à partir de 857€

Esceptionnel 4.9rating (1432)

Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

location
2 - 12 semaines  ·  Âge 18 - 50+

rating  Esceptionnel 4.9  · 
  Vérifié par Volunteer World
  Taux de réponse excellent

Projet de volontariat de la plus haute qualité. Ce projet offre la plus haute qualité aux normes supérieures la moyenne.

Clou

  • 90% of volunteers are 18-22 years old
  • Provide assistance to local teachers in the classrooms of Coronado
  • Gain teaching experience within a structured setup including 1-to-1 learning
  • Enjoy the local culture with afternoon visits to volcanoes & museum
  • One week foundation of Spanish language classes included

Particulièrement approprié pour

Âge 18+
Seul voyageur
Groupes

À propos du programme

The youngsters of Coronado eagerly waiting to learn and play with you at school. Help them practice English and subjects you are passionate about.

As a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica, you will provide additional support to local teachers across the schools in Coronado. Not only this, PMGY’s Costa Rica volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. Combine your Spanish learning and enthusiasm for teaching to ...

À propos du programme

As a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica, you will provide additional support to local teachers across the schools in Coronado. Not only this, PMGY’s Costa Rica volunteer programs provide a great foundation to improve your Spanish. Combine your Spanish learning and enthusiasm for teaching to make the most out of your teach English in Costa Rica experience!

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

The beautiful city of Coronado is located in the suburbs of San Jose. Communities are expanding in Coronado and classrooms are becoming increasingly overstretched. Teachers are overseeing classrooms of as many as 30 students, calling out for much-needed assistance.

For over a century, education has been free for all Costa Rica citizens. The literacy rate of Costa Rica is 95%. Moreover, most students will graduate from secondary school with some form of specialised training. This specialisation will help students stand out when it comes to finding a job in Costa Rica in their free time.

The belief behind free education is the empowering future that comes as a result. The government believes that providing a solid education will then provide the country with a more skilled workforce. People who can advance the times and opportunities for Costa Rica.

The mission of the Costa Rican school system is, “To create a well-educated populace that will one day improve their national (and even global) lot.” Costa Rica is a community-based society and not based on the individual success of students.

In 1869 Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to make education free for all citizens. Primary education is mandatory for children 6 to 13 years old followed by a voluntary secondary education lasting five years. The final two years of secondary education are specialised. This includes subjects such as computer science, media & technology, clinical assistance and childcare training.

The public and private school systems are similar in the respect that the curriculum is enforced and determined by the Ministry of Education. The major difference between the two is that extra classes are offered to prepare students for study abroad. The cost of private education is very high and only those from high-income families are able to receive such programs.

Social classes are a major factor in the social system of Costa Rica. Costa Ricans feel that their high education sets them apart from those of less fortune. Due to this, there has been a great focus on the expansion of primary and secondary education.

Families with a higher cost of living born into the lower classes will almost always remain in this class. However, in certain cases due to free education and family sacrifice to save money, students can have their prospects enhanced. This may be through being placed into private education or English classes that progress them into further levels of education. This is where free assistance within the public school system can really provide a fighting chance for those of lower classes.

PMGY Costa Rica is happy to provide assistance and lessons for the teachers of Coronado. Many teachers have studied with foreign educators but do so at a University level. Consequently, their English was developed at an older level. To ensure our volunteers are equipped to teach English in Costa Rica, the teaching program will include 1 week of Spanish language classes to start your project! This is to ensure you are able to apply yourself to the children and teachers!

Volunteer opportunities provided by PMGY offer a platform to make a positive impact when you teach English in Costa Rica. When working at our volunteer teaching English abroad projects in Costa Rica, it is important to maintain energy, enthusiasm and creativity. Many of these students will benefit from having someone who is fluent in the English language teaching them in Costa Rica. As a volunteer teaching English in Costa Rica, you will need to donate your time and skills effectively. This is to ensure you can maximise your impact on the local people. If you need motivation for volunteer gap year options, then our projects in Costa Rica provide some fantastic opportunities.

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Centro Infantil Estrellita Feliz - Located just outside the centre of Coronado, Centro Infantil Estrellita Feliz is a dedicated primary school and daycare centre supporting children from infancy to age 13. The centre operates as an educational and social support facility, with morning academic classes and afternoon activities fostering social and recreational engagement. Many of the 130 children enrolled at Estrellita Feliz come from families facing social or economic challenges and receive assistance from the government to attend. With a supportive and structured environment, the centre aims to provide its young participants with foundational learning, developmental activities, and social stability. In turn, this encourages a positive and secure atmosphere for growth.

