Olimpiadas Especiales Project

The Olimpiades Especiales is a nationwide project in Peru with different sections in 10 departments of Peru. The project is designed for children and young people with intellectual disabilities.
In Cusco, about 130 children participate in the program.

Every afternoon, attention is paid to a number of different sports. The children receive training, learn the rules and also learn discipline.
After several months of training the best athletes of each department go to Lima for the national finals and the best athletes there broadcast to the 'real' Specially olympics. In 2011 this will take place in Athens, Greece.

Obviously the performance is not the most important for the children and youth who participate. As with the "real" Olympic Games participating is more important than winning. The pleasure in sports and playing together are far more important that winning the contest. Every day the children enjoy to do sports, learn and play together

The Olimpiades Especiales run entirely on volunteers.. The trainers, organizers, PR people, are all Peruvian volunteers. The project welcomes with open arms foreign volunteers.
As a volunteer you are primarily involved in training the children, learning game forms, techniques, running competitions. Interest in sport is therefore definitely an advantage! There are several branches of sport practiced, among others, soccer, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, athletics.
This project runs every afternoon from 3 to 5, throughout the year except December.

Workdays: Monday to Friday from 14.30h - 16.30h
Kind of people to work with: Mentally disabled children and youth
Spanish level: Basic
Minimum availability: 2 weeks