It is the only Spanish school in Guatemala that is officially recognized by the Guatemalan state as a self-sustaining non-profit organization, for performing a range of social, legal and humanitarian work within the framework of developing rural communities in around Quetzaltenango.

As a result of its achievement in one particular rural community, in which a local school was founded and constructed, INEPAS gained official recognition from UNESCO (United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture) in 1998.

The INEPAS Spanish School offers its students two different study programs:

1. The Language Immersion Program: A sole focus on studying and learning the Spanish language.

2. The Service Learning Program: A combination of studying the Spanish language and voluntary work in one of our social aid programs.

Students at our Spanish school not only learn the Spanish language; but also have the opportunity to learn about the history, culture and socio-economic reality of Guatemala through various afternoon activities.

The social projects carried out by INEPAS are funded entirely from the income provided by its language school, and in this way the organization remains completely self-sustaining. View documentary

In this context, INEPAS is therefore made up of two departments, each with their own objective:

1. The Social Aid Department: To develop and sustain support of various educational and capacity-building programs all dedicated to supporting the disadvantaged young people and families in the Quetzaltenango region.

2. The Spanish Language Department: To teach foreign students the Spanish language in order to secure the sustainability of our social aid programs.

Volunteer Work

Since its foundation, INEPAS has received many volunteers from all over the world. The support they have given to INEPAS and to the communities of Quetzaltenango has contributed significantly to the success and development of each social aid program.

Note: INEPAS does not charge its volunteers to participate in its work! We value and appreciate the work that they do and although we cannot provide free accommodation or any living expenses, we can offer them homestay families for the same price that our language students pay, providing a very economical option.

The voluntary placements that INEPAS offers are:

International Co-ordination Assistant in Guatemala

Functions:

# Promotes the Department of the Spanish Language in foreign Universities, Colleges and organizations

# Promotes and maintains the web pages of INEPAS

# Proposes innovative projects to strengthen and improve the organization

# Works on various tasks in support of the international co-ordination in collaboration with the General Co-ordinator

Requirements:

# Minimum time commitment of 6 months

# Languages: English and Spanish (spoken and written)

# Working knowledge of Microsoft Office 2000 and Internet skills

If you are interested, please send us your available dates and a brief CV in Spanish.

Childcare/Teaching Assistant in Community Nurseries

Functions:

# Gives direct attention and care to the children according to the rules and timetable established by the Nursery.

# Assists the Care Mother in charge of the Nursery with the routine at the rest times and meal times of the children

# Supports the teacher, where appropriate, with classroom activities.

# Assists and supervises the children in role play, free play and movement, tabletop games, musical activities, dance, excursions, model-making, mathematics etc.

# Participates socially with parents of the children who attend the Nurseries.

Requirements:

# An intermediate level of Spanish

# A commitment of at least 3 months

# Professional experience or current student status, preferably in social work, medicine, psychology or teaching.

If you are interested, contact us with the dates you are able to work and a brief CV in Spanish.

Voluntary social workers, doctors, psychologists and teachers

Function:

# To provide consultations, advice and/or education in your professional field to community members seeking support from the Department of Social Aid at INEPAS.

Requirements:

# An intermediate level of Spanish

# A commitment of at least 3 months

# Professional experience or current student status, preferably in social work, medicine, psychology or teaching.

If you are interested, please send us your available dates and a brief CV in Spanish.

Computing Teacher in the Computer Laboratories

Functions:

# Organizes training workshops (Microsoft) for community teachers in schools in which the Computer Laboratories are located.

# Provides technical support for the maintenance of the hardware and the use of the software

# Designs and co-ordinates the Computing curriculum (Microsoft)

Requirements:

# An intermediate level of Spanish

# A commitment of at least 3 months

# Professional experience and a willingness to design and co-ordinate the Computing curriculum for (Microsoft)

If you are interested, please send us your available dates and a brief CV in Spanish.

Volunteer work while learning Spanish (Service Learning Program)
If you are interested in our Service Learning Program, please fill out our online Enrollment Form or contact us for more information.

Voluntary Internship
We offer the opportunity for students and professionals of the social sciences, as well as doctors and medical workers, to complete a voluntary internship with our organization. If you can offer us a minimum of 6 months here in Quetzaltenango, please send us an email with your CV in Spanish, a covering letter, the requirements of your internship and your main subject of interest.

International Collaborator (in your country of residence)
By participating in this way you will form part of the International Collaborator Group. You can help us progress in many different ways:

# Use your time and skills to make people aware (friends, work/student colleagues, etc) of the social aid programs being carried out by INEPAS.

# Promote the INEPAS Spanish School in universities and colleges.

# Find suitable volunteers for INEPAS

# Raise funds and donations for the association.

# Become and/or find a sponsor for a school student in need of economic help.

# Communicate with other volunteers over the internet.

# Propose and make changes to the INEPAS web pages.

If you would like to support us internationally, please contact us.