Depending on your level of knowledge, specialization, and skill, you may check blood pressure, distribute food and medicine, weigh babies, accompany emergency response vehicles, and help with other first-aid procedures.

Examples of places where volunteers are needed are hospitals, senior care centers, the Red Cross and EBAIS (small clinics in individual communities). Assistance with public health community campaigns and other basic education can also be part of the job.

The projects provide a wonderful opportunity to doctors, nurses, medical and pre-medical students to become familiar with the challenges and health issues of Costa Rica, and they would benefit the most from this type of volunteer work.

To already get an idea of how a specific volunteer placement is like, read the following testimonial of Christel Bauló Estevez from Spain, who completed four weeks assisting at a senior care center:

“From the first moment the language institute and my host family gave me a very warm welcome, I have had one great experience after the other. I really couldn’t have made a better decision to change my hometown Barcelona to live and work a while in Costa Rica!

On the first day, the Spanish school provided us with all the necessary information regarding our stay in Costa Rica. The volunteer coordinator accompanied me to the health center where I was presented to the director and my new colleagues.

The schedule was set up such a way that in the mornings you would be learning Spanish or go volunteering. Since my native tongue is Spanish, I decided to do four weeks of volunteer work and enjoy the school’s activities in the afternoon. They offered us amongst other Latin dance and Caribbean cooking classes, which was a so much fun!

The school is very well looked-after and situated in beautiful natural surroundings. Here we ate our breakfast, had access to wi-fi and computers to communicate with our ‘European families’ and they helped us organize our weekend trips. I was also very happy to improve my English, while helping the other students improve their Spanish; and as it turned out my grammar and vocab were not that bad after all!

The project resulted to be an incredibly enriching experience for my professional career.  My tasks at the retirement home were (as I’m an official nurse), to prepare and distribute medications, check on vital signals, sanitary education and provide treatments to the elderly…all with very limited resources. This is when I realized how fortunate we are in Europe. I started to really appreciate the jobs and installations we have in Europe, i.e. the quality of medical assistance, and also value the efforts of the nurses at the home to give the ageing residents a dignified assistance full of affection.

Over the weekend, my roommate Elke from Belgium and I visited the Volcano Poás and the paradisiac beaches of Puerto Viejo de Limón, Montezuma, Santa Teresa and Jaco. Here we enjoyed spectacular sunsets, looked at the surfers waiting for their waves and got to know people from all over the world while dancing salsa at a fiesta on the beach!

After these experiences I understand why the Tico greeting is “Pura Vida!!”

For more information about our health volunteer projects click here.

In many cases, the main focus is on providing environmental education to locals in order to create awareness about correct preservation practices. This way, the relationship between the (industrial) society and the environment is strengthened, promoting a lifestyle that is in balance with nature.

We are continuously updating our offer of volunteering options. Currently, you can choose out of 21 ecological projects all over Latin and Central America. The following overview will give you a clear picture of what is involved being an ecological conservation volunteer:

Locations:

• National parks and bio-reserves (e.g. tropical rainforest)
• Eco-communities (e.g. reforestation areas and greenhouses)
• Wildlife parks and natural breeding grounds (e.g. turtle hatcheries)
• Zoos and conservation centers (e.g. butterfly gardens and research institutes)
• Farms or schools where conservation practices are taught and demonstrated.
• Animal rescue shelters and nurseries.

Activities:

• Research, surveys and cataloguing native species and habitats.
• Collaboration in the administration and promotional efforts through e.g. guided tours, educational campaigns and the development of ecotourism activities.
• Assist with organic agriculture and production of organic fertilizers, repellents and insecticides, medicinal plants and seeds.
• Rehabilitation of wild fauna (often endangered) at e.g. jaguar and turtle breeding grounds. 
• Lend a hand with veterinary domestic animal care, visitor relations and shelter upkeep.
• Habitat restoration (reforestation, tree planting, fertilization of plantations and control of exotic flora as well as weeds)
• Assist park rangers with infrastructure clean-ups and maintenance of tracks, fences, signs, bridges, etc.
• Building ecological homes, water harvesting cisterns, solar systems, wood saving stoves, etc.

Requirements:

• Generally an intermediate to advanced level of Spanish (e.g. for writing reports, etc.)
• High flexibility and willingness to sometimes live in basic facilities.
• Payment of volunteer fee which includes a donation to the project.
• Enthusiasm and strong commitment to the project.
• Interest in the preservation of flora and fauna (being a true nature lover!).
• Not afraid to get your hands dirty!

What are you getting in return!

