The Village Education Project — Volunteer in South America, Support Access to Free Education

Dates

The dates for Summer 2010 are June 19-August 21.

Volunteers can arrive on one of three official start dates: June 19, July 3, or July 17.

Duration

Because of the importance of consistency in education, volunteers are required to stay for a minimum of three weeks, but are encouraged to stay four weeks or longer.

The program is broken down into three stages, in which volunteers take on different responsibilities both in and out of the classroom:

June 19th – July 2nd: Volunteers will prepare for summer classes, design teaching materials, and develop students’ coursework. Volunteers with weak Spanish will take daily Spanish lessons.

July 3rd – August 6th: Volunteers work with 7th graders to prepare them for high school in daily Math and English classes.

August 6th – August 20th: Volunteers work with high school students in review sessions, and to prepare them for the next grade level.

NOTE: Volunteers who DO NOT speak Spanish MUST start the program on June 19th for intensive Spanish classes.

Arrival

Volunteers must arrive in Otavalo on one of three determined start dates. A certain amount of flexibility can be made to accommodate for cheaper airfare prices during the week, but volunteers who arrive early must arrange for their own accommodations and plan to meet with the VEP Program Coordinator on a determined start date. Start dates for Summer 2010 include: June 19th, July 3rd, and July 17th.

Costs

The costs of the Summer 2010 program are as follows:
-$150 / week for housing and meals. This includes all three meals a day every day, and will be paid upon arrival in Ecuador.
-$500 minimum donation. This money is used to fund the scholarships that the foundation gives to students for secondary school. All volunteers, regardless of length of stay, must raise the $500 donation. We suggest you fundraise through your college, neighborhood, church, or by other means to raise this money, and we encourage you to raise more than the $500 minimum.
-Plane fare. Each volunteer must make his or her own travel arrangements. For help finding inexpensive travel options, click here.