Internship in Peru: Children's Issues (Orphanage/Street Children Project)

This internship is a great opportunity for those interested in studying the lives of deprived orphans and improving their living conditions. Peru currently has an overwhelming number of orphans who are either abandoned or neglected by their parents. Interns will witness the numerous needs these children have who are living without their parents due to impoverished circumstances affecting numerous Peruvians. Often, children are forced to earn some level of living through a number of risky and exploitative opportunities on the streets of Cusco . Within these projects, interns will learn about the lives of these orphaned children while assisting them in their school work, tutoring, home schooling and organizing creative extracurricular activities. This program is the perfect place for interns looking to expand their knowledge on children's issues in developing countries. As an intern in the program, you will learn about the lives of orphaned kids while helping them by tutoring, home-schooling and organizing creative extracurricular activities.

Skills/Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications needed to join the orphanage internship project in Peru . However, interns are expected to be flexible and patient. You should have passion and love for children and believe you can act as a healthy role model.

Intern's responsibilities

As an intern in the orphanage project in Peru , you will teach English (3-4 hours a day) in the orphanage or school (when the children attend school during the day). Interns will educate the children on issues related to personal hygiene and sanitation (brushing their teeth, showering, etc.). During the evenings, interns will help in organizing extracurricular activities, games, art classes/lessons, sing, dance, etc. Interns will help the children with their educational assignments - ensuring that they complete their homework and monitoring their academic progress. During the day while the children are attending classes, interns choosing to not teach in the schools may be asked to assist with various administrative duties as well as routine operational tasks related to the upkeep and maintenance of the orphanage - cleaning, cooking, gardening, etc.

Interns may also choose to work with the street children. These centers receive children who will be eventually be sent back to their families if they ran away, or sent to orphanages if they were abandoned. The children - ages 5-17 - usually do not have any activities to keep them busy while the court systems and police decide where to place them; often being locked behind closed doors with nothing to do. Interns play a pivotal role in offering these children companionship - teaching English, sharing educational and even vocational skills. Individuals participating in these projects are so warmly received as these unfortunate children enjoy the attention and interaction with interns.

Internship in Peru : Internship Project and Role of Supervisor

One of the most distinguished features of IFRE's internships in Peru is the guidance of supervisors. IFRE will assign a qualified supervisor to provide assistance for all interns throughout the duration of their chosen internship. Individuals filling the role of supervisor are usually either the director or chosen staff member of the project which interns choose. During your time as an international intern, you will be assigned a number of duties which volunteers also perform (in this sense, there are very few differences between IFRE's volunteers and interns). In the internship, you will select a particular area of interest related to orphanages (or children's issues) and explore the issue further with the help of an assigned supervisor. Please note: the project supervisor DOES NOT develop internships as this is up to the intern to get as much or as little out of their projects. ALL participants should be proactive to ensure the ultimate success of their internships. Supervisors will provide at least five (5) hours each week to make certain that interns are adequately guided.

Room/Food

IFRE arranges room, food, and supervision for interns from the beginning to the end of the program. For the duration of the internship, interns will stay in IFRE's hostel in Cusco . Alternatively, IFRE can also arrange living accommodations and meals with a regional host family. Regardless of chosen accommodations, interns will be provided with a separate room (sometimes shared with fellow interns) and usually shared bathroom and laundry facilities. In Cusco , IFRE's staff members visit interns every 7-14 days. Alternatively, if staying in Urubamba, Trujillo , or Arequipa - due to the distance from Cusco - IFRE will provide interns with a local contact person as well as maintain contact via phone or email.

PERU Internship Program Fee & Dates:

Start Dates: IFRE's internships in Peru begin on the first and third Monday of each month.

IFRE is proud to offer the same services offered by our competitors but at a highly economical price (nearly 50-175% less!). Furthermore, we at IFRE do not make six-figure salaries. What we DO is work very hard and effectively to keep costs down for individuals seeking an international internship. We remain constantly devoted to maintaining both the quality of our programs and ensuring the safety of our international interns.

NOTE: IFRE is a 501 (C) 3 organization, so your program fee will be tax deductible as provided by law.

IFRE application fee: US $349. The application fee covers advertising, program promotion, and office expenses (rent, utilities, and staff salaries).

Peru language program fee: No fee for Spanish language classes. Peru program fee covers 2 hours free Spanish lesson (for up to 12 weeks for beginner and intermediate level student)

Language program covers language and cultural training, food and accommodations in host family (breakfast & dinner only), Training materials (books, materials), insurance.

Additional Costs for Interns

International flights, visa extension, personal expenses, water/soft drinks/entertainment ($1-3 per day), laundry, telephone, immunization.

Allocation of program fee