hot showers etc.

The Orphanage is located in Magdalena del Mar, a quiet district, close to Miraflores. Accommodation is in Lima based homestays with a local family. They are all comfortable and well equipped with electricity, running water, hot showers etc.

If you have a preference to which project you are placed please inform a member of the team at the time of booking.

You will need to arrive into Lima (LIM) on your specified arrival date.

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 (Monday if taking part in the Peruvian Andes Experience) 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 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 on Monday.

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