Internships and Fellowships

  Summer ESL Internship

The Tandana Foundation is seeking motivated and qualified summer interns to develop curriculum, teach, and lead field trips and activities for local secondary school students in Quichinche, Ecuador, a region that is rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity. This internship is available each year from around the end of June to around the beginning of August. This year's dates are June 24th - July 28th.

Position Description:

In this internship, your primary responsibility will be to provide continuity and excellence in the curriculum and teaching for Tandana's Vacation Courses in Quichinche, Ecuador. Specifically, you will design a coherent and effective curriculum for one level of ESL classes, as well as other electives, for secondary school students. These classes will take place five days a week each morning for four weeks in July. You will plan the curriculum ahead of time, teach it, and record it in a way that is easy for future interns and volunteers to follow. For the electives, you may plan and teach lessons in other subjects, such as art, leadership, math, health, physics, or geography, and you will help lead field trips and enrichment activities for the summer students. Finally, you will serve as a cultural ambassador and a positive representative of The Tandana Foundation. In return, you will be placed with a host family, which will allow countless opportunities to explore the indigenous cultures and subsistence lifestyles of highland Ecuador as well as the natural environment around you. You will also be given all the support you need to succeed in your work and be encouraged to accomplish your personal internship goals.

Requirements:

• Conversational Spanish
• Experience living in cross-cultural situations, preferably in Latin America
• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse array of people, to solve problems creatively, and to promote a positive experience for all involved
• Self-motivation, responsibility, and an ability to work independently
• Prior ESL experience or training, or demonstrated interest in teaching
• Minimum age is 19

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and record effective curriculum for ESL and electives
• Lead local students on field trips and service activities
• Collaborate with and assist Tandana’s Cursos Coordinator and Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Represent Tandana in a positive manner to all community members and volunteers and help to build good relationships

Benefits:

• The opportunity to participate in unique cultural activities and be a part of a dynamic, multi-cultural team
• Detailed orientation and ongoing support from Tandana's Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Room and board with a local family (homestay)
• Work expenses including local transportation, cell phone, and consular fees. (Interns pay their own airfare to Ecuador)

How to apply:

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter addressing each of the following questions to Aaron DiMartino, Senior Operations Director, at aaron [at] tandanafoundation.org. Please write "Summer ESL Internship" in the subject line of the email.

1. Please describe any experience you have living in Ecuador or in another cross-cultural situation.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?
3. Describe an experience that was very challenging for you. How did you deal with the difficulties, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What are you passionate about, and how do you express that passion?
5. What do you think will be most exciting about this internship?
6. What do you think will be most difficult about this internship?
7. What are your personal and professional goals for this internship and how can we help you accomplish them?
8. Do you have preferred starting and ending dates? Are these dates flexible?
9. How would you rate your Spanish and English speaking ability? Beginner, intermediate, advanced, native speaker?

Environment/Horticulture Internship

ESL Teaching Internship

Position Description:

In this internship, you will work alongside local teachers and community members, teaching English to students in kindergarten through 6th grade (plus basic computer classes depending on the needs of the school). Because Tandana facilitates many volunteer programs and community development projects throughout the year, you may also help coordinate service- and cultural-learning experiences for groups of U.S. students that are visiting your community as well as assist with other Tandana projects as need arises. You will also tutor Tandana scholarship students who need additional help and support the scholarship program in other ways. Finally, you will serve as a cultural ambassador and a positive representative of The Tandana Foundation.  In return, you will be placed with a host family, which will allow countless opportunities to explore the indigenous cultures and subsistence lifestyles of highland Ecuador as well as the natural environment around you. You will also be given all the support you need to succeed in your work and be encouraged to accomplish your personal internship goals.

Requirements:

• Conversational Spanish
• Experience living in cross-cultural situations, preferably in Latin America

• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse array of people, to solve problems creatively, and to promote a positive experience for all involved
• Self-motivation, responsibility, and an ability to work independently
• Demonstrated interest in elementary education or ESL
• Minimum age is 19
• Minimum time commitment is 3 months

Responsibilities:

• Teach elementary English as a Second Language five days a week
  
• Help coordinate the activities of visiting student groups and other Tandana projects and ensure that volunteers and community members alike have positive experiences.
• Provide tutoring and other support to Tandana's scholarship program
  
• Represent Tandana in a positive manner to all community members and volunteers and help to build good relationships

Benefits:

• The opportunity to participate in unique cultural activities and be a part of a dynamic, multi-cultural team
• Detailed orientation and ongoing support from Tandana's Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Room and board with a local family (homestay)
• Work expenses including local transportation, cell phone, and consular fees. (Interns pay their own airfare to Ecuador)

How to apply:

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter addressing each of the following questions to Aaron DiMartino, Senior Operations Director, at aaron [at] tandanafoundation.org. Please write "ESL Teaching Internship" in the subject line of the email.

