VOLUNTEERING AND INTERNING RESPONSIBLY

We care about the safety and well-being of everyone involved in our projects. We are committed to providing the most ethical and responsible experience for our volunteers and interns and the projects they work with.

CHILD AND VULNERABLE ADULT PROTECTION

Proyecto Peru understands the importance of having effective policies and processes in place to protect the welfare and interests of the communities and individuals that our operation interacts with. We know that particular risks exist in relation to how we interact with children and vulnerable adults and we are focused on ensuring that those risks are mitigated through the effective implementation of the Child Protection Policy.

It is important that our projects are committed to upholding the security, rights, and freedoms of children and vulnerable adults at all times. We are committed to ensuring that children and vulnerable adults are not exposed to abuse, exploitation, violence, or neglect. All decisions must be made in the best interest of the child or vulnerable adult. All children and vulnerable adults who have an interaction with program participants are treated with respect and equal consideration. We actively work against the abuse of children, vulnerable adults, or any other individual who interns interact with during their placement. Types of abuse include sexual abuse, physical, or mental harm and exploitation.

BEST MEDIA PRACTICE

Proyecto Peru places importance on the proper practice of media in all program placements; this is vital in upholding the Child Protection Policy. Photography and videography of children or vulnerable adults is only permitted with permission from the placement staff and these photos/videos should not be captured in a way intended to belittle or degrade any person.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Our Code of Conduct provides guidelines deemed to be appropriate and proper behavior for Proyecto Peru volunteers when interacting with children and vulnerable adults. These guidelines are primarily designed to protect the individuals that volunteers work with, but are also intended to protect volunteers from false accusations of inappropriate behavior or abuse.

No child or vulnerable adult is to be taken outside of the placement site, without making prior arrangements with the placement staff.
No child or vulnerable adult is to be taken to any volunteer’s homestay, guesthouse, hotel, or accommodation.
Proyecto Peru volunteers are not permitted to take any child or vulnerable adult to a cafe, restaurant, or buy them food, unless permission has been given by the placement staff.
Proyecto Peru volunteers are not permitted to share a bed or room with any children or vulnerable adult while participating in a Proyecto Peru program.
No presents are to be bought for placement participants without prior approval from the placement staff.
Photography and videography of children or vulnerable adults is only permitted with permission from the placement staff and photos/videos should not be taken in a way intended to belittle or degrade any placement participant.
Proyecto Peru volunteers should not act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle, or degrade children or vulnerable adults or perpetrate any form of emotional abuse.
Proyecto Peru volunteers must display positive appropriate language, actions, and relationships with children at all times.
Proyecto Peru volunteers must take extreme care when interacting physically with placement participants. Under no circumstance should any physical contact be, or have the appearance of being sexual in any way.
Proyecto Peru volunteers must not exert inappropriate physical force when dealing with children or vulnerable adults. This includes pushing, shoving, hitting, slapping, or any other action that could cause fear, intimidation, or distress.
Proyecto Peru volunteers are responsible for their actions and reactions to children and vulnerable adults at all times. Volunteers are always considered to be responsible for their actions regardless of how a child or vulnerable adult behaves toward them.
Where possible and practical, Proyecto Peru volunteers should implement the ‘two person’ rule, whereby two or more responsible adults supervise all activities with children and vulnerable adults.
Inappropriate conduct toward children and vulnerable adults including failure to follow the behavior standards stated above is grounds for discipline including dismissal from the Proyecto Peru program. Extreme breaches of policy may result in law enforcement notification and legal action.

Please note, this is not an exhaustive or exclusive list. The principle underlying this policy is that volunteers and staff should avoid actions or behavior which may constitute poor practice or potential abuse and exploitation.

ANIMAL WELFARE

We consider it important to be an advocate for the promotion of animal welfare and species conservation, as it is essential to protect those animals that cannot protect themselves. Our policies aim to reflect this. We expect all volunteers and interns to adhere to the responsibilities outlined by this policy.

Freedom from thirst and hunger
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury, and disease
Freedom to express normal behavior
Freedom from fear and distress

DONATIONS

Most projects ask volunteers to make a $50 donation once, as part of their volunteering. This donation will be made directly to the project. Some projects may ask that the donation be made in cash in soles, while others may prefer it to be made in goods or materials. The Projects Coordinator will accompany you on your first day to help discuss the best way to donate.

If you would like to make a monetary or material donation to one of our partner projects, please email us to see how we can help you.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

Depending on the project, volunteers and interns are required to provide a criminal background check to the local staff during orientation, before they can begin volunteering on the program.

Proyecto Peru reserves the right to terminate a volunteer’s program if a criminal background check or reference check reveals that the volunteer is not suitable to work with children or vulnerable adults, for any reason.