Menu
Wish List
READ REVIEWS
Request Info
Location
  • Peru
    • Arequipa
    • Arequipa
Length
4 weeks
Project Types
Childcare Community Development Youth Education Teaching ESL

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
18
Age Max
100
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30)

Pricing

Starting Price
0
Price Details
Important: Fee-free! We don't charge any volunteer/application fee.
What's Included
Some Activities Airport Transfers
What's Not Included
Accommodation Meals Travel Insurance Visa
Sep 19, 2018
Jan 21, 2019
Wish List
3 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

English with HOOP is an after-school space that provides a stimulating English learning environment for children and adolescents from the outskirts of Arequipa. This year, in our new Community Center, we seek to reach 100 children, aged 3 to 17.

We feel SO ready for this, and would love to count on you!

đź“ťFUNCTIONS
- Plan 50-minute classes for students between the ages of 3 - 17 (each volunteer will teach a specific age group, so they won’t have to plan for so many ages).
- Teach English to one group of 20 students (Monday to Friday, 3:30 - 5:30 pm / Saturday, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm).
- Participate in Education team meetings, alongside a few other general HOOP activities.

Request Info

Video and Photos

Play Video
HOOP volunteer playing with student
Two of our students
Teachers and students standing outside the school
Our new Community Center

View All Photos

Program Highlights

  • Quick-start quechua classes with moms of our community.
  • Workshops on quena flute, other traditional instruments, and traditional Peruvian dances.
  • Cooking classes with our moms! And a taste of yummy Peruvian food.
  • 24-hour in-country support, training and weekly check-ins, certificates.
  • Experience and a new network in the NGO sector, in a friendly, welcoming, and supportive environment.

Related Programs

20 reviews
Honey House
Volunteer in a Casa Hogar New Hope with Volunteers Peru
7 reviews
Volunteer in Peru in a Childcare in Peru
Volunteer in Peru from only $405/ 2 weeks - Affordable Programs
HOOP volunteer playing with student
Teach English and make a Lasting Impact in Arequipa, Peru

Program Reviews

4.70 Rating
based on 10 reviews
Leave a Review
  • 5 rating 80%
  • 4 rating 10%
  • 3 rating 10%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.8
  • Support 4.5
  • Fun 5
  • Value 4.9
  • Safety 4.7
Showing 9 - 10 of 10 reviews
Default avatar
Elaine
39
Female
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great community, great experience

Aug 31, 2014

I was a volunteer lead teacher for HOOP in the spring of 2014. Overall it was a fantastic experience because you really got to interact with the local community and learn about the people of Arequipa. HOOP really benefits the community of Flora Tristan and its participants, the children love us and its a true joy to work with the children everyday. My Spanish was minimal but I learned a lot from the locals and the children I taught. Safety is a concern, especially in the community of Flora Tristan at night, so be careful and buddy up! It is okay as long as you take the necessary precautions. In the city centre of Arequipa where you live, the nightlife is fantastic and it is a safe area to roam about. It is really fun to get to know the other volunteers, try out the interesting restaurants in town, and you bond very fast with the others in the program. My experience with HOOP was very worthwhile and I'm glad I got to experience something so different from my daily life in Vancouver!

What would you improve about this program?
A more concrete buddy system to ensure that no one is alone when going to or leaving from Flora Tristan. There are many wild dogs in Flora Tristan and they tend to become aggressive when they see you are alone. It can be very intimidating.
40 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Megan
31
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Overall 9 (just because nothing is perfect)

Aug 30, 2014

An ordinary day at HOOP: your morning is free but you'll most likely want to swing by the office in the morning to get advice from fellow staff or prepare your lesson. It's located in the center of Arequipa, the most beautiful city in Peru (in my opinion), very friendly and easy to get around. Then you'll grab or make a bite to eat, thanks to the most amazing avocadoes and mangoes and fresh produce from local market, and meet up with fellow volunteers. You are in a group of about 8 volunteers, each one of you is the lead English teacher of a class, students more or less ranging from age 4 to 14. You are free and even encouraged to introduce any themes or methods of teaching to your students alongside the lessons from the book you use as guidance. Alongside teaching them English, you can pass on elements of your culture, songs, art projects, dances, games... Interaction is key. After your hour-long English class, the children can choose to get help with their homework or have an hour of recess. HOOP is basically a commitment in the afternoon, leaving you a lot of free time to discover the fun of Arequipa and take weekend trips around the many destinations in Southern Peru.

The key point for me was to be able to establish a real and personal relationship with my students and their families in the community. It happened, because HOOP is a free afterschool program that children attend only if they wish to. They are eager to learn, full of energy and have genuine love and joy to offer.
I also felt instantly welcome within the HOOP team and met people who I will consider as friends for a very long time, since the memories we shared were out of the ordinary and unforgetable.

What would you improve about this program?
HOOP needs help to expand their action on the Flora Tristan, the goal being to become more of a community center than an English school. The primordial thing is the constant coming and going of volunteers, as nothing can improve without their presence and fresh ideas to contribute.
31 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Marlene Egelseder

Program
Teach English and make a Lasting Impact in Arequipa, Peru
Marlene Egelseder

Why did you choose this program?

I chose HOOP because I already knew a lot of people working here as volunteers and I got talked to them in person about their experience. I knew that the work this organization does is meaningful and has a huge impact on the community of Flora Tristan in Arequipa. I strongly believe that education is the key to help those people breaking the cycle of poverty.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

At the beginning, we got a thorough training about how to teach english and adress problems in classroom or to do the lesson plannings. The latter I had to organize on my own which was great because I had a lot of flexibility in how to plan the class and get creative with that.

Further the organization helped me find an accommodation in advance which was great, I stayed at a nice and welcoming Peruvian host family.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Bring a lot of motivation and patience with the kids and you will in return get a lot of love, gratefulness and the best experience of your life. The kids will grow on you so fast and you will have a hard time leaving them for sure. Going abroad means stepping out of your comfort zone, which is frightening at first, but the amount of things you learn and the experience you gain in that time is incredible.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day starts with going to the office early afternoon meeting with all the volunteers and staff members. Afterwards, go to school wearing the teachers vest and preparing your classroom for the English lesson. Then the kids arrive, you welcome them, and start your 1 hour English teaching.

After that, there is either one hour sport class (every day) or two times a week art class and once a week carpentry. The kids can choose where they want to go in the second hour.

After the second hour, everyone is leaving together and most of the days we enjoy our evening in the center having dinner together. Apart from work, the volunteers often do some activities together as taking free dance classes in town, playing football or just hang out.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was travelling into a complete new country, not knowing anybody or anyone. It was the first time for me to visit another continent, including encountering a different culture. I think all of the fears I had were quite normal and, as soon as I started my work at HOOP, I was welcomed to my new family here in Arequipa. It was so easy to make new friends and get in contact with the life and culture of Peru.

What was the best thing about working for HOOP?

The best thing for me was working with kids, getting to know the culture and traditions of Peru and meeting a lot of great people. My last week at HOOP was filled with so much love I would have never expect to get back from this experience. Especially the kids and mums were so thankful for my stay here. It was hard to leave them but I left with the feeling I will definitely come back one day to visit my second family and home.

About HOOP Peru

Hoop Peru is a registered NGO in Arequipa, Peru. Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty in the Flora Tristan through education. Flora Tristan is a shanty town located 50 minutes outside of Arequipa. The area lacks basic services such as running water and electricity. We have been in the community since 2008. Our international and local...

Other Programs You Might Like