Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Peru
- Approx 40% living in Cusco, Peru are living below the poverty line.
- The average monthly wage in this region is only approx 338 Solas (USD $101)
- We can learn a great deal from their holistic cultures and their high-quality, low-impact ways of living.
- These are often socially conscious communities using participatory ways to enhance their spiritual, social, ecological, and economic aspects of life.
WHAT Does the Internship Involve?
- Managing online marketing, website updates, social media, and advertising strategies
- Enhancing internal and external communications, including training materials and FAQs
- Conducting research on competitors, potential partners, and promotional opportunities
- Participating in daily operations, office administration, client service, and sales
- Developing and updating promotional materials
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity with 35+ Years Experience
- Incredible Local Team with Outstanding Reviews
- Assist in Genuine Worthwhile Projects
- Low Program Fees - Starting US$350 in Peru
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
- 1 Application Fee - Multiple Countries
PROJECT NAME: MICRO-BUSINESS INTERNSHIP
LOCATION: CUZCO, PERU
START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)
ACCOMMODATION: HOMESTAY
MIN DURATION: 4 WEEKS
MIN AGE: 19+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Criminal background check & Intermediate level of Spanish required
Overview
Our Micro-Business internship placements provide opportunities to work with small local businesses and social enterprises. Interns contribute to various aspects of business operations, including client service, sales, marketing, training, communications, distribution channels, and translation.
We aim to match internship placements to your skills and interests while ensuring a mutually beneficial experience. Assigned tasks may vary depending on the business’s ongoing projects and needs.
Support and Independence
While in-country coordinators are available to support you, they are not present at your placement daily. This internship requires adaptability, initiative, and independence.
Spanish Language Requirement
Most businesses we collaborate with operate in Spanish. To ensure you can effectively communicate, an intermediate level of Spanish is required. We conduct a phone interview before your placement to assess your proficiency.
Work Schedule
Interns typically work 4-6 hours per day, Monday to Friday. In addition, daily 1-hour Spanish classes are scheduled Monday to Friday. Additional planning or independent tasks may be required. Weekends are free for relaxation, travel, or personal projects.
Dress Code
Professional appearance is highly valued in Peru. Business casual attire is required, with neat and clean clothing. Even in warm weather, revealing or extravagant outfits are discouraged. Prepare to dress conservatively, covering shoulders and knees when appropriate.
Daily Transportation
Internship placements are in the Cusco area. Public buses and walking are the most common and cost-effective transport options, with typical one-way bus fares under S/. 5 ($1.75). Taxis are available but more expensive. Travel time varies from 10 to 60 minutes.
On your first day, a representative will accompany you using local transportation to familiarize you with the route. Please note that interns are responsible for their daily transport expenses. Changing placements after starting is difficult, so be prepared to travel to your assigned location daily.
Internship Deliverables
All interns must submit weekly journals and a final deliverable. Requirements include:
- Practicums (less than 8 weeks): Either a 10-20 page written paper or a 1-hour PowerPoint presentation.
- Internships (8 weeks or longer): Both a 10-20 page written paper and a 1-hour PowerPoint presentation.
Final deliverables should include:
- An overview of your placement and role
- Organisation review
- Sector analysis (host/home country comparison)
- Challenges faced and solutions
- Outcomes and results
Spanish Language Classes
Interns receive daily 1-hour Spanish lessons, Monday to Friday. Classes are tailored to individual levels and focus on industry-relevant vocabulary.
Our Native Spanish Program is taught by certified instructors using the Communicative Method, which prioritizes immersive, spoken interaction. Instructors conduct classes entirely in Spanish to enhance language acquisition.
Maximising Your Experience
Your success in this internship depends on your engagement and proactive approach. Expect cultural and workplace differences, including language barriers and variations in work structures. Embracing flexibility and initiative will enrich your experience and professional growth.
Location
Cusco, Peru – easily one of the top 5 ancient civilization centers in the world, is also home to immense scenic beauty, bio-diversity and incredible culture. On this project, you’ll be situated in the outer regions of Cuzco, approx 15 min bus ride to central Cuzco where the volunteer center is located.
Project Tasks
- Managing online marketing, website updates, social media, and advertising strategies
- Developing and updating promotional materials
- Assisting with community outreach and promotional efforts
- Enhancing internal and external communications, including training materials and FAQs
- Conducting research on competitors, potential partners, and promotional opportunities
- Supporting basic accounting, expense reporting, and project budgeting
- Participating in daily operations, office administration, client service, and sales
Food & Accommodation
Your accommodation will be in home Stay’s with middle class Peruvian families in Cuzco. You’ll likely be placed centrally or approx 10-15 min walk to the central volunteer & training centre. Internship volunteers will have a private room.
All host families are very experienced in hosting international volunteers and go through a rigorous process to ensure very high quality standards are met. These homes have electricity, western style toilets, running water, bed linen & basic amenities such as clean drinking water. Hot showers are less common however!
You’ll be provided a key to the house and are free to come and go as you please while being respectful of the house rules of the family. WiFi is available at some home stay’s however most volunteers will purchase a data plan for cheap to be used with their own device as required. Most families are happy to help with laundry, but you should expect to pay around US $2 per load if going to a local laundry service.
