Volunteer Hub
Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Peru (In-Person Summer 2027)
Organisation Details
EcoSwell
Sub theme: Culture, Education, Heritage, International, Museums
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: We develop environmental, educational, infrastructure, and socio-economic projects working hand in hand with local communities and international interns. This program offers the opportunity to volunteer at a world-class archaeological site with the Wiese Foundation.
Benefits of joining this programme
Peru is rich in archaeological history that predates the Incan empire. However, limited conservation efforts, awareness, and resources can restrict the access and opportunity to conserve this important heritage. Archaeological sites like El Brujo in Magdalena de Cao, Trujillo located on the northern coast of Peru, demonstrate how archaeology and cultural experiences can engage communities and support sustainable development through research, conservation and community engagement while preserving Peruvian culture.
This is a joint-program between EcoSwell and the Wiese Foundation. So far the initiatives include:
- The conservation of artefacts in a world-class museum and archaeological research station. More than 39,000 items have been excavated to date and just over 2,000 have been catalogued. These include mommies, ceramic pots, bottles, cups, jewellery, kitchen utensils, weapons, human remains and clothing textiles. This initiative aims to record and conserve these precious pieces.
- Archaeology research on specialized in-house projects and ongoing discoveries. Beyond excavation, the Foundation research has unravelled secrets of ancient civilizations, including research on the construction process of the Cao Viejo temple, the funerary context of the Lady of Cao mommy and the human settlement patterns in the Chicama River Valley. This initiative aims to share the Foundation's research knowledge on both a national and international level.
- Social impact and local community empowerment through education and cultural engagement. At the heart of this mission is the Brujo archaeological site, which has welcomed over 47,000 visitors—more than 16,000 of them children. The Foundation organizes dynamic events and workshops for students, teachers, community members, and visitors, ranging from archaeological experiences such as the Annual Colloquium of International Archaeology, to local gastronomy and craft fairs. It also supports small business development linked to the archeological site, with 26 local small business-owners receiving training over the past two years. The Foundation believes that learning and social entrepreneurship are vital to sustainable development—and invites passionate volunteers to be part of this impactful journey.
We are in need of hard-working volunteer interns with a background knowledge/experience in cultural and museum studies, anthropology, archaeology and/or historical studies to come to Trujillo and help us in the implementation of these project initiatives.
DAILY TASKS
As an archaeology and cultural heritage intern at EcoSwell, you will be given ownership of the projects, working on-site and alongside field experts in the Wiese Foundation. The daily activities will vary depending on the progress and stage we are at with each project. This may include but is not limited to:
- Cataloging of archaeological pieces
- Conservation of movable and immovable archaeological assets
- Inventory and registration of archeological assets
- Conservation monitoring
- Organization of archeological asset records
- Support in ongoing editorial projects (research, illustration, digitization)
- Preparation of research notes
- Illustration of archaeological pieces
- Help conduct workshops
- Assist local-community school visits
- Assist Museum guided tours for children and students
- Support in educational initiatives including 'El Brujo en tu cole' or 'El Brujo in your school' to help promote active connections between the student community and the archaeological site
- Assist in the sustainable development of the area by empowering local communities in their history and local heritage
A typical day in the Wiese Foundation house:
7am - Breakfast
8am - Start of work
12:00 - 1:00pm - Lunch with the team
5pm - Finish work
You will have free time in the evenings.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Volunteer interns work between 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays but evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. Based in the safe and welcoming town of Magdalena de Cao, you’ll have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Peruvian culture and community life.
Accommodation is provided in the Wiese Foundation residence, where you’ll live alongside professional staff dedicated to archaeology and research at the Wiese Foundation. This setting offers an unparalleled experience—sharing daily life with passionate experts, gaining insight into their work, and participating in a rich exchange of knowledge and culture.
Please note that sightseeing activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of the volunteer internship.
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 3 week stay at EcoSwell for this programme and maximum can be up to 6 months.
Three weeks (price per week $674) = $2,022
Four weeks (price per week $657) = $2,627
Five weeks (price per week $639) = $3,195
Six weeks (price per week $639) = $3,834
Eight weeks (price per week $639) = $5,112
12 weeks (price per week $610) = $7,325
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.
