Community Engagement Internship

Co-develop strategies to engage communities in conservation and sustainable living

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Program Overview:
ARCAmazon believes in the importance of building effective ties with local communities in order to foster forest conservation through environmental education and supporting more sustainable land use practices. The focal communities in this case are Lucerna and Palma Real, due to their strategic location within the lower Las Piedras. The majority of people in these communities are recent immigrants from the Ayacucho region of Peru. Over the last 2 years, the population of these communities has deforested an estimated 100 hectares of forest within the area that they have invaded. ARCAmazon is seeking internship participants with an interest to co-develop and implement, with the communities, strategies for conservation and sustainable development in Las Piedras.
Amazon Academy‘s Community Engagement Internship Program provides participants with the experience of working alongside members of two rainforest-based communities in the remote region of Las Piedras. Interns will assist in co-creating and/or implementing development plans with the communities and ARCAmazon members and partners. This program requires participants to have at least a basic knowledge of Spanish and some experience in sustainability or conservation. Proposals for project ideas can be accepted from applicants, though they will be reviewed in context of the local need.
Further Details:
Interns normally participate for between 1 and 12 months (sometimes shorter or longer). Most work is carried out in the forest along the Las Piedras River, within the world-renowned rainforest region of Tambopata-Madre de Dios, Peru. After an initial welcome and training session in Puerto Maldonado, Amazon Academy interns will be transported (usually by 4×4 and boat) to the Las Piedras Amazon Center, Forest Ranger Camps and neighboring communities where they will live and work for the majority of their time with infrequent opportunities to go back to town, depending on work requirements and personal needs. ARCAmazon provides certificates to all program participants and is happy to consider providing character and employment references.
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1 MONTH (30 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$2,345 £1,804
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

2 MONTHS (60 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$3,955 £3,042
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

3 MONTHS (90 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$5,130 £3,946
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

4 MONTHS (120 DAYS)

Placement Fee
$6,120 £4,708
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off

MORE THAN 120 DAYS

Placement Fee
$50 per day
Full Board, Training, 24/7 Supervisor, Daily Activities, Weekly Adventures, Airport Collection/Drop Off
Please Note: ARCAmazon is a not-for-profit initiative and all fees are strictly used to cover the program’s expenses and direct protection of forest in the Las Piedras watershed. For program durations outside of those stated above (e.g. 16 or 45 days) we apply a pro rata system to determine the final fee. For periods longer than 120 days (4 months) the maximum fee is US$50 per day. In cases where participants require services above and beyond our regular provisions (see ‘Included’ section below), an additional fee may be required to cover this (to be discussed on application).

Please Note:  ARCAmazon is a not-for-profit initiative and all fees are strictly used to cover the program’s expenses and on-going conservation efforts in the Las Piedras rivershed. For program durations outside of those stated above (e.g. 16 or 45 days) we apply a pro rata system to determine the final fee. For periods longer than 120 days (4 months) the maximum fee is US$50 per day. In cases where participants require services above and beyond our regular provisions, an additional fee may be required to cover this (to be discussed on application).

Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC)

The Las Piedras Amazon Center (LPAC) has been designed to cater for field research, conservation tours, expeditions and learning programs. It has a rustic Medicine Man-style charm. For those who love to experience nature and raw wilderness in rustic comfort, this is the perfect place for immersion into the wild. The center is located near beautiful streams and waterfalls. It’s surrounded by over 50km of trail networks and research transects. The camp is comfortable and sustainable with raised camping platforms covered by up-cycled advertising billboards, a large 2-story central work/dining area and a fully-equipped kitchen. There is running water, limited electricity (4-5 hours a day), outdoor and indoor showers, western and composting toilets. The camp can hold up to 50 guests at a time. There is NO internet or cellular phone network. The center operates as a non-profit business, where 100% of income is used to improve infrastructure, pay dedicated conservation and research staff and expand ARCAmazon’s conservation reach.

See more about LPAC here.

ARCAmazon

Who We Are:

ARCAmazon is a Peruvian non-profit organization that is committed to protecting and conserving Peru’s Amazon Rainforest; its valuable natural resources, its function in reducing climate change, its biodiversity and indigenous peoples. ARCAmazon’s team of experts have been active in Peru’s Madre de Dios region since the 90’s. They have trained thousands of volunteers and interns from all around the world, encouraging many to go on to become professionals in the environmental sector. Our team is constantly gaining knowledge and experience of the complex relationships between humans and the rainforest environment. This helps us to refine our conservation strategies and essentially become more effective over time. We lead and support research on themes from biodiversity to ethnobotany, socio-economics to sustainable business, agro-forestry to permaculture and conservation. ARCAmazon believes in the importance of sharing data with land owners, policy makers, NGOs and businesses, to help encourage all parties to take a stake in protecting this critical part of the planet.

The Amazon Rainforest in Peru is the perfect environment for aspiring researchers and wildlife enthusiasts to gain invaluable knowledge and skills while making a difference on the front-lines of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. The work we do requires energy and enthusiasm of many. We are looking for people from all nations, races, sexuality, ethnicity, ages, beliefs and interests to get involved. All we ask for is that you bring passion, respect, love and a desire to take action for good, to save one of the last truly wild frontiers on the planet.

Included in This Program

This is what we cover for you, using your fee:

  • Transfers on arrival and departure at Puerto Maldonado (airport, bus station or hotel)
  • Scheduled transport to and from the field
  • Shared lodging from start to end of the program (in the field and Puerto Maldonado)
  • Full board – three substantial and healthy 2-course meals each day
  • Clean drinking water, tea, coffee and refreshments at all times
  • Limited use of electricity generator each day (4-5 hours)
  • General support and training: Health & Safety; trail use and orienteering, basic jungle survival, basic ecology, impacts and challenges affecting the forests in Madre de Dios; research and conservation solutions for the rainforests in Madre de Dios
  • Specialized training (depending on the program)
  • Personal supervision by an experienced field coordinator (2-6 participants per coordinator)
  • Care and support from an experienced logistics and administration team based at the ARCAmazon head office in Puerto Maldonado
  • Weekly excursions (macaw and parrot clay-lick, boat rides, mini-expeditions, hikes, waterfalls, community social events, sports, etc.)
  • The experience of one of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth with alongside a highly trained and fun team of conservationists

What is not included:

  • Travel insurance (compulsory for all participants)
  • Flights and/or bus tickets to and from Puerto Maldonado
  • Spending money for snacks, drinks and souvenirs
  • Personal equipment (headlamp, bug repellent, binoculars etc.)
  • Participants may prefer to bring their own tent if they would like to camp instead of share accomodation with others
  • Add-ons (Tours to Machu Picchu, Cusco and other parts of Peru, full expeditions, lazy river experience, remote native community visit, etc.) – please inquire on application
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