Volunteer Hub
Research Volunteering in Peru (Summer 2027)
Organisation Details
EcoSwell
Sub theme: Environment, Health and Wellbeing, International
Stellify Award: This opportunity is part of 'Make a Difference'
Organisation Description: EcoSwell is a multiple award winning non-profit located in Lobitos, the surfing paradise of northern Peru. Students who have participated in EcoSwell's volunteering programme have described their experience as life altering and transformational. The organization focuses on helping vulnerable communities in Peru develop sustainably by carrying out infrastructure projects, socio-environmental and educational initiatives, thus implementing the United Nations SDGs.
Students can choose to volunteer at EcoSwell in the following disciplines:
- Renewable Energy
- Public Health
- NGO Management
- Ecosystem restoration & reforestation
- Water and Sanitation
- Research
- Marketing and social media
- Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
Through their work EcoSwell have impacted over +99,000 people, working hand in hand with local communities, with local government, private sector entities and with some of the best universities in the world.
Students can choose to volunteer at EcoSwell in the following disciplines:
- Renewable Energy
- Public Health
- NGO Management
- Ecosystem restoration & reforestation
- Water and Sanitation
- Research
- Marketing and social media
- Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
Through their work EcoSwell have impacted over +99,000 people, working hand in hand with local communities, with local government, private sector entities and with some of the best universities in the world.
Description of role: As a Research Volunteer Intern, you will be given ownership of research initiatives, working alongside members of the community and the team. The daily activities will vary depending on whether you are conducting your own research or supporting us with a current project. This may include but is not limited to:
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact Research
This research project aims to quantify the impact that we have on the communities we work with in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Volunteer interns are needed to help conceptualize the methodology and carry out data collection via surveys with members of the local community.
- Groundwater research
After winning grants from the Royal Academy of Engineering-UK (RAEng) by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Geoscientists Without Borders, we have been conducting groundwater research in the surroundings of Lobitos in partnership with UK universities Lancaster and UCL. This aims to investigate depth and quality of groundwater resources in arid environments that could potentially be sustainably tapped into by local socioeconomically-marginalized communities and used for alleviating water stress and productive ecosystem restoration grazing. Interns are needed to support the team in fieldwork, community workshops, data gathering and processing, systems design, recommendations and report writing.
- Public Health
Conduct research associated with our public health awareness initiatives aimed at improving people's quality of life through nutrition and sexual education.
- Business Plans/Models
Get involved in developing a business plan for bird-watching community ecotourism in the Equatorial/Tropical Dry Forest, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. The long-term goal of this initiative is to provide an economic alternative to logging for socioeconomically-marginalized communities while achieving community-driven conservation. This challenge involves dealing with the inherent complexity in these communities (ecologic, social, economic, political) in order to have a positive impact on the lives of local people, on wildlife and habitats (forests, coastal wetlands) and increase resilience against climate change.
- Your own research: Dissertations (Bachelors, Masters, PhD)
Create an appropriate research methodology for your own academic research as a part of your university studies which would be applicable and relevant to the sustainability work that we lead. We have received many volunteer interns from various world class universities who have carried out successful socio-economic and scientific fieldwork projects as part of their degrees with us. Depending on the nature of your research, you may be required to bring certain equipment and resources to aid in data collection.
BENEFITS OF JOINING THIS PROGRAM
- Enhance your CV and gain professional hands-on experience managing sustainable projects in an international development NGO, having a real and positive impact on a vulnerable and remote community.
- Carry out a successful and impactful research project work alongside experienced & passionate people from a range of disciplines.
- Receive ongoing guidance throughout the research process from our experienced team; from before you set off for Peru, during your volunteer internship with us, and when you get back to university afterwards.
- Live and work in a surfing paradise in northern Peru, the land of endless summer.
In-person Financial contribution
We require a financial contribution from participants. This covers all of your expenses while you are with us (food, accommodation, local transportation, and staff guidance/supervision) for our in-person program; it also funds our community projects and operations, in other words, our impact. For every volunteer intern that joins our program, we also plant a tree with local families to help restore the degraded forest ecosystem found in our region.
Please bear in mind that there is a minimum of a 2 week stay at EcoSwell and maximum can be up to 6 months.