Benefits of joining this programme
Peru is rich in archaeological history that predates the Incan empire. However, limited conservation efforts, awareness, and resources can restrict the access and opportunity to conserve this important heritage. Archaeological sites like El Brujo in Magdalena de Cao, Trujillo located on the northern coast of Peru, demonstrate how archaeology and cultural experiences can engage communities and support sustainable development through research, conservation and community engagement while preserving Peruvian culture.
This is a joint-program between EcoSwell and the Wiese Foundation. So far the initiatives include:
- The conservation of artefacts in a world-class museum and archaeological research station. More than 39,000 items have been excavated to date and just over 2,000 have been catalogued. These include mommies, ceramic pots, bottles, cups, jewellery, kitchen utensils, weapons, human remains and clothing textiles. This initiative aims to record and conserve these precious pieces.
- Archaeology research on specialized in-house projects and ongoing discoveries. Beyond excavation, the Foundation research has unravelled secrets of ancient civilizations, including research on the construction process of the Cao Viejo temple, the funerary context of the Lady of Cao mommy and the human settlement patterns in the Chicama River Valley. This initiative aims to share the Foundation's research knowledge on both a national and international level.
- Social impact and local community empowerment through education and cultural engagement. At the heart of this mission is the Brujo archaeological site, which has welcomed over 47,000 visitors—more than 16,000 of them children. The Foundation organizes dynamic events and workshops for students, teachers, community members, and visitors, ranging from archaeological experiences such as the Annual Colloquium of International Archaeology, to local gastronomy and craft fairs. It also supports small business development linked to the archeological site, with 26 local small business-owners receiving training over the past two years. The Foundation believes that learning and social entrepreneurship are vital to sustainable development—and invites passionate volunteers to be part of this impactful journey.
We are in need of hard-working volunteer interns with a background knowledge/experience in cultural and museum studies, anthropology, archaeology and/or historical studies to come to Trujillo and help us in the implementation of these project initiatives.
DAILY TASKS
As an archaeology and cultural heritage intern at EcoSwell, you will be given ownership of the projects, working on-site and alongside field experts in the Wiese Foundation. The daily activities will vary depending on the progress and stage we are at with each project. This may include but is not limited to:
- Cataloging of archaeological pieces
- Conservation of movable and immovable archaeological assets
- Inventory and registration of archeological assets
- Conservation monitoring
- Organization of archeological asset records
- Support in ongoing editorial projects (research, illustration, digitization)
- Preparation of research notes
- Illustration of archaeological pieces
- Help conduct workshops
- Assist local-community school visits
- Assist Museum guided tours for children and students
- Support in educational initiatives including 'El Brujo en tu cole' or 'El Brujo in your school' to help promote active connections between the student community and the archaeological site
- Assist in the sustainable development of the area by empowering local communities in their history and local heritage
A typical day in the Wiese Foundation house:
7am - Breakfast
8am - Start of work
12:00 - 1:00pm - Lunch with the team
5pm - Finish work
You will have free time in the evenings.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Volunteer interns work between 8 am to 5 pm on weekdays but evenings and weekends are free for you to spend as you wish. Based in the safe and welcoming town of Magdalena de Cao, you’ll have a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Peruvian culture and community life.
Accommodation is provided in the Wiese Foundation residence, where you’ll live alongside professional staff dedicated to archaeology and research at the Wiese Foundation. This setting offers an unparalleled experience—sharing daily life with passionate experts, gaining insight into their work, and participating in a rich exchange of knowledge and culture.
Please note that sightseeing activities are separate and are not included in the financial contribution you make as part of the volunteer internship.
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 3 week stay at EcoSwell for this programme and maximum can be up to 6 months.
Three weeks (price per week $674) = $2,022
Four weeks (price per week $657) = $2,627
Five weeks (price per week $639) = $3,195
Six weeks (price per week $639) = $3,834
Eight weeks (price per week $639) = $5,112
12 weeks (price per week $610) = $7,325
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.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: Creative Skills, Administration, Leadership, Oral Communication Skills, Project Management, Research, Team Working
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: +40 hours per week
Location:
Magdalena de Cao
Magdalena de Cao
13750