As a volunteer in Costa Rica, you will play a crucial role in Estrellita Feliz’s daily operations. Tasks involve directly supporting teachers with classroom activities, assisting with educational and recreational programs, and preparing necessary materials to enhance each day’s learning experience. Volunteers may also participate in light cleaning and maintenance to ensure the children have a safe and organised environment. This hands-on involvement offers volunteers a unique opportunity to positively impact children’s lives, providing essential support to the staff and contributing to the overall development of the students.

Cascajal School - Located in the mountains of Coronado, Cascajal School offers a more rural placement opportunity. Nevertheless, the school is still easily accessible by bus from the accommodation. It is surrounded by nature and offers beautiful mountain views whilst still being close enough to the city.

The school hosts 100 students from preschool to sixth grade with a maximum of 20 students in each class. The school also provides education for groups of children with special needs should volunteers wish to support in this area. The children who attend this school live in the nearby surroundings.

This project environment can be a more challenging environment than others, but equally far more rewarding and involved than other projects. Volunteer tasks will include coordinating activities with the teachers, running language classes and supporting with administration.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN COSTA RICA

Return Airport Transfer - Your return airport transfer is not included in your Program Fee. Our local team can help arrange onward transfers to the airport or an alternative destination from the accommodation. Making specific arrangements once in Costa Rica provides more flexibility as plans can often change and participants may be on similar flight plans. Alternatively, a more common and cheaper method is to use a ridesharing app. Participants can often be travelling across their final few days and therefore are not necessarily heading back to the airport directly from our accommodation. The costs depend on your method of transport and your final destination. This can often be split across multiple participants if you are travelling with someone else on the program.

Experience - For the English Teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

TEFL Course - We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

Spanish Requirements - As for all our volunteer in Costa Rica programs, we recommend that you speak a reasonable level of Spanish prior to your trip. There are no specific language requirements in order to join the program and you can join as an absolute beginner. However, we find that the ability to speak a good level of the Spanish language and a passion to learn more will greatly enhance your overall experience. This is because English is generally not widely spoken and therefore our programs should be viewed as a broader language immersion experience. If you do not speak a reasonable level of Spanish then you will find it difficult to communicate. As a result, this could lead to a more frustrating experience.

All PMGY volunteers in Costa Rica will participate in the learn Spanish in Costa Rica program for the first week of their experience. This provides everyone with 20 lessons per-week of group Spanish lessons and some optional afternoon cultural and social activities. In cases where a participant is the only one at their level, a participant may partake in 15 private lessons per-week instead. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes.

Prior to your arrival, you will receive an email request to take a Spanish Proficiency level form. The form is quick and used by the local team to prepare your classes upon arrival. The aim of this week is to try and improve your level of Spanish before you start volunteering in your second week. Most participants in Costa Rica are purely joining the Language Immersion program rather than volunteering. Therefore, the Spanish language experience is a huge part of the overall culture of the setup in Costa Rica.

PMGY also offer Online Spanish Lessons that you can take before your trip. The lessons provide you with the opportunity to receive one-on-one classes from a trained Spanish teacher. Classes are held via Zoom and can be worked around your schedule back in your home country.

Once you are in-country then you are also able to organise additional Spanish lessons directly with our local team. Volunteer feedback suggests that it can often be tiring to complete Spanish lessons at the same time as your volunteer programs in Costa Rica. Consequently, we generally recommend extending your Language Immersion Program.

Weekends - Your project work in Costa Rica runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Costa Rica Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.



Journée typique

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

As English teachers in Costa Rica, you will work predominantly as a teaching assistant. Your volunteer work in Costa Rica will consist of preparing classes, working alongside the teacher during the class schedule and tutoring the children. In addition, you ...

Journée typique

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

As English teachers in Costa Rica, you will work predominantly as a teaching assistant. Your volunteer work in Costa Rica will consist of preparing classes, working alongside the teacher during the class schedule and tutoring the children. In addition, you may be asked to help with various activities that may consist of planting, painting and decorating the school grounds. Whether it be in a primary or secondary school, the additional support provided at the project will be appreciated. The teaching program generally lasts from 7:30am-1:30pm on a Monday-Friday basis.

