Ecotourism Supporter in Galapagos National Park

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Dive into the ‘ecological lore’ of the Galapagos Islands.
  • Explore a biodiverse environment with endemic species, volcanic islands, and sweeping beaches.
  • Develop vital work and professional skills while taking on real responsibilities.

Highlights

  • Dive into the ‘ecological lore’ of the Galapagos Islands.
  • Explore a biodiverse environment with endemic species, volcanic islands, and sweeping beaches.
  • Develop vital work and professional skills while taking on real responsibilities.
  • Work with the park’s local staff and meet visitors from different nationalities.
  • Contribute to efforts in protecting an exceptional and incredibly special place.


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Your participation as a volunteer will help the National Park in tourism management and support Galapagos wildlife preservation and sustainable long term tourism.

    Role Overview

    The Galapagos Islands are world-famous for their conservation efforts.  With rising tourism, the Galapagos National Park has an increased role to play in mitigating human impact on local flora and fauna while also fostering tourism and educating visitors to the island.  Learn about ...

    About the program

    Role Overview

    The Galapagos Islands are world-famous for their conservation efforts.  With rising tourism, the Galapagos National Park has an increased role to play in mitigating human impact on local flora and fauna while also fostering tourism and educating visitors to the island.  Learn about the balance between ecotourism and conservation, and conduct work that will help the park understand how to better serve tourists while also improving conservation efforts.  Most people who visit the Galapagos only do so by boat; come live on the islands to get a better understanding of the local community and their role in conservation and learn about the pressures of local and visiting populations on the ecosystem.  

    As a Ecotourism Volunteer, and according to your specific skills and experience, you will help the Galapagos National Park in tasks related to:

    • The management and monitoring of visitors and visitor sites nearby Puerto Villamil

    • Translation and design of English language visitor information

    • Graphic design for promotional and educational material

    • Running satisfaction questionnaires to visitors from different nationalities

    • Registering tourism related information, as well as generating statistical databases from your surveys

    • Design of maps, signs, canvas, etc. for those volunteers with Acrobat Illustrator design experience

      • IOI nor the park has a computer available for this use so in this case the ideal scenario would be that the volunteer bring their personal laptop with licensed AI (IOI would not be able to take responsibility for any damage to technology that is brought out with the volunteer).

    This volunteer position is flexible and can be tailored to your skills and interests as well as the park needs. The information collected will help the National Park to make decisions in tourism management that can be crucial for Galapagos wildlife preservation and sustainable long term tourism.

    Requirements:

    • Conversational to intermediate level of Spanish in order to communicate with fellow workers and visitors.

    • Ability to communicate and act with care and patience.

    • Ability to work independently as well as in a team.

    • Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution.

    • Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure.

    • Ability to independently collect and register data.

    • Recommended to bring a laptop for data collection.

    • Closed-toed shoes recommended, and appropriate clothing to interface with international visitors.

    Accommodation 

    Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. In both types of housing, volunteers have their own room, a fan, bed, desk, dresser, and bathroom, as well as warm water and drinking water.  In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town, which are usually open-air seating with local cuisine. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

    Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. All host family houses are nearby the IOI offices and the local schools in the beach town of Puerto Villamil. Homes are fairly simple, clean, and welcoming. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.  

    We at IOI pair you with your host family, and we are available at any time to help if any issues arrive with  the restaurants, your host family, the volunteer site, if you get sick and need to visit the doctor, etc.

    Participation Fee

    The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the project you participated in.

    To book you need to pay a Reservation Deposit.
    That deposit WILL BE DEDUCTED from your program fee.

    What’s Included          

    Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc.—everything minus personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to Galápagos.


    Typical day

    Schedule

    Schedules are based on a 25 hr/week commitment, and can voluntarily be extended to a regular 40hr/work week. Typically Monday-Friday 7:30AM-12:30PM. May be subject to change depending on the tasks at hand.

    After breakfast with your homestay family or in our volunteer housing, you will start ...

    Typical day

    Schedule

    Schedules are based on a 25 hr/week commitment, and can voluntarily be extended to a regular 40hr/work week. Typically Monday-Friday 7:30AM-12:30PM. May be subject to change depending on the tasks at hand.

    After breakfast with your homestay family or in our volunteer housing, you will start the morning at 7:30, either starting with surveys in the field or working from the park office on data entry.  Work may involve visiting volunteer sites, talking with tourists, collecting surveys, improving survey questions, and compiling data to help make program change decisions.

    After work, have lunch in one of the restaurants we partner with - you choose where you want to go, sign in, and at the end of the month, we pick up the tab.  Enjoy local cuisine and have some time to explore, adventure, or relax on the beach.  Spend the rest of the afternoon playing volleyball, learning to cook local recipes with your host family (if you choose to stay with one), and watching the sunset from the beach.  


    Free-time activities

    On Galapagos you can live a Pacific Island life. This means you can choose between a lot of free time activities including surfing, soccer, beach volleyball, etc.