1. Please describe any experience you have living in Ecuador or in another cross-cultural situation.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
3. Describe an experience that was very challenging for you. How did you deal with the difficulties, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What are you passionate about, and how do you express that passion?
5. What do you think will be most exciting about this internship?
6. What do you think will be most difficult about this internship?
7. What are your personal and professional goals for this internship and how can we help you accomplish them?
8. Do you have preferred starting and ending dates? Are these dates flexible?
9. How would you rate your Spanish and English speaking ability? Beginner, intermediate, advanced, native speaker?

Information Technology Internship

Public Health Internship

The Tandana Foundation is seeking an intern to assist with health care projects in mountain villages in the Otavalo canton of Ecuador, a region that is rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity. This internship is available year-round, and the minimum time commitment is 9 months.

Position Description:

In this internship, your main responsibility will be to support our Community Health and Well-being Program who need additional care. This will involve contacting them and walking them through the public health system. You will work alongside local health care professionals and Tandana staff to set up and accompany patients to all necessary appointments at the rural health centers and the hospitals in Otavalo, Ibarra, or Quito. Additionally, depending on your availability and interests as well as Tandana's needs, you may participate in other projects such as facilitating a class for the elderly to promote brain development and activity, assisting a local doctor or a midwife, or giving health talks at local schools. Finally, you will serve as a cultural ambassador and a positive representative of The Tandana Foundation.  In return, you will be placed with a host family, which will allow countless opportunities to explore the indigenous cultures and subsistence lifestyles of highland Ecuador as well as the natural environment around you. You will also be given all the support you need to succeed in your work and be encouraged to accomplish your personal internship goals.

Requirements:

• Conversational/Fluent Spanish
• Experience living in cross-cultural situations, preferably in Latin America
• Demonstrated interest in a health profession or the field of public health (specific credentials are not necessary)
• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse array of people, to solve problems creatively, and to promote a positive experience for all involved
• Self-motivation, responsibility, and an ability to work independently
• Minimum age is 21
• Minimum time commitment is 9 months
• Completion of Global Ambassadors for Patient Safety Course 

Responsibilities:

• Follow up with patients from Tandana Health Care Volunteer Ventures who need additional care
• Engage in other healthcare projects as needed
• Represent Tandana in a positive manner to all community members and volunteers and help to build good relationships

Benefits:

• The opportunity to participate in unique cultural activities and be a part of a dynamic, multi-cultural team
• Detailed orientation and ongoing support from Tandana's Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Room and board with a local family (homestay)
• Work expenses including local transportation, cell phone, and consular fees. (Interns pay their own airfare to Ecuador)

How to apply:

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter addressing each of the following questions to Aaron DiMartino, Senior Operations Director, at aaron [at] tandanafoundation.org. Please write "Public Health Internship" in the subject line of the email.

1. Please describe any experience you have living in Ecuador or in another cross-cultural situation.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
3. Describe an experience that was very challenging for you. How did you deal with the difficulties, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What are you passionate about, and how do you express that passion?
5. What do you think will be most exciting about this internship?
6. What do you think will be most difficult about this internship?
7. What are your personal and professional goals for this internship and how can we help you accomplish them? 
8. Do you have preferred starting and ending dates? Are these dates flexible?
9. How would you rate your Spanish and English speaking ability? Beginner, intermediate, advanced, native speaker?

Position Description:

In this internship, you will work alongside Margarita who is Tandana's Program Assistant. In addition to managing our accounting, Margarita works to keep our office organized and assists our programs in many important ways. Your primary duty will include the collection of stories for our blog. It will also be important for this intern to administer surveys and collect data to help us show our impacts. Because Tandana facilitates many volunteer programs and community development projects throughout the year, you may also help coordinate service- and cultural-learning experiences for groups of U.S. students that are visiting as well as assist with other Tandana projects as need arises. Finally, you will serve as a cultural ambassador and a positive representative of The Tandana Foundation. In return, you will be placed with a host family, which will allow countless opportunities to explore the indigenous cultures and subsistence lifestyles of highland Ecuador as well as the natural environment around you. You will also be given all the support you need to succeed in your work and be encouraged to accomplish your personal internship goals.

Requirements:

• Conversational Spanish.
• Strong writing, translation, and editing skills in both English and Spanish.
• Experience living in cross-cultural situations, preferably in Latin America.

• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse array of people, to solve problems creatively, and to promote a positive experience for all involved.
• Self-motivation, responsibility, and an ability to work independently.
• Photography skills encouraged but not required.
• Minimum age is 19.
• Minimum time commitment is 3 months.

Responsibilities:

• You will work with our Program Assistant, Social Media Specialist, Communications Specialist, and work independently, to collect, edit, and translate stories from all our beneficiaries for our blog and fundraising efforts.
• You will collect, take, and edit photos to include with the above blog posts.

• Collection of data to be used for evaluation (e.g. contact past scholarship students, find out what they are doing now, administer surveys, etc.)
• Keep various inventories that we have in our office up to date (e.g. books, cooking supplies, tools, etc.).
• Help Margarita with the inventory of medications and medical supplies. 
• Assist with volunteer programs as needed.
• Support the Ecuador Program Manager as needed.

