Work at School for Mentally Disabled and Deaf Kids

The program

Volunteers provide much-needed support and assistance to children and young adults at various childcare facilities in Cusco. One such facility is a school for mentally disabled and deaf children and young adults aged from 3 to 25 years. Due to the varying ages and levels of disability there are five sections where the young people receive education which includes a deaf school, kindergarten, primary school, practical training, and a division for students with multiple complex behaviors which includes children and youth with severe mental disabilities, often accompanied by complex and difficult behavioral issues. In addition to these classes the school also has a speech therapist, physiotherapist and psychologist employed.

Each class has an average 10 to 15 children, and is taught by one teacher. In the classes, children with different levels of ability are taught together, which makes the teacher's job even more difficult. The complex behaviors classes are smaller and more focused on teaching practical skills. The practical training is for the older students and gives them training in carpentry, sewing, crafts and baking, skills they will take with them when they finish school. These projects are severely understaffed and underfunded, which is why they are in urgent need of volunteers. For volunteers who truly want to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable children, this program serves to protect and care for those who need it most.

Goals of this Project:

• Provide essential childcare to vulnerable children of Cusco – Peru
• Improve the future prospects of disabled children in Peru
• Give impoverished children quality care, compassion and a sense of hope
• Enable inter-cultural exchange which benefits both locals and international volunteers alike

How you can help

Volunteers play an essential role in helping to teach these disabled children, as unfortunately the school is severely understaffed and underfunded, and in urgent need of additional help. Volunteers support the teachers in the classroom with all day-to-day activities as well at working with individual students. There are always opportunities for volunteers to put forward their own ideas and help out with extra-curricular activities. The school regularly holds events for the various Peruvian holidays where volunteers can be actively involved in dances and plays, getting the children dressed up and preparing different kinds of food.

Volunteers are hugely appreciated and are always warmly welcomed by the children and staff. When not working, volunteers will find Cusco is an exciting city, filled with many places to see and things to do. The Plaza de Armas, the heart of the city, is close to where volunteers will be based, and features a multitude of restaurants, cafes, and bars.

Volunteers will contribute in a number of ways on this program and can expect to undertake the following tasks:

• Help to teach vulnerable children in Peru
• Attend to and interact with disabled children
• Create activities and entertain the children with games and songs, etc

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

8:00am Breakfast at the host family accommodation

8:30am Walk or bus to project site

9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

1:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

1:30pm Walk or bus back to host family accommodation

Evenings Free time to relax and have dinner with your host family or explore the sights and sounds of central Cusco!