• Satisfaction of contributing to reducing the harm on nature (e.g. from pollution, deforestation, commercial hunting); assuring the preservation of Mother Earth for many of our future generations to come.
• Making for a better world by encouraging the proper use of natural resources, as well as how to become self-sufficient in water, food, shelter and energy. 
• Working as a conservation volunteer you will have the opportunity to make a tremendous difference for rural citizens providing means for economic and human development, but also for wildlife and conservation foundations who otherwise would be left struggling.  
• A chance to get up and close with the rich biodiversity in some of the most beautiful and diverse environments in the world.
• The enormous fulfillment of returning abused animals and freeing newborns into the wild, as well as preventing rare and native animals being caught by poachers and traffickers.
• As an environmental conservation volunteer in Central and Latin America you can expect your days to be physically demanding, with long hours but in return you can be sure to have an immensely rewarding experience!

If you have questions or would like to receive more information about our educational volunteer projects, just send us a message and we will contact shortly!

• Always try to organize activities for the whole group! Everyone must be able to join in. Eventually you can ask children to sign up beforehand and organize a workshop for a certain group. Try to avoid having your little group of favorite children and neglecting the rest of the group.



• Be able to keep a distance. It’s about organizing something, more than being liked by everyone. Usually it is very difficult for the children when you leave after four or more weeks.
• Most children are a bit behind with learning. E.g. after four weeks of English lessons they sometimes don’t remember more than four words. That’s why continuity is very important. Try to keep a record of what you’ve taught the children for the other volunteers. 
• Keep the activities very simple! Activities are much more difficult for some of these children than for children from westernized countries. E.g. here, many times a 10 year old child can do what a child from Europe learns when it is 7 years old.



• For children it is usually very hard to stay concentrated for a long time. So don’t organize an activity that takes too long, keep it simple and try to do different things. Tip: before starting an activity that requires a lot of attention or concentration from the children, you can organize a game that costs a lot of energy. After that it will be easier for the children to concentrate. Try to alternate between physical and concentration activities.

If you have questions or would like to receive more information about our educational volunteer projects, just send us a message and we will contact shortly!

Ed also runs a tour company and knows all the best things to do in Medellin. He can also help you with trips to the many other incredible destinations Colombia has to offer. Before settling in Medellin, I spent two weeks traveling Colombia’s Caribbean coastline filling my time lying about on white sandy beaches, taking mud baths and searching for lost cities. I could relax and have a great time, safe in the knowledge that VLA had already found me some long term, cheap accommodation in ‘el centro’ of Medellin with three meals a day provided! If you wish, VLA will also help you arrange Spanish lessons at the local University; something I would strongly recommend doing if your Spanish is only basic.

The program works closely with other foundations to give children a more structured, healthier, happier lifestyle, which focuses around school and learning.  The mission, more specifically, is to teach children invaluable life skills and structure through sport and activities, which is one I strongly believe in. With the aid of Spanish-speaking coach, Wilmar, I took the project’s football team, made up of 12-16 year olds, for two training sessions a week and a game at the weekend. For these children, football was the highlight of their week and it was such a great pleasure to coach them. Five weeks really wasn’t enough. 

When I wasn’t coaching, I spent my afternoons at one of the other foundations helping out with other projects that Ed runs. On a nice day the other volunteers and I would take the children to the park and the library. On rainy days, we’d help with indoor activities, such as dance and art classes, help with homework or play the kind of games that children like to play; my favourite being “let’s gel Michael’s hair and make it look silly”. It’s hard not to get attached to these wonderful, smiling children who all have been through some sort of turmoil in their lives and who all have a lot of love and energy to give.

I also got pretty attached to the foundations themselves and the work they do day-in, day-out. As I already mentioned, 5 weeks just wasn’t enough for me and I am now helping them with, amongst other, funding from my home in Sydney. My GOAL is to make annual trips to Medellin to continue what I’ve started!

Please read the interview with the program director Ed. (here)
Additional info about the program can be found on our website
If you like to become involved with this amazing project as well, do not hesitate to contact us.

Home Country: Belgium

This volunteer project is all about coffee! You will meet the families of small scale coffee farmers and will actively get to know the coffee farming process. Actively because you will hike over spectacular Inca trails towards the coffee farms passing coffee fields where they have cultivated coffee for generations. The villages are all situated close to Machu Picchu so you could combine your volunteer work with a visit to the spectacular lost and sacred city of the Incas. Read the following testimonial of a former volunteer at this exciting ecological project!