Breakfast & dinner are included each day. Peruvian food is very nice! Rice, beans, and corn are popular ingredients, and fresh root vegetables like cassava, taro, and sweet potato are in most dishes. You can also expect some fruits and vegetables, such as avocados (palta) accompanied by spicy aji salsa.
Standard
Projects
- Hospitality & Tourism Internship
- Human Rights Internship
- Medical Internship
- Micro-Business Internship
- Special Education Internship
- Education Internship
- Veterinary Internship
- Dental Internship
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1 Month - $1495
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2 Months - $2195
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3 Months - $2975
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals
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Airport Pickup
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Local Transportation
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1 Day Orientation
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24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card /international fees included in below pricing! 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
This program would suit those who are hard working, ready to learn and contribute! A positive mindset and proactive approach are required.
Intermediate Spanish language skills are required.
- Accommodation
- Breakfast & Dinner daily
- Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
- Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
- 1 day orientation
- In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
- Fundraising support
- University course credits (where applicable)
- Certificate of Completion
Airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Some daily transportation to/from the project (if applicable – approx US$1-3 p/day)
- Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
An in-depth orientation is included for all volunteers.
This orientation is designed as a 1 day overview to help ensure you are equipped with the necessary info to effectively work with the local people and community. This may include but is not limited to;
- Peru culture / history overview
- Spanish language lesson
- Customs / law’s / do’s & don’ts
- Volunteer expectations
- Home stay guidelines
- Travel opportunities during free time
- Overview of your placement
- Notes from previous placements to help maximize impact
Volunteers should aim to arrive into Cuzco on either Saturday or Sunday to ensure they can participate in the Orientation which starts every Monday.
Complimentary Arrival Transfer
You’ll arrive at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ). When clearing immigration it’s best to simply state ‘tourism’. When you arrive you will be greeted by a member of our local team and taken to the homestay or the volunteer center for orientation.
In-Country Transportation
Most volunteers will use in-expensive bus transport to get around and to travel to the project placements. Our coordinators will assist you with all the details while in country. A one-way trip rarely costs more than US $0.50 in Cuzco or nearby neighborhoods and maybe US $2 for longer distances. Taxis are also readily available in and around Cusco. Taxis cost approximately US $3 – $10 depending on duration. We recommend using formal taxis that use a meter to calculate the fare based on time and distance.
You can expect to work 4-6 hours per day, Monday to Friday. Your internship includes 1 hour of daily Spanish classes, tailored to your level and work schedule. Classes focus on relevant vocabulary for your placement and are taught entirely in Spanish using the immersive Communicative Method.
Some tasks may require extra time outside regular hours. Weekends are free for relaxation, exploration, and travel.
Weekends are always free for volunteers to relax and do as you please exploring the incredible sights in/around Cuzco. Most volunteers will organize to meet up at the volunteer center and head out from there. It’s worth noting that in this region, most families are religious with Sunday the day of rest this also means many stores and restaurants are closed on Sundays.
– At least 19 years of age
– Hard working, ready to learn and contribute!
– Positive mindset
– Able to be creative with limited resources
– Intermediate Spanish language skills are required
– Final project required
Micro-Business Internship This program would suit those who are hard working, ready to learn and contribute! A positive mindset and proactive approach are required.
Intermediate Spanish language skills are required.
Peru has over 10,000 years of history! It’s no surprise that Peru has an incredible wealth of culture and tradition that is one of the most varied countries in the world.
As the 3rd largest country in South America Peru is divided into 25 regions and 11 eco-regions. With an enormous range of landscapes, biodiversity and natural resources, you can boil this down to 3 main regions being 1) Coast, 2) Mountains 3) Jungle.
Spanish is the official language and spoken by 85% of the population with 47 other native languages present among the various regions. Music and dance play a vital role in Peruvian society. Hispanic influences combine with Spanish and ancient styles to create a flair that is unique to Peru.
Peruvian’s are proud people and very aware of the natural world and the value of the Andes, Amazon and historic civilizations in this region. The country has overcome difficult political and economic issues.
The people are welcoming and attentive to visitors with food and music being the central point for celebrations and of course colorful dress which is unmistakable. Peruvian’s love football (soccer) which is the national sport and you can often see families playing together. Most of Peru is quite religious with Catholicism very prominent.
In Peru, personal hygiene and style are very important and people tend to dress neatly and professionally. Be prepared to cover your shoulders and knees, and wear clothing that is not revealing or extravagant
This program would suit those who are hard working, ready to learn and contribute! A positive mindset and proactive approach are required.
Intermediate Spanish language skills are required.
The climate varies depending on altitude and region, but for the most part the dry season is from May to November, and the ‘green’ season from December to April.
As Cusco is 3000 meters above sea level, the average temperatures in Cusco rarely reach above 25 degrees celcius. During the dry season expect sunny, warm days and cool nights. It’s generally warmer during the ‘green’ season with intermittent rain and sun during the day and mild rainy nights.
Weekends & Extra Tours