The English teaching volunteer placements are typically located within a short walking distance from the volunteer residence or about a 20-minute bus ride away. The bus stop is located just outside the volunteer accommodation and Spanish school. Furthermore, the local team will assist you in learning the routes to your volunteer project. As a result, you will be acquainted with how to get to and from your volunteer project.



Activités de loisirs

PMGY volunteer in Costa Rica participants are based in Coronado. This is a very popular suburb of San Jose and home to nearly 60,000 residents! It’s a small tico town with a very typical way of life. The city is set at the foot of Braulio Carrillo National Park, a virtually untouched location ...

Activités de loisirs

PMGY volunteer in Costa Rica participants are based in Coronado. This is a very popular suburb of San Jose and home to nearly 60,000 residents! It’s a small tico town with a very typical way of life. The city is set at the foot of Braulio Carrillo National Park, a virtually untouched location home to over 150 different species of animals. Coronado offers visitors an opportune ability to encounter both the city life and natural wonders of Costa Rica!

Coronado is famous for its neo-Gothic architecture. Right in the centre of the city lies the most beautiful cathedrals in Costa Rica, San Isidro de Coronado. Aside from the beauty of this location you can find yourself at a prime spot to take a boat tour through the rain forest, hike to the Locos por el Bosque cloudforest reserve, eat at Kaffa Café and visit the La Paz Waterfalls Gardens.

Our participants are situated in a great location to explore the local sites, from both the hip and historic cultural attractions and natural wonders, but also travel further afield with ease.

Coronado is located 10km from San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Take off after your morning Spanish lessons to visit for a cappuccino or fresh juice at the local cafe, hope on a bus to the San Jose for a movie at the cinema or even join a tour to Irazú Volcano. Be sure to plan out your time volunteering so you don’t miss some of the best attractions in San Jose including the National Museum, Plaza de la Cultura, the up and coming Escalante neighbourhood with cool bars and restaurants and the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden.

This suburb offers an extremely diverse atmosphere, perfect for any traveller!


Conditions

Conditions

Âge minimum: 18 ans

Pour participer à ce programme tu dois avoir au moins 18 ans quand le programme commence. Il peut y avoir des exceptions si tu peux montrer la permission de ton tuteur légal ou si tu es accompagné(e) par l'un de tes parents.

Compétences linguistiques

Tu dois parler Anglais (niveau moyen) et Espagnol (niveau de base)

Vérification des Antécédents Criminels

requis

Restrictions de Nationalité

Aucune restriction. De l'aide venant de tous les coins du monde est bienvenu.

Autres Compétences

You should be physically fit, as volunteering overseas can be quite strenuous. If you have any medical/mental health conditions that may affect your participation overseas then these must be declared to us during your online application. While the programmes only require you to speak a basic level of Spanish, we find that the ability to speak a good level of Spanish will greatly enhance your overall experience.

Engagement horaire

Nous avons besoin de ton aide pour lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi et vendredi de 09:00 - 14:00

Services inclus

Services inclus

Services de Plan My Gap Year

  • One Week of Spanish Lessons
  • Accommodation 
  • Airport Pick Up
  • In-Country Orientation
  • 24 Hour Support

Transfert de l'aéroport Juan Santamaria International Airport

You should arrive into Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose (airport code SJO) on the Sunday. The airport pickup is available 24 hours. 

You will be met at the airport by a representative of the local team. The team will meet you at the exit area of the arrivals hall after customs and then drive you to the accommodation in Coronado. This journey takes around 45 minutes, depending on traffic. 

Logement

Volunteer House

During your time on the Costa Rica volunteer programs you will live in our Volunteer House. This is located in Coronado, a suburb of San Jose. You will find restaurants, convenience stores, cafés, pubs and ATMs all within walking distance. You’ll be living with other volunteers from around the world, so you’ll make plenty of friends along the way.

The accommodation is comfortable and comes with free Wi-Fi. Each room has single beds with up to 3 people per room in same-sex rooms. Volunteers are provided with cupboard space and bed linens. Bathrooms are shared but have a shower and western-style toilet.

The house has a communal area for international volunteers to hang out after completing volunteer work in Costa Rica. We encourage you to bring some small padlocks to store any valuables in your own bags. However, there is a safe in each room for shared storage should you wish to use this. In addition, there will be fridge space available for volunteers to store any chilled items. The Volunteer House has a laundry room on-site. Consequently, you can do all your own washing equipped with washers and dryers!

