Surf Voluntourism

Surf travel done better. Check out our current surf voluntourism & learning opportunities in Peru. Make a difference in the lives of youth while surfing great waves in Lobitos.

Photo thanks to: Forest Woodward

WAVES is currently offering volunteer learning opportunities for Surf Voluntourists beginning the first and third weekend of each and every month of the year.  Arrive in Lobitos for a weekend orientation before beginning volunteer service as instructors and assistants in WAVES Educational Surf programs with local youth.

Based on your skills and experience you will contribute to the Education programs as an instructor or assistant in one of the following program areas: English and Arts, Environmental Education, Life Skills, Swimming and Surfing and Social Entrepreneurship.  Additionally, those of you staying for three weeks or more, will work with the Associate Director of Voluntourism to develop an individual service project that contributes to ongoing goals and programs within the WAVES mission. Projects vary based on your skills and interests and the needs and current projects in the community. Past volunteer service projects have included: music classes, community beach clean ups, documentary film making with kids, design and construction of a surf shack, environmental curriculum development, educational movie nights, and a recycling art project.

You will stay in the home of a local family (a glorified homestay set-up) and share your meals with other volunteers staying there. The minimum commitment is 2 weeks. You can extend your stay by increments of 1 week.

Cost: All WAVES Surf Voluntourists make or raise a Volunteer Contribution that supports the project in the community where they serve and pay a Program Fee that covers expenses related to their service.

Volunteer Contribution: $495/person minimum. WAVES encourages volunteers to organize fund raising campaigns and activities to raise the money while also spreading the word about WAVES.

Program Fee: $295 per week. The Program Fee covers the following:

• Transportation to Lobitos from the Northern Peruvian city of Talara.
• Accommodation in the house of a local family with WAVES staff and volunteers.
• Three meals per day.
• Pre-project preparation and briefings, email and phone support.
• Health and safety management (risk assessments, emergency contacts, first-aid trained staff and first aid kit)
• Project management from local and international staff.
• Materials and support for an individual service project.
• Contribution to local staff salaries.
• Access to WAVES’ wide selection of surfboards during your service.
• One group surf lesson per week with other volunteers (in Spanish).
• Participation in one locally guided excursion every two weeks (cave visits, open water fishing, or sea lion/whale watching).

Food: Three meals per day are included in the Program Fee. Emphasis is placed on making meals nutritious, balanced, and delicious. Meals range from local specialties to volunteers’ favorite foods from around the world. Vegetarian options are prepared for any volunteer upon request.

WAVES provides a wide variety of foods for volunteers to prepare their own breakfast (coffee, tea, milk, juice, bread, eggs, jam, butter, yogurt, cereal, fruit, etc.) Most lunches and some evening meals are prepared by local women from the community and include a variety of local specialties. Volunteers have the option to coordinate and prepare meals in the evenings if interested. Many ingredients are purchased in Talara, while some foods, such as fresh seafood, are available in Lobitos.

Recommendation: While we are confident that you will have an amazing experience if you have only 2 weeks available to serve, to have the most life-enriching experience and provide significant benefit to the community we strongly recommend serving for at least 4 weeks. This will give you time to understand WAVES’ programs, adjust to life in Lobitos, integrate with the team and community, and carry out a useful and meaningful individual project. In fact, many of our volunteers to date have extended their service once in Lobitos.

Complete your application today – available in the box the left or in downloads page.  Apply now.

Can’t make the trip to Peru, but still want to help?  Consider making a donation that leverages the impact of those on the ground.

This post is also available in: French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil)