Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

location
1 - 10 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Very Good 4.3  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Volunteer and be part of organized beach cleanups in order to protect our oceans
  • Achieve successful results through collaborating with your local team
  • Be in contact with a beautiful resort, surrounded by nature, and three awesome beaches when doing cleaning activities

Highlights

  • Volunteer and be part of organized beach cleanups in order to protect our oceans
  • Achieve successful results through collaborating with your local team
  • Be in contact with a beautiful resort, surrounded by nature, and three awesome beaches when doing cleaning activities
  • Be assured that you are safe and enjoy all the activities the program has to offer
  • Participate in free time activities like snorkeling, etc.


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups

    About the program

    Organized beach cleanups and education are key to bringing SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY standards closer to what the planet desperately needs. Be part of our journey! ♻️

    This program is about beach, ocean, and coastal cleaning expeditions. Retrieving plastic from our environment is our main purpose. Volunteer role at our camp is creating good team work while at our activities. Volunteer roles also include camp related chores, like cleaning equipment, classifying ...

    About the program

    This program is about beach, ocean, and coastal cleaning expeditions. Retrieving plastic from our environment is our main purpose. Volunteer role at our camp is creating good team work while at our activities. Volunteer roles also include camp related chores, like cleaning equipment, classifying plastic for recycling and reusing. Also keeping personal space clean and maintaining general camp order. 

    Because our program  is very exclusive, volunteers will be working directly with the founder Geronimo  and his local team.  This project has all the support from the hotels and the community, which also oversees the project and the productivity of our alliance. 

    The volunteers can expect to be in contact with a beautiful resort, surrounded by nature, and three awesome beaches, while we do the beach cleaning activities. We expect that the volunteers have a positive attitude, and good team building and social skills. Team collaboration and respect among the team is always expected from the volunteers.

    The volunteers can expect to mix an awesome , beach resort vacation with all its activities,  with giving back to the environment and helping clean the beaches. There are a lot of activities for the volunteers to do in their spare time.

    Our Camp Director is always available for any of the volunteers needs. 

    Location:

    This volunteer camp is located  in Punta Leona Close to Jaco Beach, surrounded by natural beauty and in the heart of the central pacific coast of Costa Rica, at 2 hours distance from the international airport. 

    This location allows us to be close to many beaches that desperately need our help. Contamination from some of our main rivers coming from the capital city, San Jose, are the mayor source of plastic accumulation in the coastlines.

    Our camp has sleeping quarters for 8 volunteers at a time and serve all meals. In case we are on an expedition, we will serve lunch out on the water or on the beach.  Because of our exclusive “expeditions” approach, there are many types of volunteer jobs within the organization that cater to everyone’s interests and skill sets.

    Jaco Beach is known for its sustainable practices and Blue Flag Certification Program awards for its three beautiful beaches. The project is inside a private and secure property that consists of several thousand acres of pristine lush rainforest. Volunteers can feel safe in all the premises and enjoy some of the activities the place has to offer. Several swimming pools, restaurants and supermarket are within walking distance from our camp as well as many amazing mountain trails to walk and explore.

    At this volunteer camp you can help us make a difference in our efforts to maintain our environment and have a great time doing it!!!


    Typical day

    Schedule:
    Volunteer work schedules are generally in the morning hours, 8am till noon 12:00am. Since walking the beach is sometimes tiring to do all day long. We divide our work day in morning or afternoon shifts. / 8am-12:00am or 1:00 pm
    Weather is better in the morning for the beach and coast clean ...

    Typical day

    Schedule:
    Volunteer work schedules are generally in the morning hours, 8am till noon 12:00am. Since walking the beach is sometimes tiring to do all day long. We divide our work day in morning or afternoon shifts. / 8am-12:00am or 1:00 pm
    Weather is better in the morning for the beach and coast clean ups. Walking the beach and coastlines and then separating the plastic retrievals for proper recycling, or reusing purposes. After each clean up, we generally clean and wash all the equipment (reusable bags) and uniforms.

    Volunteer Camp Chores:
    If a specific day we do not do a beach clean up, we use our time productively doing chores in our camp volunteer camp. Cleaning uniforms, washing our equipment, painting for maintenance purposes, or simply helping out preparing meals.
    With volunteers we also help out in several ecological projects implemented by the program. We have a Butterfly farm, an Hydroponic garden, or helping out maintaining the trails for birdwatching like sign elaboration and painting.


    Free-time activities

    Beyond the adventure: While other programs offer stunning sunsets and rainforest hikes, ours goes beyond the typical itinerary. Jenny, your dedicated program leader, weaves in personalized touches and meticulous attention to detail, crafting an experience tailored just for you so you can feel part ...

    Free-time activities

    Beyond the adventure: While other programs offer stunning sunsets and rainforest hikes, ours goes beyond the typical itinerary. Jenny, your dedicated program leader, weaves in personalized touches and meticulous attention to detail, crafting an experience tailored just for you so you can feel part of a true costa rican family. Additional to the volunteer, you can ask Jenny to set you up differentiated adventures from bespoke tours to surprise picnics under hidden waterfalls to hand-picked accommodations reflecting your preferences, everything is curated to exceed your expectations. Prepare to be pampered, surprised, and utterly captivated by Costa Rica's magic, all under Jenny's attentive care.

    On their free time, volunteers have plenty of activities. Since we are secure inside the project, we don’t only count with our own activities, but can also participate in the project activities without an additional cost.  The Jaco Beach counts with three beautiful beaches, and three swimming pools, supermarket, and 3 restaurants.

    All these activities include: Some has to be pay

    • Snorkeling
    • Surfing lessons
    • Kayak tours
    • Paddleboard tours
    •  Hiking and Trail running
    • Waterfall visits
    • Beach soccer
    • Dancing lessons
    • Waterpolo
    • Beach Volleyball
    • Fusball
    • Tennis court
    • Bingo nights
    • Table games
    • Bird watching


    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 (basic level)

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Other Skills

    maximum age to participate: 35 years older Please let us to know if you have some special needs or take some special medication.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 12:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Volunteer Now Costa Rica

    The fees include:

    • three times of meals and 
    • accommodations in bungalows
    • We provide all the equipment needed for this project.
    • Airport pick up 

    LOCAL TRANSPORTATIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED

    Accommodation

    Accommodation is shared with other volunteers in our dorm: 1 Bedroom with 2 Bunk Beds and the second Bedroom with 3 Bunk Beds.

    PS: If a couple wants a private room, they can reserve a separate room for an additional $100 per day depending on the season.

    Food & Beverages

    Three meals a day: Breakfast, lunch and dinner, fruits - typical food from Costa Rica but we also have special food for vegetarian's volunteers.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Juan Santamaria International Airport

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

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in San Jose. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. 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 Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

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

    Details on arrival

    Arriving to the Camp

    Volunteers can arrive to the Camp from Monday to Saturday except sundays, during afternoon hours of 1pm-6pm (if your flight is later than 6pm, don’t worry we can also arrange the airport pick up for extra cost fom the airport to the camp, or book a hostel and go next day).  If you decide to come by bus from San Jose, you can ask the driver to stop at Punta Leona bus stop or we can pick you up! 

    You could come for 1 week to 8 weeks (if you are planning to come more than 8 weeks you should ask before for availability). Minimum stay: 07 days

    Maximum age to participate: 35 years older 

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    1 week (min. stay) 384€
    2 weeks 768€
    3 weeks 1,152€
    4 weeks 1,536€
    10 weeks (max. stay) 3,840€
    Average fees 384€/week

    Program fees

    384€ per week 1 - 10 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    1 - 10 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 Volunteer Now Costa Rica during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Volunteer Now Costa Rica

    Very Good 4.3 rating (94 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2004

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Jenny

    Spoken languages: Spanish, English

    About the project

    We are a major organization with more than 10 years of volunteer experience creating lifetime experiences amongst our participants.

    Meet your organization

    VOLUNTEER NOW COSTA RICA is located in Escazu and Guanacaste, San Jose, Costa Rica. This is a family company that has been around since 2004 and enlisted the aid of hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, which come to our country to work on the ecological and social projects our company offers.

    The further you have to travel to get here and the more eager you are to participate and learn about our great history and culture, the more we at Hospedaje Casa Escazu will appreciate and love you for your commitment to being the change in our great country. When you dedicate your time and effort to us, we promise to dedicate all of our resources to making sure your efforts make the greatest difference possible.

    VOLUNTEER NOW COSTA RICA is located in Escazu City at 20 minutes from the airport Juan Santamaria.

    We work with volunteers from different countries helping in the public Schools and Day Care Centers that don't have enough money to supply for the needs of the children that aren't supported by the Goverment.

    Our Values at VOLUNTEER NOW COSTA RICA are:

    • Respect
    • Responsibility
    • Honesty
    • Integrity
    • Quality in our services
    • Reliability
    • Safety
    • Commitment
    • Trust
    We say this because our goal with every day that passes and why we even became a business entity is to provide an enjoyable and eye opening experience for each volunteer the spends time with Hospedaje Casa Escazu in Costa Rica. At the same time we want to dramatically increase the quality of life for the local citizens and protect the natural beauty that in its self makes Costa Rica, the unique and enchanting place that it is.

    94 reviews · rating4.3

    Will Slocum rating4.6

    2023 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    I had a great time volunteering with MareBlu in Costa Rica! It was quite sad to see so much plastic polluting the environment and felt great to make a difference with such a major problem. I really felt as though I was doing something useful while there. The work itself is quite doable and really no ...
    Chloe Palin rating4.6

    2022 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    This was the most exciting thing I have done in a long time! It's a lot of hard work outdoors but well worth it! I met so many good people and made some of the best memories in years. This program is really good for people who may be at a low point in life like I was before I joined because being ...
    Federico Sampietro rating4.8

    2021 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    What a great time! Gero and Paula were super cool, I met a lot of nice people I can now call friends. Every day was an adventure and I couldn't imagine how much we need to protect our envoironment. Don't be afraid, join Mare Blu, you will have an amazing experience and you'll never forget Costa ...
    Jenny Wirrer rating4.6

    2021 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    It was such an amazing time there. I met so many nice people. We did not just ocean clean ups, we also rescued some turtles an set them free and gave some food packages to poorer people. Furthermore in the free time we had the opportunity to do some pretty nice stuff to - like snorkeling, renting a ...
    Lara Häring rating4.2

    2021 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    Very interesting experience! I can totally recommend this project for volunteers (the work gets a little mundane with time), but even more for vet students (every day is different and interesting!). Get prepared to get your hands dirty! The animals make everything worthwhile ...
    Catia Pires rating4.4

    2020 at Make our Oceans Plastic-Free

    This program it’s suitable for any person at any age that is looking to make its contribution for the environment. During the week you won’t get bored every day it’s a new challenge going from picking trash in the beaches around, learning the recycling process at the local recycling company ...

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