This project was better than I could even imagine! I met some amazing families and learned a huge amount about coffee, fruits and most of all the style of life of a Peruvian family! The moment I arrived in my first family (that lives in Huayopata – about 1 hour away from Quillabamba), I was greeted with a huge hug and offered jugo de platano y papaya (banana and papaya juice) fresh from their garden! That basically describes the whole stay! You will help the family with the work on the farm, anything from watering the plants to cutting a banana tree down! The food you will eat here is all fresh, whether it comes from their farm or the local market. The coffee is amazing! Everything is organic. The family was very warm, in fact I became part of their family and I hope I will be able to go back. They will make you love the Peruvian culture.

After two weeks I moved on to another family (that lives in Lucmabamba – 45 minutes away from Santa Teresa), again a very warm welcome accompanied by gourmet coffee, i.e. THE best coffee that exists! This village is slightly higher so a bit colder and a bit more difficult to work on the farm but also different products; coffee of course, avocado, yuca and so on! You will help the family with their work there. Be prepared to walk quite a lot! Other than the work, you can explore the area, it is very interesting. You should visit the thermal baths of Santa Teresa, do zip line or hike to an undiscovered Incan site with a view across the valley to Machu Picchu! Whatever you do this project is amazing! You get a taste of the Peruvian life and of the best coffee you will ever have! I strongly recommend this project!

Contact Volunteer Work Latin America at info4@volunteerworklatinamerica.org to get more information on this and other volunteer projects or to sign up to volunteer!

Now, I have been working for four weeks at an Hogar for girls between 10 and 20. It was very challenging work and I enjoyed it a lot. I would have liked to stay longer. Just when you feel that the girls are starting to trust you it is time to say goodbye. There are about 20 girls living at the hogar for various reasons. Some do not know their parents because they left them behind when they were little and some have parents that cannot or do not want to take care of them. Also, some were abused and some lived on the street before coming to the hogar. There are also some of them who are mentally disabled. A few girls had just arrived and others had been there for several years.

The first day was a bit difficult to be honest. Everything is new!Most of the girls were very quiet and suspicious. To see how the girls live and what problems they have had to face in their pasts is really moving. A tip: In Argentina you give everyone a kiss every time you come and every time you leave. I really like this custom because it helps to develop closeness from the beginning.

I had planned a few things to do with the girls – however it is very hard to motivate them. But I think that sometimes it is only important that somebody actually cares about them. I really liked them a lot! Of course there are cohabitants, psychologists and social workers working there but to give each girl sufficient attention is almost impossible and I think this is where volunteers can actually make a difference. Together with other volunteers we painted the walls in the courtyard with the girls and we made a little path in the garden.

We also did some shopping and I also played a lot of cards with them – UNO – some of them started to like it so much that they always wanted to play it. It was great to see that some girls that at first could not play the game without help really learned it well. I also painted with them, played memory, studied English, watched television, watched them dance, made a picnic, made friendship bracelets, ate ice cream, talked about boys and just spent time with them. All in all I really enjoyed the work with the girls and I hope you will too!

1. Passport and photocopies of your passport. The passport is an absolute essential travel item, but you never want to carry around your passport while in the country where you are volunteering. Keep it in a safe place and keep a photocopy of your passport on you at all times instead.

2. Bring photos of your culture. Photos of your family, house, town, animals, or other important things are nice to share with those you are volunteering with.

3. A book. Besides being enjoyable, books will help pass the time if your flight is delayed, the bus breaks down, or you cannot sleep.

4. A positive attitude. The whole reason you are volunteering is to have a positive impact so make sure you bring an optimistic outlook. Arrive eager to learn and bring a smile as well as an open mind.

5. Language dictionary. People always appreciate an effort to communicate in the local language so bring one along and use it.

6. Donations. Ask the organization’s leader what types of things would be most useful – books, clothes, money, etc.

7. Swiss Army knife. From opening a wine bottle to getting a splinter out of your finger, this is one of the most useful tools you can bring with you.

8. Camera . Photos are an excellent way to keep memories. If taking a photo of people, be sure to ask prior to snapping it.

9. Notebook . From writing down experiences and impressions to emails and travel tips, a notebook will come in handy throughout your volunteer experience.

10. Headlamp . Some of the places you may be volunteering may not have consistent electricity. Or, you may share a room with other people that want to go to sleep before you. In times like these, the headlamp is very helpful.

We spoke with Heather Graham, Casa Guatemala Project leader, about the project, its achievements, challenges, and goals.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Can you briefly describe your project and its mission?

