INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING - Skate ramp volunteer- Peru

At Otra Cosa Network, our vision is equal opportunities in Peru for everyone to succeed and thrive.

We run five of our own projects, which are all part of the Huanchaco Education and Learning Programme (HELP). HELP is dedicated to advancing the education possibilities and resources for those living in lower-income communities in Huanchaco and the surrounding shanty towns.

HELP Youth

HELP Youth has evolved over the past several years from a skate ramp in a small shanty town, to a robust youth development program encompassing swimming, football, arts & crafts, healthy lifestyles and other activities.

Skate ramp volunteer

The main task of volunteers is organising a schedule with activities that will suit the children and might help their development. Tasks include:

• Teaching skateboarding and games to the children. Levels of skating ability vary greatly and not all of the kids go to the ramp to skate. Other activities depend on what the volunteers organise, but include other sports (especially football and volleyball) and games, Lego, drawing and crafts such as making friendship bracelets. During the year, more educational activities like homework help, english lessons our environmental workshops would be greatly appreciated as well – each volunteer bring their own strengths which will be translated into these activities
• Instilling good values and reinforcing the importance of good manners. One of the most important elements of the volunteers’ work at the skate ramp is to provide a positive role model for the children. This includes encouraging them to share skate boards, to say please and thank you and to treat each other well.
• Looking after the facility: tidying-up, cleaning, basic repairs and ensuring proper care and maintenance.
• Bringing new ideas about how to improve the space and add new appealing features for children. Previous examples of this have included construction of new ramps/jumps, larger-scale repairs and painting murals.

Volunteer requirements

•  Age 18+
• Basic Spanish level. We can arrange classes for your arrival if you have no Spanish or need/want to boost your level.
• Minimum commitment: 4 weeks – the longer, the better.
• Able to cope with active streetwise children.
• Empathetic, responsible and open-mind personality.
• Volunteers should have some experience of teaching or working with or looking after children, and may be subjected to a full criminal record check.
• Leadership and discipline are must for this position. Experience in skateboarding would be an advantage, but not mandatory.

For more information, visit otracosa.org.

This is an unpaid and self-funded position but we offer ongoing support to all our volunters. 

We can arrange everything for you from here, including your project(s) placement and your housing placement, and we will pick you up as soon as you arrive into Trujillo. You will be given an induction after you arrive and we are here to offer support, advice/help while you´'re here. For example there are weekly volunteer lunches, there is office volunteer drop in schedule and you can always schedule a time to meet with the operations manager or other staff. We can also advise where to go if you're sick and where to find anything you might need.