Youth Wellness Advocate - Volunteer Position - Onsite in Ecuador • South America - 2 years, plus 3 months training
United States
Posted on Jun 3, 2026
About The Project
Ecuador is looking for experienced health educators and aspiring life skills coaches to support youth health education.
The Ecuadorian government has identified non-communicable diseases—such as heart disease and diabetes—as some of the country’s most pressing health challenges. Malnutrition remains a persistent concern, with undernutrition affecting nearly 30 percent of children under the age of 5. At the same time, obesity rates continue to rise steadily across all age groups. Significant gaps in sexual and reproductive health education, particularly in relation to reducing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and preventing teenage pregnancy. In fact, approximately 20 percent of all births in Ecuador are to mothers under the age of 20. To address these challenges, the government aims to strengthen health outcomes by enhancing the quality and reach of health education across schools, households, workplaces, and broader community settings.
As a Youth Wellness Advocate, you will collaborate with community members to connect youth (ages 10–19) in rural and underserved areas with available resources and health services, allowing them to make informed decisions for their own health and daily life. You will also identify opportunities to strengthen local capacity, specifically in providing quality health education and life skills. By strengthening health education, you will help communities to adopt healthy behaviors, prevent disease, and build resilience.
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP: Candidates who are dual citizens of Ecuador and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Ecuador. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance, and the protections of U.S. citizenship promote Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S. and Ecuadorian citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Ecuador, the Peace Corps' ability to intervene would be limited. If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Ecuador, we encourage you to look at other opportunities with Peace Corps.
Activities
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Plan and facilitate targeted health education on topics, such as hygiene, nutrition, and reproductive health.
Organize and facilitate life skills clubs or camps that reinforce positive health messaging.
Develop and conduct training sessions on health promotion techniques for adult health workers and educators.
Plan and host events that engage the larger community in learning.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as after-school sports and English clubs.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
Key dates
APPLY BY : October 15, 2026
KNOW BY : December 1, 2026
DEPART ON : May 30, 2027
DURATION : 2 years, plus 3 months training
Ecuador is looking for experienced health educators and aspiring life skills coaches to support youth health education.
The Ecuadorian government has identified non-communicable diseases—such as heart disease and diabetes—as some of the country’s most pressing health challenges. Malnutrition remains a persistent concern, with undernutrition affecting nearly 30 percent of children under the age of 5. At the same time, obesity rates continue to rise steadily across all age groups. Significant gaps in sexual and reproductive health education, particularly in relation to reducing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and preventing teenage pregnancy. In fact, approximately 20 percent of all births in Ecuador are to mothers under the age of 20. To address these challenges, the government aims to strengthen health outcomes by enhancing the quality and reach of health education across schools, households, workplaces, and broader community settings.
As a Youth Wellness Advocate, you will collaborate with community members to connect youth (ages 10–19) in rural and underserved areas with available resources and health services, allowing them to make informed decisions for their own health and daily life. You will also identify opportunities to strengthen local capacity, specifically in providing quality health education and life skills. By strengthening health education, you will help communities to adopt healthy behaviors, prevent disease, and build resilience.
SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP: Candidates who are dual citizens of Ecuador and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Ecuador. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance, and the protections of U.S. citizenship promote Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S. and Ecuadorian citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Ecuador, the Peace Corps' ability to intervene would be limited. If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Ecuador, we encourage you to look at other opportunities with Peace Corps.
Activities
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Plan and facilitate targeted health education on topics, such as hygiene, nutrition, and reproductive health.
Organize and facilitate life skills clubs or camps that reinforce positive health messaging.
Develop and conduct training sessions on health promotion techniques for adult health workers and educators.
Plan and host events that engage the larger community in learning.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as after-school sports and English clubs.
Required Skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work (from any combination of roles).
Language: There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.
Key dates
APPLY BY : October 15, 2026
KNOW BY : December 1, 2026
DEPART ON : May 30, 2027
DURATION : 2 years, plus 3 months training