Recreational and Educational Centre Coordinator at a Peruvian NGO

As Recreational and Educational Centre Coordinator, you will be responsible for coordinating our Huanchaco Education and Learning Programmes (HELP) at the Recreational and Educational Centre in Cerrito de le Virgin, an informal settlement next to Huanchaco, Peru. The COVID-19 pandemic is having devastating impacts on the health and livelihoods of the most vulnerable in society. The consequences have forced our organisation to change the way we usually deliver our support, as well as the kind of support we offer. Projects that were offered from a range of different localities are now being consolidated and run from a combined community base, in our new Recreation and Education Centre (REC).

You will work closely with our field staff management team and Volunteer Coordinator, managing the four HELP Project Coordinators and supporting volunteers who are active at any given time, to implement activities in our Recreation and Education Centre (REC). You will assist the four HELP Project coordinators (English, environment, youth, and literacy) to plan and update their curriculums, as well as communicating with parents, ensuring the implementation of our safeguarding policy, and monitoring the progress of the HELP projects.

The role of REC Coordinator is a great opportunity for those who want to gain project management experience and get an insight into the workings of grassroots NGO projects.

For students, all volunteer positions are available as internships, which is ideal for students looking to complete a year in industry/placement abroad. In this case, you will receive an extra level of mentorship and all appropriate communication with your academic institution to ensure compliance with internship placement requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Aiding the HELP Project Coordinators to create individualized lesson plans from our pre-existing curriculum and resource packs. If there is no English/Environment/Youth/Literacy coordinator available, you may be required to take on one of these roles until we find a replacement volunteer.
• Supervising and coordinating other Recreation and Education volunteers, including running weekly team meetings, in collaboration with the Volunteer Coordinator and managers.
• Keeping all Project Coordinator resources updated and organized (including materials, books, curriculums and activities) if there is no English/Environment/Youth/Literacy coordinator available.
• Scheduling activities, workshops and classes focusing on physical and psychological health and well-being, as well as learning and development.
• Flagging up safeguarding concerns to the Safeguarding Lead on the Management Team, filling out reports as necessary.
• Assisting in managing the project budget and expenditure.
• Assisting with local fundraisers. Keeping the facility clean, tidy and functional, supervising the team to carry out basic everyday tasks, such as tidying up, cleaning, flagging up basic repairs to the management team and ensuring proper care and maintenance of equipment.
• Contributing new ideas on how to improve the program and the space. Presenting positive results and any potential issues at the weekly coordinators' meeting.

What you can expect from us:

• Personal pick-up upon arriving and walking tour through Huanchaco
• Help with organising accommodation for your time in Huanchaco
• A thorough introduction to the organization
• Certified training in First Aid and Child Safeguarding.
• 24/7 emergency support
• Organized activities (barbeques, game nights, volunteer lunch etc.)
• Certificate of completion detailing your role, the project(s) you participated in and the dates you volunteered in.
• If you want to improve your Spanish, we can arrange Spanish classes for you in advance (by Skype) or during your stay.

A typical day

The OCN Recreational and Educational Centre (REC) opens from Monday-Wednesday and on Fridays, from 3-5pm. Each day is designated to a different HELP project: English, Environment, Youth, and Literacy. You will attend all these classes, although they will be led by the respective Project Coordinators. Regular attendance will give you plenty of opportunities to interact with the children and create a bond of trust with them.

Before each session, you will meet with the relevant project coordinator and supporting volunteers at the OCN volunteer house, where the coordinator will brief the group on the lesson plan for the day, delegate roles, and answer any questions. You will then get a moto-taxi to the REC together and assist in running the class.

At the REC, if there are any safeguarding or maintenance issues, it is your responsibility to report them to the management team.

Once a week, you will hold a meeting with the HELP Project Coordinators and the Program Manager, where you will discuss general issues for the REC, such as discipline and attendance, routines, maintenance etc. You will also assist in the planning of the week's activities and discuss future events or bigger activities. Here, you have a chance to contribute your own experiences or help give us new ideas on how to make the program as innovative and interactive as possible.

Every Monday morning, you will attend a general OCN meeting at the volunteer house to discuss any relevant updates and activities for the week, contribute ideas and feedback, and plan out the activity schedule for the week.

Enquiries and Applications

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