Volunteers are a short walk from the centre of Coronado. As a result, many restaurants, supermarkets and volunteer projects are nearby! The residence accommodation is in a compound that comes with 24 hour security. Moreover, there is a digital keypad to open and close the front gates. This is to ensure that volunteers are safe. There are fully equipped kitchens to prepare all of your food within the house. To sum up, the volunteer accommodation setup offers volunteers a unique experience. That is, you get the opportunity to live with other volunteers as well as an independent living environment.

Accès à Internet

Bon accès sur le site du projet

NE SONT inclus dans le prix:

NE SONT inclus dans le prix:

Aliments & Boissons

Aliments, collations et boissons sont disponibles contre supplément.

Billets d'avion

L'aéroport le plus proche est Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) à San Jose. Nous t'aidons à trouver des vols pas chers pour aller en Costa Rica. TROUVER DES VOLS PAS CHERS

Assurance Voyage

Partir à l'étranger est une aventure et c'est toujours mieux d'être bien préparé. Que ce soit une maladie soudaine, une blessure ou du vol - une assurance voyage pour Costa Rica te protège en cas de situation imprévue. OBTENIR UN DEVIS

Vaccins

Si tu envisages de faire du bénévolat en Costa Rica, nous te conseillons de consulter un médecin avant le début de ton voyage. Renseigne-toi sur les vaccins nécessaires pour Costa Rica. INFOS VACCINS

Informations sur l'arrivée

This program starts on the 1st & 3rd Sunday of every month
Disponibilité
janv. févr. mars avril mai juin juil. août sept. oct. nov. déc.

Frais de Programme

2 semaines (durée min.) 857€
3 semaines 1 062€
4 semaines 1 266€
6 semaines 1 676€
8 semaines 2 085€
12 semaines (durée max.) 2 904€
Prix moyen 334€/semaine

Frais de Programme

334€ par semaine 2 - 12 semaines Âge 18 - 50+

Méthodes de payement

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

PAS DE FRAIS DE CARTE DE CRÉDIT


Durée

2 - 12 semaines

Acompte

L'acompte sert à réserver ta place avec l'organisation. Les paiements sont effectués par Paypal, notre partenaire de confiance pour les solutions de paiements internationales. Si tu n'as pas Paypal, tu peux également utiliser ta carte de crédit.


Paiement final

Le paiement du montant restant doit être organisé avec Plan My Gap Year durant le processus de candidature. Très souvent ce paiement est effectué par virement bancaire ou en espèces.


Rencontrez votre hôte

Plan My Gap Year

Esceptionnel 4.9 rating (1432 avis)

Agence - fondée en 2011

Vérifié par Volunteer World

  Taux de réponse excellent

Hébergé par

Josh

Langues parlées: Anglais

Sur le projet

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK.

Rencontrez votre hôte

Plan My Gap Year is an award-winning international volunteer placement organisation based in the UK. We provide safe, affordable, need-driven volunteer programmes from 1 to 24 weeks in 11 countries worldwide.

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US…

Founded by volunteers for volunteers, Plan My Gap Year works with local communities in the developing world towards long-term sustainable goals. We know there is no better way to travel and make a positive impact on the world.

We work extremely hard to ensure that our opportunities are affordable for everyone who wants to make a difference. So fees are 100% transparent, something our volunteers really appreciate.

Plan My Gap Year structured programmes create the perfect platform for you to see the world, meet like-minded people and engage in meaningful volunteer work. We have teams in the UK and in our host destinations who will support you 24/7 throughout your time with us. Furthermore, every project on our network is regularly risk-assessed by our UK team to ensure our set up is safe and that our volunteers are making a positive impact.

There is also a great social element to our programmes. Plan My Gap Year puts you in touch with all your fellow volunteers via Facebook before you set off. Our projects receive volunteers from around the world throughout the year, so even if you’re travelling solo, you’re going to meet heaps of people along the way. Plus you’ll have plenty of opportunity to travel the country with your newfound travel buddies – it’s all part of the PMGY experience!

So if you’re thinking of doing something a bit different on your next trip abroad, then why not drop us a line and find out what extraordinary things you could be doing.

AFFORDABLE & TRANSPARENT FEES

Our aim is to make our programmes accessible to motivated travellers irrespective of their financial capacity. Plan My Gap Year focuses on providing the core requirements of a volunteer programme: safety, structure and sustainability.

