Affordable Volunteering in Costa Rica

  Costa Rica

• North Western Region: 
Samara
• Eastern Lowlands: 
Tortuguero

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: Throughout the year

Description: Why Volunteers Are Needed In Costa Rica

uVolunteer is commited towards making a difference in local communities at a grass roots level. Whether you're working with children with disabilities, entertaining and educating the children at the child care center, or lending a hand at the local hospital clinic, your focus will be to provide guidance and skills that can be used to help enrich the lives of those that live within the community. This is an opportunity to work with children and other groups in need, on a face-to-face basis. These types of projects have the potential to create bonds, impressions and friendships that can last a lifetime.

Many of these local grassroots organizations actively seek international volunteers for specific and general community volunteer work. Their needs are continuously changing and the type of input required varies from time to time. Volunteering with these groups and institutions contribute to the care and education of these vulnerable towns and groups. Furthermore, many of these institutions are severely under funded and resourced, so volunteers play a crucial role in these projects. More importantly, volunteers have the opportunity to act as role models for these children and help out within other groups.

We offer placements in the following type of projects in Costa Rica:

* English Teaching
* Child Care Center
* Hospital Clinic
* School for Handicapped Children
* Turtle Projects

Where We Are Located

uVolunteer is involved in many community, teaching and environmental projects throughout Costa Rica. We work mainly in the Guanacaste province and more specifically in Playa Samara and neighboring areas.

Playa Samara is considered to be one of Costa Rica's most beautiful beaches. The town is located on the edge of 7km stretch of pristine white sand beach. There are many rural villages surrounding the horse shoe shaped cove with many small islands that rise out of the turquoise ocean.

The town's life revolves around the soccer field that lies in the middle of Samara, which is how traditional Costa Rican towns are typically laid out. The Guanacaste province is home to farming communities and villages that have managed to escape over-development and retain traditional Costa Rican culture and traditions. As a result, Guanacaste is one of best the places to be if you want to experience traditional Costa Rica's culture first-hand.

Highlights: uVolunteer was found upon the principle that volunteering should be affordable and accessible to everyone. We manage to offer a comprehensive package of services starting at $750 for a 4 week placement that includes:

Food & Accommodation
Airport Pickup
24/7 Support and Coordination
Orientation/Introduction
Spanish Language Classes

Qualifications: Qualifications neccessay for our volunteer placements vary depending on the program you choose. In general you do not have to and specialised qualifications to teach English but for example if you wanted to work in health you would probably need some experience in this field.

Cost in US$: $750 - 4 weeks

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: A typical uVolunteer volunteer is a university student travelling during or after their studies. Other volunteers are gap year travellers or world trip travellers who decide to stop and volunteer for a period of time. The average age is between 24 and 28.

Age Range: 18 - 50

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Resume
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Job and Internship Network

uVolunteer Service Agency's Mission Statement: uVolunteer's mission is to provide meaningful and affordable volunteering placements to our volunteers without sacrificing neither service nor quality; and the capacity to deliver this volunteer resource and funding directly to grass root projects, local non-governmental and public organisations in rural and urban communities in need worldwide.

Year Founded: 2005