Required

• A good level of Spanish – spoken, written, and read.
• Previous experience of working with human rights or development NGOs, social, grassroots, or community organizations.
• Ability to commit to a minimum of 12 months’ work in the field.
• Ability to work within the principles of non-partisanship, non-violence, and non-interference.
• Ability to work in a horizontal structure based on consensus-making decisions.
• A clear motivation to work in the PBI field in Guatemala.
• Experience of teamwork and group living, especially in high-stress situations.
• Basic computer skills – word-processing, email, databases, etc.
• Availability to participate in the project’s training and selection process.
• Availability of two references that are able to give an account of your professional and personal capacities (who know you in the context of your paid or voluntary work with interest/solidarity groups, NGOs or academic study, for example).

Desirable

• Knowledge of Guatemala’s history and current situation.
• Experience of work involving liaison with authorities, campaigning, communication, negotiation, advocacy, etc.
• Capacity for political analysis.
• Knowledge of human rights.
• Experience of work in the field of research and information management.
• Experience of working using a consensus decision-making process.
• Experience of working with PBI, such as with the PBI Country Group of your country of residence.
• Minimum age of 25 years. 

Due to the characteristics of the PBI field experience, it is fundamental that candidates are people who have the capacity to interact in a positive way with others; who are able to communicate assertively; who are able to adapt to diverse contexts (as dictated by the country’s political and social situation as well as by the mandate and principles of PBI in Guatemala); who have strategies for managing stress; who possess a high degree of self-awareness, flexibility, and openness; and who have a high capacity for work.

What we offer if you join the PBI Guatemala team

• Specialized training, based on more than 30 years of experience developing international accompaniment methodology.
• An experience of living and working in a close-knit team of international volunteers.
• Experience of volunteering in an internationally recognized human rights organization.
• The following expenses are covered: return flights, room, board, and medical insurance. Volunteers also receive economic support of $175 monthly for personal expenses, and a repatriation grant when they have completed their service.

Read here what former volunteers share about their experiences.

Process for becoming a field volunteer

• Read carefully the documents available on this website (volunteer letter, selection process, application form, reference forms).
• Contact the Guatemala Project Training and Selection Team (formación@pbi-guatemala.org) to inform them of your interest in applying.
• Contact your local PBI Country Group, and attend one of the introductory events regularly organized by them.
• Return your application form to the Training and Selection Team before the application deadline (see process calendar).
• Ask your two referees to send the completed reference forms to the Training and Selection Team before the application deadline.
• Once your application and references have been received, you are considered a candidate and will follow the different steps of the selection process as outlined in the documents mentioned above.
• Participate in an interview with a member of the Training and Selection Team.
• If you are selected to participate in the project training, you will first complete a distance learning self-study course, reading and completing the activities sent to you, on which feedback will be given.
• Take part in a residential selection and training week. The final decision about the volunteer selection will be taken after the training week and will be communicated individually in a conference call.
• Incorporation into the team is not always immediate after the selection and training week, and selected volunteers are asked to keep themselves up-to-date with the situation in Guatemala during the period before their arrival.
• On arrival in the field as a new volunteer, you will participate in a 2 week period of orientation. In this way, the training and selection process continues in Guatemala, with an evaluation period after the first two months in the team.
• At any point in the process, PBI may decide that the candidate is not suitable for work in a team of international observers in Guatemala.

The policy of PBI against discrimination of any type in the team in the field.

PBI Guatemala recognizes the potential of any person to integrate into the team and embrace diversity. Everybody is welcome to apply and PBI responds to those who are interested that meet the identified criteria.
Likewise, PBI contemplates the possibilities of approving bursaries to the candidates that come from the region known as the “global south”. This is to facilitate their participation in the face-to-face training process and selection.
However, the context of the work and the conditions in which the volunteers in the field in Guatemala operate, requires them to consider aspects that are relative to the capacities and physical appearance in order to guaranty the security of the volunteers of the Project. Please do not hesitate to contact the representative of the formation team for any inquiries or information: formacion@pbi-guatemala.org.