Two weeks (price per week $657) = $1,313
Three weeks (price per week $645) = $1,935
Four weeks (price per week $628) = $2,513
Five weeks (price per week $611) = $3,056
Six weeks (price per week $611) = $3,668
Eight weeks (price per week $611) = $4,890
12 weeks (price per week $584) = $7,006
Online Placement Financial contribution
The financial contribution required from volunteer interns for our online position is 33% less than that of our in person placement - please see details below.
Two weeks (price per week $449) = $897
Three weeks (price per week $442) = $1,326
Four weeks (price per week $431) = $1,722
Five weeks (price per week $419) = $2,093
Six weeks (price per week $419) = $2,512
Eight weeks (price per week $419) = $3,349
12 weeks (price per week $400) = $4,804
Since we have limited spaces, if you have been accepted we will need you to secure your placement by depositing a non-refundable 30% of your placement’s total financial contribution within 1 week of being accepted. Full payment will be required 4 weeks prior to your arrival. Any refund of the 70% of the full payment (minus all transaction costs) will only be available if cancellation is confirmed before more than 30 days of confirmed arrival date. No refunds of any kind will be available within 30 days of the confirmed arrival date.
All payments must be made in United States Dollars (USD$) according to the amounts shown in the tables above - Exchange rate fluctuations of other currencies are not considered. Taxes, insurance and financial costs (eg: costs of sending money, bank commissions, etc.) and any other extra costs (flights, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, personal spending money, etc.) are not included. The details and information of the selected insurance will have to be sent and approved by EcoSwell beforehand, as being appropriate.
In order to ensure that all participant expenses are covered, the final financial contribution amount needs to be paid in USD. We do this in order to avoid exchange rate fluctuations from other currencies which may result in not the right amount being paid.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Volunteer interns work between 9am to 5pm on weekdays, evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. The northern coast of Peru has amazing waves, beaches, and towns to go visit, with lots of different activities on offer such as:
- Surf lessons with local instructors in Lobitos. Alternatively, and if you are an experienced surfer, rent a surfboard from our partner Surf School and head out to the waves by yourself.
- Yoga classes
- Swimming with turtles
- Fishing, sea-lion, and whale watching trips with local fishermen
- Trekking and birdwatching in the native Dry Forest ecosystem
- Eat traditional Peruvian food at local restaurants
- Visits to other nearby beaches and towns within hours of Lobitos to explore more Peruvian landscapes, culture & history.
Please note that these activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of your volunteering experience, they are highly accessible nonetheless.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact Research
This research project aims to quantify the impact that we have on the communities we work with in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Volunteer interns are needed to help conceptualize the methodology and carry out data collection via surveys with members of the local community.
- Groundwater research
After winning grants from the Royal Academy of Engineering-UK (RAEng) by the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and Geoscientists Without Borders, we have been conducting groundwater research in the surroundings of Lobitos in partnership with UK universities Lancaster and UCL. This aims to investigate depth and quality of groundwater resources in arid environments that could potentially be sustainably tapped into by local socioeconomically-marginalized communities and used for alleviating water stress and productive ecosystem restoration grazing. Interns are needed to support the team in fieldwork, community workshops, data gathering and processing, systems design, recommendations and report writing.
- Public Health
Conduct research associated with our public health awareness initiatives aimed at improving people's quality of life through nutrition and sexual education.
- Business Plans/Models
Get involved in developing a business plan for bird-watching community ecotourism in the Equatorial/Tropical Dry Forest, one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. The long-term goal of this initiative is to provide an economic alternative to logging for socioeconomically-marginalized communities while achieving community-driven conservation. This challenge involves dealing with the inherent complexity in these communities (ecologic, social, economic, political) in order to have a positive impact on the lives of local people, on wildlife and habitats (forests, coastal wetlands) and increase resilience against climate change.
- Your own research: Dissertations (Bachelors, Masters, PhD)
Create an appropriate research methodology for your own academic research as a part of your university studies which would be applicable and relevant to the sustainability work that we lead. We have received many volunteer interns from various world class universities who have carried out successful socio-economic and scientific fieldwork projects as part of their degrees with us. Depending on the nature of your research, you may be required to bring certain equipment and resources to aid in data collection.