HEATHER: Casa Guatemala provides a safe, nurturing home, health care and education to Guatemala’s abused, abandoned, and malnourished children. It also provides an environment that allows its young adults to gain practical job skills through its various business operations.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Tell me a little bit about yourself? How did you get involved with Casa Guatemala?

HEATHER: I first came to the project as a volunteer 10 years ago. I planned to volunteer for 3 months, but I ended up staying 3 years! Since those first 3 years, I have worked on and off with Casa Guatemala and about a year ago, I decided to work full-time as Casa Guatemala’s Project Leader.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Can you tell me a bit more about Casa Guatemala’s projects?

HEATHER: Casa Guatemala has 3 main centers: Head offices in Rio Dulce; Orphanage, medical center, and school located 15 minutes away by boat; and our businesses – a day care center, Backpackers Hostel, a store, and a farm;

Children & School.
The orphanage is comprised mainly of older kids and groups of families, which typically have a lesser rate of adoption than younger, single children. We support these kids through high school, and we also serve a large number of indigenous children who live in extreme poverty. Casa Guatemala provides these students with room and board throughout the school year. In terms of education, we are lucky enough to offer pre-kindergarten through sixth grade on site.

Businesses.
Besides providing Casa Guatemala with a small source of revenue, the various businesses provide the children an opportunity to gain practical job skills. Above all else, though, it builds confidence and a sense of responsibility!

• The farm uses sustainable agriculture techniques and is a food source for the students. Children working at the farm learn valuable agriculture skills that they then use to become successful farmers once they leave the orphanage.
• The hotel and restaurant provide a plethora of job skills. Jobs range from housekeeping to reception, and students not only learn responsibility, but also valuable computer and customer service skills.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Wow. You have a lot going on.

HEATHER: Yes, we do. We are very grateful for our volunteers. Without them, none of this would be possible.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: Speaking of volunteers, what role do they play and what can a volunteer expect if they volunteer with Casa Guatemala?

HEATHER: Volunteers are extremely important to the success of the projects and the growth of the students and children. We have two volunteer programs – a short (a.k.a. ‘vacation’ program) and a long program. For those interested in the short program, volunteers stay in the “Hotel Backpackers” and typically work in the school. Although activities vary depending on the skills and interests of each volunteer, volunteers may find themselves assisting with English class, arts and crafts, gym class, or help out in the library.

For volunteers interested in committing at least 3 months, we place them in more specific roles. These volunteers must be 24 years of age or older and must also have a basic knowledge of Spanish. Long-term volunteer projects vary greatly depending on volunteer’s skills and the needs of Casa Guatemala. For instance, a volunteer may be a “parent” in the children’s home where they oversee the day-to-day care. Or, for those with experience and interest in education, they may work as teachers in a variety of areas, including English, Math, etc. (Please note that those interested in a teaching position must be fluent in Spanish and commit at least one year.) Volunteers with a medical background may work in the clinic. Those with an agriculture background work on the farm. There are also special placements associated with music, arts and crafts, etc.  But again, it depends on the skills of the volunteer and the needs of Casa Guatemala.

VOLUNTEER WORK LATIN AMERICA: What advice do you have for future volunteers?

HEATHER: If you do not have Spanish skills, take a couple weeks of Spanish classes before traveling to Guatemala. It will allow you to build better relationships with the children and staff, and thus, it will heighten your volunteer experience.

* For more information about Casa Guatemala and other volunteer opportunities in Latin America, visit Volunteer Work Latinamerica

• Practice your language skills

Why not make the most of the opportunity to pick up a new and invaluable life skill – a second language? Even if you only know a few key phrases, do not hold back! The local people will appreciate your efforts and may even teach you some more.

• Be willing to learn

Willingness to learn is an essential trait of any good volunteer. The work you will be doing will be varied and will most likely be something you have never done before. Be ready for a few lessons, and enjoy the journey!




• Know why you want to volunteer and be able to communicate it

Having a sense of purpose is important. Most projects take great interest in the motivation behind the work of their volunteers. Make sure to give it some thought!

• Be flexible and open minded

No matter how much research you do, nothing will ever be just as you expect it. Do not let this put you off. Instead, welcome the differences and enjoy the surprises that you will no doubt face!



• Keep a positive attitude

At times your project may prove challenging or you may experience things that make you feel sad, but the whole reason you are volunteering is to make a positive impact on the lives of others, so chin up! Feel proud about what you are doing.

• Bring energy and enthusiasm to your volunteering

These are the most important traits of all. If you are enthusiastic about what you are doing, you will inspire enthusiasm in others. What better outcome than a group of energetic volunteers enthused by their mutual desire to make a difference? Yeah, we could not think of a better outcome either.