Are you passionate about taking photos and working with young people? Would you like to experience new places while committing your time to a good cause? Then join us in Peru as part of the Otra Cosa Network team!

About Otra Cosa Network

Otra Cosa Network is a well-established UK Registered Charity and Peruvian registered not for profit (NGO),addressing the educational needs of children and vulnerable adults in an extremely impoverished area of Northern Peru. We work in informal settlements where many community members have been displaced by climate change, disaster and political instability. They live in precarious circumstances, few have running water, sewage provision and there is only sporadic electricity. Additionally, many children are forced to work instead of continuing their education, in order to boost family finances and there are no community-based facilities for learning and developing new skills in a safe environment.

Our dynamic range of activities address language skills, environmental awareness, women’s entrepreneurship, youth, employability and gender empowerment. we are seeking volunteers to work in project implementation in our new Recreation and Education Centre as well as our field office. Projects will restart as soon as the community is safely able to come out of isolation, post coronavirus. Our range of activities are implemented by national and international volunteers, allowing them to express solidarity whilst boosting their field experience. We also partner with several local institutions who promote social development, such as this inspiring photography project.

About the Community Education Volunteer position:

The Fair Trade Photography project is a social enterprise initiative which promotes fair trade photography and products, whilst giving Peruvian teenagers the opportunity to learn semi-professional photography skills. Funds raised by the sale of these products will then be invested in photographic training and life coaching for the young participants. Your task as a volunteer is to contribute in guiding these underprivileged teenagers in producing quality photos, whilst also providing personal development support. If you want the chance to help impart future livelihood skills and be a catalyst for change, helping break the chains of poverty through an artistic lens then this opportunity is perfect for you.

Please note that all volunteer positions are also available as Internships. With this add-on you will receive an extra level of mentorship and where necessary all appropriate liaison with your academic institution to ensure compliance with internship placement requirements. Please see our separate internships listing for further in-depth information or check out our website at www.otracosa.org.

This position includes tasks such as:

• Acting as a liaison between the photographers and the management team.
• Preparing and giving photography lessons and other trainings that contribute to the development of the teenagers’ self-esteem.
• Helping improve the photographers’ English skills.
• Establishing workshops on self-expression through photography.
• Helping market images and inspiring success stories.

What you can expect from us:

• Personal pick-up upon arriving and walking tour through Huanchaco.
• Thorough introduction to the organization.
• Organized activities and trips (barbeques, game nights, lunches, team building trips) with like-minded people from all over the world.
• Working in a friendly beach and surf town right next to many historical sites and beautiful hikes.
• 24/7 emergency support.
• The satisfying feeling of working towards a good cause whilst gaining valuable insight into a new culture and practicing your language skills.

Requirements:

• Current background check from your home country.
• Spanish Level: Intermediate*
• English Level: Intermediate
• Time Commitment: Minimum 6 weeks

* We can arrange Spanish classes for you, if you have no/minimum Spanish or want to improve your Spanish.

What you can expect from us:

• Personal pick-up upon arriving and walking tour through Huanchaco
• Thorough introduction to the organization
• Certified training in First Aid and Child Safeguarding.
• 24/7 emergency support
• Organized activities & trips (barbeques, game nights, volunteer-lunch, team building trips) with like-minded people from all over the world
• Working in a friendly beach & surf town right next to many historical sites
• The satisfying feeling of committing your work to a good cause whilst gaining insight into a new culture.
• Certificate of completion detailing your role, the project(s) you participated in and the dates you volunteered in.

Volunteering Hours:

• Generally, 20-25 hours per week, Mon-Fri and one Sunday workshop

Desired Skills and Competencies:

• Interest and some experience of working with teenagers (13-18 years old).
• Knowledge of photography principles and editing.
• Flexibility and open-mindedness.
• Ability to work independently and in structured groups.
• Activity organizing skills.

Related Fields of Study:

• Photography
• Marketing
• Journalism
• Communication Design
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Yout Work
• TEFL
• Spanish

Typical Day:

The project runs 3 to 4 formal classes per week in a range of community settings and their own base. In addition to implementing classes, you will also participate in lesson planning and preparation activities. Other tasks include spending time in the office outside of classroom hours, selecting and editing images.

After work there is plenty of time to catch one of Huanchaco’s world famous sunsets from the tranquillity of the beach, or indeed from a su

rfboard. Then there are various options to fill your evening, socializing with local and other volunteers, sampling the famous Peruvian cuisine, attending talks and cultural events, music, dance, theatre, movies- the list is endless.

Huanchaco and free-time activities

Huanchaco is a beautiful coastal town where the waves are perfect all year long, which makes this place popular among surfers. The long beaches and relaxed atmosphere attract both Peruvians from nearby cities and backpackers traveling through Peru. This gives the small town an extremely welcoming and friendly vibe where the locals, volunteers and travellers interact and getting to know each other on a daily basis. The city has adapted to this mix and hosts many cafés, restaurants, yoga studios, surf schools, gyms and other activities and sports that are available for everyone. However, the town still remains a quiet, easy-going place that retains its fishing-village ambience. Over the last three millennia, locals have stuck to traditional ways of fishing, going out on their caballitos de totora (traditional reed fishing boats), and using their nets to gather their catch for the day. Furthermore, Huanchaco is surrounded by mountains where it is possible to go hiking (tours are arranged by local guides, at reasonable prices). If you prefer cultural activities, the district is home to Chan Chan, the largest pre-Columbian city in South America and is only a few minutes away from Huaca del sol y de la luna, which are among the most well-preserved temple ruins of the old Incan empire that can be found in Peru. Trujillo, Peru’s third biggest city, is only a 30 minutes bus ride far away. The colonial city of Trujillo offers many shopping and sight-seeing opportunities accompanied by a lively big city feeling.

Enquiries and Applications

To make an application, please visit our website at www.otracosa.org or contact us on info@otracosa.org for further information.