BENEFITS OF JOINING THIS PROGRAM
- Enhance your CV and gain professional hands-on experience managing sustainable projects in an international development NGO, having a real and positive impact on a vulnerable and remote community.
- Carry out a successful and impactful research project work alongside experienced & passionate people from a range of disciplines.
- Receive ongoing guidance throughout the research process from our experienced team; from before you set off for Peru, during your volunteer internship with us, and when you get back to university afterwards.
- Live and work in a surfing paradise in northern Peru, the land of endless summer.
In-person Financial contribution
We require a financial contribution from participants. This covers all of your expenses while you are with us (food, accommodation, local transportation, and staff guidance/supervision) for our in-person program; it also funds our community projects and operations, in other words, our impact. For every volunteer intern that joins our program, we also plant a tree with local families to help restore the degraded forest ecosystem found in our region.
Please bear in mind that there is a minimum of a 2 week stay at EcoSwell and maximum can be up to 6 months.
Two weeks (price per week $657) = $1,313
Three weeks (price per week $645) = $1,935
Four weeks (price per week $628) = $2,513
Five weeks (price per week $611) = $3,056
Six weeks (price per week $611) = $3,668
Eight weeks (price per week $611) = $4,890
12 weeks (price per week $584) = $7,006
Online Placement Financial contribution
The financial contribution required from volunteer interns for our online position is 33% less than that of our in person placement - please see details below.
Two weeks (price per week $449) = $897
Three weeks (price per week $442) = $1,326
Four weeks (price per week $431) = $1,722
Five weeks (price per week $419) = $2,093
Six weeks (price per week $419) = $2,512
Eight weeks (price per week $419) = $3,349
12 weeks (price per week $400) = $4,804
Since we have limited spaces, if you have been accepted we will need you to secure your placement by depositing a non-refundable 30% of your placement’s total financial contribution within 1 week of being accepted. Full payment will be required 4 weeks prior to your arrival. Any refund of the 70% of the full payment (minus all transaction costs) will only be available if cancellation is confirmed before more than 30 days of confirmed arrival date. No refunds of any kind will be available within 30 days of the confirmed arrival date.
All payments must be made in United States Dollars (USD$) according to the amounts shown in the tables above - Exchange rate fluctuations of other currencies are not considered. Taxes, insurance and financial costs (eg: costs of sending money, bank commissions, etc.) and any other extra costs (flights, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, personal spending money, etc.) are not included. The details and information of the selected insurance will have to be sent and approved by EcoSwell beforehand, as being appropriate.
In order to ensure that all participant expenses are covered, the final financial contribution amount needs to be paid in USD. We do this in order to avoid exchange rate fluctuations from other currencies which may result in not the right amount being paid.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Volunteer interns work between 9am to 5pm on weekdays, evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. The northern coast of Peru has amazing waves, beaches, and towns to go visit, with lots of different activities on offer such as:
- Surf lessons with local instructors in Lobitos. Alternatively, and if you are an experienced surfer, rent a surfboard from our partner Surf School and head out to the waves by yourself.
- Yoga classes
- Swimming with turtles
- Fishing, sea-lion, and whale watching trips with local fishermen
- Trekking and birdwatching in the native Dry Forest ecosystem
- Eat traditional Peruvian food at local restaurants
- Visits to other nearby beaches and towns within hours of Lobitos to explore more Peruvian landscapes, culture & history.
Please note that these activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of your volunteering experience, they are highly accessible nonetheless.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: Creative Skills, Administration, Leadership, Oral Communication Skills, Research, Team Working, Written Communication Skills
Are volunteer expenses available?: No
Duration of role: Ongoing / Long term
Opportunity times: Monday Morning, Monday Afternoon, Tuesday Morning, Tuesday Afternoon, Wednesday Morning, Wednesday Afternoon, Thursday Morning, Thursday Afternoon, Friday Morning, Friday Afternoon
DBS required: Off
Can reasonable adjustments be made regarding additional needs?: Yes
Is this organisation part of the Sports Volunteering Scheme (SVS)?: No
Minimum hours commitment: +30 hours per week
Location:
Villa de Oficiales 270, Barrio Centro
Lobitos
20820