We are 100% transparent with our fees. That way you know exactly how much of your money goes towards the local community.

Compared to the large majority of volunteer organisations out there, even most charities and not-for-profits, PMGY’s opportunities are significantly cheaper. Furthermore, as our reviews will testify, our support service and structured programmes are second to none.

SAFETY & RISK MANAGEMENT

Your safety is our top priority. All of Plan My Gap Years' programmes have been personally inspected and vetted by the PMGY team – which is not an industry standard by any means. We carry out independent risk assessments on an annual basis and our local teams constantly review the safety precautions we implement. This includes regular staff and safety appraisals.

 Our local teams are made up of highly experienced volunteer coordinators. They have hosted international volunteers for many years and are prepared to react in the unlikely event of an emergency. Whatever the problem, big or small, our local teams are available around the clock.

As part of our commitment to your safety, we keep in constant communication with local embassies and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to ensure we can identify potentially dangerous situations and act upon them immediately. Our UK team are available 24/7 to assist volunteers and their families.

TRAINING & SUPPORT

We support our volunteers every step of the way. Before you go we will provide you with a detailed Volunteer Handbook, which will guide you through how to prepare for your trip. This Handbook contains literally everything you need to know – from what to pack, to how to obtain a visa, to local language guides.

Our experienced UK team are always available to provide assistance. Plan My Gap Year is always available to answer our questions and support you in anyway we can. 

On arrival, a member of our in-country team will collect you from the airport and help you settle in. Your orientation course will teach you everything you need to know about the country, how to stay safe and what to expect from your upcoming volunteer experience. 

Our local team are on-call 24/7. Whether you’ve lost your passport or just want some help in planning a weekend trip, our friendly in-country coordinators provide that safety net to ensure you are well looked after.

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

Plan My Gap Years' responsibility is not limited to our travellers but also the projects we support. That is why all our volunteers must provide a Criminal Background Check before they travel.

It is essential that our projects are need-driven and sustainable. We work closely with our local partners to ensure that our volunteers are contributing to bring about long-term development.

PERSONAL TOUCH

We really know our programmes. Our UK team have stayed in the accommodation, volunteered at the projects and met the volunteers. We carefully assess each application we receive so that your personality and skills are suited to the project. Whatever your query, you can feel assured that you will be speaking to someone who can tell you exactly what to expect.

HAVING FUN

One of the best aspects of volunteering is meeting some amazing like-minded people. We place over 2,000 volunteers every year so wherever and whenever you go, you have the peace of mind in knowing you will be living and working alongside other PMGY volunteers. In many of our destinations, we run our own Volunteer House accommodation, which ensures all volunteers live together, and therefore guaranteeing a strong social element. In addition, our local team are always there to help you plan any independent travel or give you some tips for what to do at the weekend.

1432 avis · rating4.9

Alice Blundell rating5

2024 at Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

The company was really great in making sure everything ran smoothly! The on site team were great and helped arrange activities, transport back to the airport etc. I had an amazing ...
I have travelled/volunteered with PMGY twice now. It’s a very well structured and trustworthy organisation that i’d recommend to anyone i know. it has allowed me to gain work experience in the childcare and english teaching sectors whilst also giving me the freedom to travel and explore parts of ...
Sophie Collingham rating5

2024 at Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

PMGY was a great company to volunteer with as it is affordable as well as a great way to travel solo while feeling safe and meeting lots of great people. I taught English in Sri Lanka and after having such an amazing time and being looked after so well by the local team after a medical emergeny I ...
Ridwan Abulaziz rating5

2024 at Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

I recently spent four weeks at Academia Tica with PMGY in Costa Rica, where I had the pleasure of taking Spanish classes. My experience was nothing short of fantastic, and I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to immerse themselves in the language and culture. The facilities at ...
Dexter Parsonage rating4.6

2024 at Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

The accommodation was spacious and well equipped. The volunteering was relatively well organised however the schedules sent by PMGY weren't always correct (Teaching English Project) The weekly activities were varied and fun but the trips were pricey. Some really great, friendly staff there. And the ...
Anna Emilia Bartosch rating4.2

2024 at Costa Rica English Teaching Volunteers

I volunteered for six weeks in Costa Rica doing the English teaching program from the 7th of January to the 16th of February. I had a great time! The country was beautiful, the accommodation that the program provided at Academia Tica Spanish School was really good and the people working at the ...

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