Guatemala
Middle schools, high schools
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
• 5 years' professional work experience
At least 3 years of professional experience working with youth and/or families, preferably from under-resourced communities.
At least 1 year of demonstrated experience in developing or facilitating life skills workshops.
Experience working with local networks to promote positive youth engagement.
Most Volunteers live in medium-sized to larger rural communities (3,000 to 40,000 people) that have electricity and running water, but the supply may be intermittent. Volunteers will be required to live with a host family for the full duration of their service in Guatemala. While each living situation is unique, Volunteers will have their own private bedroom and bathroom access. Volunteers often opt to prepare their own meals, but sharing meals with host families is common, too. Volunteers currently live and work in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, Sololá, Quiche, Totonicapán, and Quetzaltenango.
(PCV) Spanish 1
Youth in Development
No
Guatemala
24
Yes
PCV
No
Identify opportunities to engage with youth and the community through a participatory approach.
Produce and lead youth trainings on health and life skills, service learning, and leadership.
Create strategies with local, regional, and national organizations to strengthen positive youth development approaches.
Design, plan, monitor, and evaluate relevant activities in formal and informal settings.
Develop and implement service-learning opportunities for youth to engage in their communities.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as after-school clubs and sports.
As a Youth Program Coordinator, you will be trained on ways to engage youth through a participatory approach and conduct skill-building trainings or activities for both formal and informal settings. Peace Corps/Guatemala will strengthen your Spanish language skills to help you reach an intermediate level of oral proficiency, which will help you comfortably live in and connect with the community. Volunteers in areas where Mayan languages are spoken may elect to study the language once they arrive at their assigned site.
After 10 weeks of training, you will move to your assigned community where you will collaborate with youth service providers and community leaders to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on positive youth development methodologies.
Hone your Spanish language skills daily through conversations with colleagues and the larger community.
Gain international experience in youth development best practices.
Become a valued member of your Guatemalan host family and the community.
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in Education, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Youth Development. Through their Peace Corps experiences, Volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.
