Mexico
Projects in Mexico
Environment
Mexico is extremely diverse; it’s among the top five countries in terms of biodiversity and nearly 70 indigenous language groups are spoken within its territory. It’s also at risk - 50% of the country lives in poverty, pressure is increasing on natural resources, and climate change impacts have been unexpectedly evident and rapid. The Mexican Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) has prioritized conserving vulnerable natural areas and nearby rural communities with an ecosystem-based approach, while promoting socioeconomic development. In this context, Peace Corps Mexico works with three SEMARNAT institutions to promote greater awareness of climate change and how to increase resiliency to its impacts, with a gender and youth lens.
Activities conducted by Climate Change Awareness and Action Volunteers (traditional, two-year service) will include: co-guiding environmental education resource development; co-facilitating community climate change and nature appreciation educational activities; co-train community members on techniques to increase climate change resilience; and co-guide community members to implement and adopt climate change resilience practices such as soil and water conservation, solid waste handling, and biodiversity conservation.
The Peace Corps Mexico Response program can also meet very specific needs of Environment program partners, in cases of requests outside the scope of traditional Volunteer expertise or programmatic focus.
Education
Mexico shares strong cultural, political and economic ties with its neighbor to the north and its government continues to prioritize English language learning as a key that opens doors to knowledge, the economy, scientific and technical exchange, employability, commerce, and social mobility. Traditional TEFL two-year Volunteers provide a sustainable approach to English education in Mexico by serving as linguistic and cultural ambassadors for underserved Mexican students and professors at small or medium-sized public universities specializing in STEM. They also provide support opportunities for English teachers and learners through teaching, co-planning, co-teaching, teacher training, student mentoring, on and off-campus extracurricular activities, and strategic networking with students and faculty.
Activities conducted by traditional TEFL Volunteers will include: Co-planning and co-teaching English language classes; establishing and facilitating communities of practice, co-facilitating extracurricular English language learning activities, supporting institutional projects, student mentoring and career counseling, and strategic networking.
Peace Corps Response
Peace Corps Mexico Response program responds to national and local needs in a timely and opportune way, in that Volunteers with specialized profiles and extensive professional experience collaborate on unique projects from six to twelve months in duration, primarily with the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). Response Volunteers work with CONACYT scientists and researchers to promote scientific and technological development and innovation, in one of four project profiles: social impact advisor, project management specialist, enterprise resource management advisor, or business development specialist; implementing activities such as: designing and facilitating trainings, analyzing institutional processes, recommending best practices, co-creating manuals, standard operating procedures, or strategic plans, and facilitating collaboration between departments and/or institutions.
On occasion, the Response program can also meet specific needs of Education program partners. For example, through a short-term service with Peace Corps Mexico Response, a highly experienced university-level English instructor can support Mexican English professors with specialized transferrable skills and training in TEFL best practices.