    Free-time activities

    On Galapagos you can live a Pacific Island life. This means you can choose between a lot of free time activities including surfing, soccer, beach volleyball, etc.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (intermediate level) or Spanish (intermediate level)

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    - Intermediate to advanced level of Spanish in order to communicate with fellow workers and visitors. - Ability to communicate and act with care and patience. - Ability to work independently as well as in a team. - Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution. - Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure. - Ability to independently collect and register data

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 07:30 - 12:30

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by IOI - Empowering Galapagos

    Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc. — everything with the exception of personal expenses, travel insurance, the $20 USD Tourist Transit Card, and your airfare to the Galápagos.

    The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the projects on the ground.

    Accommodation

    Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. All our rooms have a private Bathroom, warm water, a fan, a bed, and a desk/dresser. Many of the host family housing include A/C. 

    Food & Beverages

    In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

    Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Baltra Airport

    An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Baltra Airport (GPS) in Galapagos Islands. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ecuador. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Ecuador provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Ecuador you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ecuador. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Arrivals are on Mondays and departures are on Saturdays or Sundays. Project staff will pick you up and drop you off on these days. Please ensure this works with your travel plans.
    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    2 weeks (min. stay) 1,796€
    4 weeks 2,893€
    5 weeks 3,441€
    6 weeks 3,990€
    7 weeks 4,539€
    12 weeks (max. stay) 7,282€
    Average fees 752€/week

    Program fees

    752€ per week 2 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    2 - 12 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with IOI - Empowering Galapagos during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    IOI - Empowering Galapagos

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (37 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2006

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Monique

    Spoken languages: English, Spanish

    About the project

    We empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. To that end, we run projects in Conservation, Education, and Social Development.

    Meet your organization

    Who we are
    IOI is a non-profit organization that designs educational adventures to empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. We strive to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities. As such, our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection. 


    What we do

    • We develop and implement our outreach projects with local institutions to ensure their sustainable implementation. Our projects address pressing conservation, education, and social development needs. Our partners include the Galapagos National Park, the Biodiversity Protection Agency, the local school system, and the provincial government.
    • We provide volunteer opportunities in conservation, education, and social development, providing our participants with life changing experiences, and our local partners with funding, expertise, and (wo)man power on site.
    • We immersive study abroad programs in which students spend up to 3 months studying the local environment and learn the local culture. All our programs are based on cultural integration and service learning.

    Where we work
    We work in the community of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island in
    the Galapagos, Ecuador. Our 5k beach is right across the street and the Volcano Sierra Negra is basically in our backyard. From Marine to Mountain, snorkeling to camping, nature is at our doorstep!

    Our history
    Since embarking on our journey in 2006, IOI has evolved into a mature and recognized organization with an innovative design of merging educational travel with conservation and community development. We began in Galapagos and, after 10 years of experience, have expanded to Cuba and Costa Rica.

    Vision and Mission
    We Empower Isolated Communities to Grow in a Sustainable Way. It is our Vision to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities.  Our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection.

    Who are we looking for
    We are looking for adventurous volunteers ready to travel to remote parts of the world to make an impact on conservation and education projects. Our volunteers should be flexible, understanding, and respectful of the local cultural context. Depending on the position, we ask that our volunteers are physically able to work outside, sometimes in extreme weather conditions (think the tropics!) and be able to work on a team and individually.

    Why choose us..

    • It's a unique opportunity to gain insight and firsthand experience in the the world of hands-on conservation and environmental management
    • All of our locations are unique and have exceptional beauty and biodiversity.
    • Our sites are slow lane kinds of places. If you need a break, this is your ideal escape.
    • You will learn Spanish and immerse yourself in the community--you'll finish your time volunteering feeling like a local!

    37 reviews · rating4.7

    I would absoloutely recommend this volunteer experience because travelling to the Galapagos provides an invaluable amount of knowledge on the ecosystem and importance of biodiversity, and the tortoises were cute and fun. This experience was the best way to dive into nature and surround myself with ...
    It is an experience that will change your perspective on culture differences and how to handle them. It makes you grow and become a stronger version of yourself. My volunteer experience was awesome and will always be remembered with a smile. It made me stronger and contributed to the person I really ...
    I volunteered for nine weeks splitting my time equally among the turtle nesting programme, the giant tortoise breeding centre and the sustainable agriculture project. All three offered a wonderful insight into life on the Galapagos. My full story is on my blog: ...
    I had an amazing 2wks with IOI. I worked closely with the park rangers and really left feeling like I had genuinely helped! Everyone I met at IOI and even my host family either taught me something new or inspired me. I primarily helped with graphic design projects but also spent time out in the ...
    Going to the Galapagos islands is incredible on its own, but going as an IOI volunteer was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The program was very interesting, I got to learn about the people but also the impact of tourism which was really interesting. I strongly recommend, cant wait ...
    Anouk Kaminske rating5

    2024 at Social Media Supporter

    The four weeks I spent with IOI on the Isabela island were the most enriching 4 weeks I have ever spent travelling. I gained on so many levels. Starting with the incredible place (nature, animals, community) which is really unique and magic. Living with a family gave so much more insight into how ...

    Location

    Americas > South America > Ecuador > Galapagos

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    Contact Monique
      Very high response rate
    English, Spanish

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