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BECOME A VOLUNTEER IN COSTA RICA! Mission "To help develop programs for the well-being of mankind and the environment and to improve the quality of life of the people who need it most" Vision "To be the biggest volunteer service organization in Costa Rica"  
If you want to help in a meaningful social project or conserve our nature as well as practice your Spanish knowledge, then you are a candidate for our voluntary projects! IECR offers voluntary work in social services and schools as assistant of English teachers or as physical education teachers, in the administration, in projects with children and the different national parks of Costa Rica. Voluntary works takes at least four weeks (except in national parks where the minimum is two weeks) and can be extended according to the wishes of the volunteer. In case of a participation of more than four weeks within the national parks, the participant has the opportunity of getting to get to know different national parks. In this case the participant gets involved into different environmental projects. IECR organizes all formalities for your voluntary work. We assist by providing you with information about the specific field and your work tasks. Furthermore we will always be available for you by telephone or email. Requirements The volunteer must be at least 18 years old and comit to participate at least 4 weeks (excepted in the case of the national parks where the minimum period is two weeks.). Furthermore the participant has to present two photos passport size and the passport itself to arrange the formalities. ACCOMODATION IECR offers you two different accommodation options: homestay and apartments. 1. HOMESTAY Living with a host family will help you practice your Spanish, live the Costa Rican culture and make friends. Each family has gone through a selection process and is selected to ensure that they fit our student’s needs. Many families have been with the program for years and know how to treat our students well.They all offer clean lodging in safe neighborhoods. They are located in the same suburb of San Jose where our school has its site so they can be reached by walking or taking one bus.Homestay programs include private room, keys to the house, two meals per day, airport pick-up and transfer to the host family as well as laundry services.
Fee: $19/ day 2. APARTMENTS We also understand that living with a family is not for everyone, and offer other lodging options besides a homestay. IECR can offer you accommodation in secure, spacious apartments. These will provide you with comfort during your language studies: All apartments include cable tv, internet, refrigerator, full kitchen and telephone. There are two apartment options available: 1. Budget Apartments We offer shared apartments which are located 2 blocks from our site, 3 bed rooms, 1 bathroom, tv, wifi connection, fully equipped kitchenette, washing machine and parking.Shared apartments (private room) : $28 / night ; $160 / week ; $500 / monthShared apartments (double room) : $20 /night per person ; $120 / week per person ; $400 / month per person You will share the bathroom and other common areas with the other apartment guests. 2. Standard Apartments These apartments are 15 minutes walking distance from our site and furnished with fully equipped kitchenette, cable tv, large private bathroom with shower, safety boxes, self-service laundry, wireless internet connection and parking. The breakfast is included and computers with internet connection.$70 to $135/night ; $435 to $810/week ; $1390 to $2680/month Payment/Financial Compensation Voluntary Work is not paid in Costa Rica. Therefore the participants must cover their room and board. Assignment Fee The assignment fee of $150 is due on your arrival as well as the additional days of lodging during the voluntary work. VOLUNTEER PROJECTS 1. Assistance in social services which provide food to poor children (food pantries) Project Description In Costa Rica there are different social institutions which offer meals to children of socially disadvantaged families. The children receive the main dinner for free and the families receive psychological assistance. Once a week the kids´ club offers different activities to the children like games, physical activities, songs, art´s classes and more. Volunteer Tasks Voluntaries are cordially welcomed and do not have to demonstrate a special education background. Any help is welcomed! Here are some of the daily tasks of the volunteers: preparing and serving the mealshelping little children who require assistance during the meals cleaning up (kitchen, the hall ..) assisting the kids´club. Availability This project is available throughout the year except from midst of November to midst of February (school vacation in Costa Rica) and two weeks in July (dates are changing annually). Note: This is a wonderful opportunity for very motivated and dedicated individuals to work for a very worthy cause. 