Volunteer education in Peru

Name: Volunteer education in Peru
Start: 2026-02-13
End: 2028-08-31
Location: Cusco, Peru

Code: 8f42f433-08e9-11f1-8b4c-fa163ef8d720 Copied

Peru Education Social work Education Social work Permanent

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

Our partner in this country is a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering cultural exchange and supporting community-led development projects in Peru. Working primarily in the Cusco region, their mission is to connect international volunteers with local schools, clinics, and community initiatives that genuinely need support. They collaborate closely with local staff to ensure that all projects are sustainable, ethically managed, and create a positive, long-lasting impact on the host communities.

💼 What the programme involves

Volunteers in the education program will help teach what they know best. Subjects like English language, music, arts, and basic science are in high demand. Volunteers are not restricted to those subjects and can join any other subject where they can be of help.
Volunteers work in the mornings in the schools, or in the afternoon in afterschool programs that seek to support children with tutoring, homework and to keep them busy with positive educational tasks. This program works with the Peruvian academic cycle which is from early March to the second week of December. There is also a 1 week break in Easter and a 2 week break in the beginning of August. Volunteers must be proactive and be flexible with their class plans.

🏠 Accommodation on site

To ensure a complete cultural immersion, volunteers are typically housed with carefully selected local host families. Living with a family provides a unique window into the Peruvian way of life, allowing you to practise your Spanish, share traditional meals, and build meaningful relationships. All host families are vetted by our partner organisation to guarantee a safe, clean, and welcoming environment. In some cases, accommodation in a shared volunteer guesthouse or hostel may be available upon request, offering more independence and interaction with other international participants.

🍲 Food

Volunteers staying with a host family will enjoy two home-cooked meals per day (breakfast and dinner), offering an authentic taste of Andean cuisine. Peruvian food is celebrated worldwide, and in the Cusco region, it is characterised by its use of local ingredients like potatoes (of which there are thousands of varieties), quinoa, corn, and fresh vegetables. You may have the chance to try classic dishes such as Lomo Saltado (a flavourful beef stir-fry), Aji de Gallina (a creamy chicken stew), and soups rich with grains and herbs. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore new flavours and bond with your host family over shared meals.

📍 About the location

The projects are located in Cusco and its surrounding areas. At an altitude of approximately 3,400 metres (11,152 feet), Cusco is a vibrant city where Inca walls stand alongside Spanish colonial buildings. Its cobblestone streets, bustling markets, and historic squares create a captivating atmosphere. Depending on the specific project, you may be based within the city itself or in smaller, more rural communities in the nearby Sacred Valley, providing a diverse perspective on life in the Peruvian Andes.

🎒 Leisure activities

During your free time, the opportunities for exploration are endless. Cusco is the primary gateway to some of the world's most famous landmarks. You can plan a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, explore the magnificent Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley (including Pisac and Ollantaytambo), or take on the challenging but rewarding hike to Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca). Within Cusco, you can explore museums, visit the San Pedro market, take Spanish or Quechua lessons, or simply enjoy the atmosphere in a café on the Plaza de Armas.

⚠️ Requirements

All participants must be 18 years or older when starting the program and must submit the following documents:
-Application form
-Copy resume, or a summary of experience.
-Emergency contacts.
-Copy of passport.
-Proof of adequate medical travel insurance.
Medical interns must submit proof of academic training.
Volunteers working with children must submit a background check.

🤝 Meeting point

Free pickup is included most Sundays. If a participant can’t make it on specified dates, a $50 fee will be included in the program to cover extra transportation and out-of-date orientation. Please ask for a list of available start dates. Airport pickup is included from Alejandro Velasco Astete Cusco International Airport (CUZ)
airport in Cusco and its nearby hotels. Alternatively, participants can meet with coordinators in Cusco if they are already in the country.

ℹ️ Additional information

All individual programs include:

Welcome at the airport and transport to accommodation.
On-call support from in-country staff and emergency assistance 24/7.
Program and project orientation.
Host family accommodation with two meals per day or shared hostel accommodation with access to a kitchen(depending on availability and request)
Project placement.
Certificate of program completion

Programs do not include:
Flight to and from destination

Laundry services
Transport to the airport and daily transport.
Immunizations(if needed)
Visa or related fees.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.