Benefits:

• The opportunity to participate in unique cultural activities and be a part of a dynamic, multi-cultural team.
• Detailed orientation and ongoing support from Tandana's Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Room and board with a local family (homestay).
• Work expenses including local transportation, cell phone, and consular fees. (Interns pay their own airfare to Ecuador).

How to apply:

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter addressing each of the following questions to Aaron DiMartino, Senior Operations Director, at aaron [at] tandanafoundation.org. Please write "Storytelling Internship" in the subject line of the email.

1. Please describe any experience you have living in Ecuador or in another cross-cultural situation.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
3. Describe an experience that was very challenging for you. How did you deal with the difficulties, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What are you passionate about, and how do you express that passion?
5. What do you think will be most exciting about this internship?
6. What do you think will be most difficult about this internship?
7. What are your personal and professional goals for this internship and how can we help you accomplish them?
8. Do you have preferred starting and ending dates? Are these dates flexible?
9. How would you rate your Spanish and English speaking ability? Beginner, intermediate, advanced, native speaker?

Program Leadership Fellowship

The Tandana Foundation is seeking a fellow to help prepare, lead, and follow up after our group volunteer programs in the Otavalo canton of highland Ecuador, a region that is rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity. The minimum time commitment for this fellowship is one year, beginning either in January, May, or September. We will also consider a 9-month option for exceptional candidates.

Position Description:

In this fellowship, your main responsibilities will involve working with communities to prepare for the visits of volunteer groups, coordinating the stays of the volunteer groups, and following up afterward to ensure that projects are completed and volunteers are informed of the results of their efforts. You will serve as an Assistant Coordinator or Community Coordinator for all scheduled programs during your time in Ecuador, gaining experience with a variety of volunteer groups and work projects. During group programs, the schedule is intense, and you will need to be prepared to work hard, focusing on the tasks at hand. In between programs, you will make arrangements with community partners and service providers, meet with community leaders for evaluation, and do other preparatory and follow up work, and you may also take on additional projects based on your interests. Finally, you will serve as a cultural ambassador and a positive representative of The Tandana Foundation. You will be given all the support you need to succeed in your work and be encouraged to accomplish your personal fellowship goals, which will provide you with valuable skills and experience in volunteer program leadership. And by living with a host family, you will have countless opportunities to explore the indigenous cultures and subsistence lifestyles of highland Ecuador as well as the natural environment around you.

Requirements:

• Fluent Spanish speaking ability and fluent English speaking ability
• Experience working with North Americans and Latin Americans

• Experience living in cross-cultural situations, preferably in Latin America
• Ability to work cooperatively with a diverse array of people, to solve problems creatively, and to promote a positive experience for all involved
• Self-motivation, responsibility, and an ability to work independently
• Minimum age is 22
• Minimum time commitment is 1 year (or 9 months by special arrangement)
  
• WFA or greater first aid certification and CPR certification

Responsibilities:

• Work with community leaders and other local contacts to arrange volunteer work and cultural activities
• Help lead the group programs on a daily basis and facilitate all aspects of the groups' stays in Ecuador
• Help coordinate logistics of the programs, handle money, keep accurate records
• Solve problems and handle emergency situations in a professional manner
• Set an upbeat tone for volunteer groups
• Coordinate the experience of visiting groups and ensure that they are a positive experience for the volunteers as well as the community
  
• Meet with community leaders after each program to evaluate and improve
• Follow up with communities on any projects that are still in progress after programs
• Communicate with the groups about progress and outcomes of the projects they worked on
• Follow up with patients from our health care programs to assist them in accessing the care they need

• Engage in additional community projects as need and interests dictate
• Be a positive role model for Tandana interns
  
• Represent Tandana in a positive manner to all community members and volunteers and help to build good relationships

Benefits:

• The opportunity to participate in unique cultural activities and be a part of a dynamic, multi-cultural team
• The opportunity to learn about planning and leading high-quality, cross-cultural volunteer programs, to practice the necessary skills, and to gain experience in the field
• Detailed orientation and ongoing support from Tandana's Ecuador Program Manager
  
• Room and board with a local family (homestay)
• Work expenses including local transportation, cell phone, and consular fees.
• Round-trip transportation to Ecuador from the United States
• Stipend of $100 per month, with the possibility of additional stipends when filling official roles in group program leadership
• Two weeks of paid vacation

How to apply:

Interested parties should send a resume and a cover letter addressing each of the following questions to Aaron DiMartino, Senior Operations Director, at aaron [at] tandanafoundation.org. Please write "Program Leadership Fellowship" in the subject line of the email.

1. Please describe any experience you have living in Ecuador or in another cross-cultural situation.
2. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
3. Describe an experience that was very challenging for you. How did you deal with the difficulties, and what did you learn from the experience?
4. What are you passionate about, and how do you express that passion?
5. What do you think will be most exciting about this fellowship?
6. What do you think will be most difficult about this fellowship?
7. What are your personal and professional goals for this fellowship and how can we help you accomplish them?
8. Do you have preferred starting and ending dates? Are these dates flexible?
9. How would you rate your Spanish and English speaking ability? Beginner, intermediate, advanced, native speaker?