2. Assistance of English teachers Project Description Assisting an English teacher in preschool education, of a primary or secondary school. Tutoring school children that require additional lessons in English. Volunteer Tasks The volunteers assist the English teacher with different grades. The educational institutions have a total of approximately 300 school children each, being 30 the average number of children per classroom. You as volunteer assist in the supervision of homework and examinations. Furthermore you will teach those children who need extra lessons in English. In preschool education the volunteers teach English including games, songs, physical activities, arts and crafts. Availability This project is available throughout the year except from midst of November to midst of February (school vacation in Costa Rica) and two weeks in July (dates are changing annually). 3. Voluntary Work in National Parks If you want to help conserve wildlife and environment of the country that boasts five percent of all the known species in the world, you should become a volunteer in Costa Rica´s national parks! The national parks are spread all over the country amongst which you can find projects close to beaches, volcanoes and tropical forests. Volunteer Tasks The volunteers´ tasks depend on the specific project of the national park and the season of the year. Here are some examples: monitoring of flora and fauna improvement of infrastructure (trails, viewpoints, signposting) cleaning of trails and beaches protection of sea turtles and other species customer care (leaflets, brochures) support of the environmental education project
Requirements The volunteer must be at least 18 years old and comit to participate at least 2 weeks. 4. Physical Education Teacher in Schools Project Description Instructing students in sports and recreational in order to encourage and develop physical fitness and skills. Volunteer Tasks Teaching the basic techniques and skills associated with team and individual sports. Planning and delivering the sports schedule for children between 6 and 14 years in coordination with the school director and the supervisors of the project. Requirements The volunteer should be university student with minor or major in physical education or careers related to this field and should have acquired experience in working with children. Observations The volunteer must provide the sports implements required for practising the kind of sports he/she wishes to teach. This is due to the fact that the school only has at its disposal the gym but does not have the financial resources in order to acquire the sports implements. There is no need to make expensive investments, some ideas of possible implements are a football or skipping ropes, hoopes, chess boards etc 5. Office Assistance in Social Institutions Project Description In this project volunteers will provide support in the administrative office of a social institution which provides food to children of under-privileged families and searches godfathers and godmothers for these kids. Volunteer Tasks Providing secretarial support; answering phones, emails and faxes; taking messages, responding to inquiries, maintaining files, collaboration in the management and control of cash flow, assistance in the edition of information and publicity material (brochures) 6. Schools for Children with Disabilities Project Description Voluntaries are cordially welcomed and do not have to demonstrate a special educational background. Minimum age: 18. The most important thing is that they love children and feel happy to help these special children during their learning process. We offer different areas of voluntary work: Ø Assisting the teacher’s assistant: Each classroom has a total of 10 students approximately, one teacher and one assistant. The volunteer helps the teacher’s assistant in special moments, e.g. to accompany or drive in wheel chair a student from one part of the school to another one, to help changing clothes, to assist during the meals, to take charge of the children in short-time absence of the teacher or her/his assistant, to help in excursions. Excursions are an essential part of the educational process and therefore take place frequently – help is welcomed with open arms! Ø Maintenance of the facilities and the gardens etc.: The school buildings require permanent maintenance and therefore need lots of helping hands. Furthermore the volunteers may submit suggestions which will be realized according to the school’s budget. Painting the school and classroom walls is one of the tasks which have to be performed regularly. There is also a special garden for the five senses:The objective of the garden is to stimulate the senses and therefore the school is planning to have areas for the different senses: There is already a butterfly garden for the visual sense. Another one is a herbal garden for the sense of taste and smelling. The other gardens are future projects and have to be designed and realized. Other voluntary areas are assigned according to the volunteer’s academic and/or professional knowledge as well as personal interests (informatics, telecommunications, human resources, library, administrative tasks, etc.)
Minimum period of voluntary work: 8 Weeks
We appreciate your interest in our voluntary programs andwould be happy to welcoming you soon as volunteer in one of our projects in Costa Rica !
Your IECR Team
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