Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Costa Rica
- Around 30% of the population in Costa Rica sits below the poverty line
- The majority of poverty is seen in rural areas, where there may be a lack of resources and limited job opportunites
- Although Costa Rica has a national educational system, those in the poorer rural areas often lack teaching staff and resources
- Climate change and deforestation are damaging Costa Rica's natural biodiversity
HOW can you help?
- Take part in gift wrapping and giving
- Holiday parties at a special needs facility
- Art and craft activities with the kids and elderly
- Bring joy to deserving communities
WHAT you can do?
- Children’s holiday cookouts at the park
- Eco-sustainable agriculture conservation projects
- Community beautification projects
- Bringing the holiday spirit and putting a smile on peoples faces!
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity
- Over 34 Years Expertise Globally
- Low Program Fees - From US$295
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
- 1 Application Fee - Multiple Countries
PROJECT NAME: CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR HOLIDAY SPECIAL
LOCATION: SAN JOSE
START DATES: 17th DEC 2023 AND 24th DEC 2023
ACCOMMODATION: HOMESTAY (SHARED ROOMS)
MIN DURATION: 1 WEEK
MIN AGE: 16+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: N/A
Overview
Christmas and New Year brings about a season when we can reflect on our blessings, revel in the company of loved ones, and share happiness and gratitude, particularly with those who are less fortunate. That’s why we are running a special holiday program tailored for this time of year. This program offers volunteers the opportunity to convey warm wishes and spread festive cheer to communities and children in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. 🎄
Volunteers have the flexibility to join us for either one or two weeks during the Holiday Season:
Christmas Week: Sunday, December 17th – Saturday, December 23rd.
New Year’s Week: Sunday, December 24th – Saturday, December 30th.
Throughout these week-long programs, volunteers will visit various projects each day.
Working together as a team, they will provide assistance as needed, participate in activities, and share quality time with the people at these projects during the holiday season. Volunteers will be assigned to either a morning or afternoon group, dedicating 3-4 hours per day to their service.
Volunteers will have the chance to visit a different project every day, including the following:
• Community beautification projects
• Children’s holiday parties
• Holiday parties for the elderly
• Children’s holiday cookouts at the park
• Holiday parties at a special needs facility
• Eco-sustainable agriculture conservation projects
• Mayan/Andean communities’ immersion
• And much more!
Please see daily schedule in the FAQ below.
Location
San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and located in the middle of the country. It’s in a great spot to enjoy the city, as well as trips to the beach on the weekends. Around a 2 to 4 hour drive from the city, you will find rainforests, mountains, volcanoes, and beautiful beaches. San Jose also has plenty of shopping, cinemas, restaurants and nightlife.
Project Tasks
- Spread the merry to local residents who may be down on their luck
- Take part in community projects like crafts, gift giving and beautification projects
- Host parties for kids, the elderly and special needs residents
Food & Accommodation
The majority of our volunteers will stay with a pre-approved middle-class Costa Rican family. You have the option of a shared or a private room. For shared rooms, you are placed with 1-3 other people of the same gender and age group. In San Jose, the host families live in the San Pedro area, which is around a 10 to 60-minute walk or bus ride (depending on where you’re placed) from the volunteer centre. You’ll be given a key to the house and are free to come and go as you please, but you must respect the house rules and practices of your host family.
The host family can help you with washing laundry. There is a small charge of ₡2,500 or $5 per kilo (2.2 lbs) which is paid directly to the family. If you are staying at a student residence, hostel, hotel or apartment that does not have a laundry service available, you can use a nearby laundrette (lavanderia).
Breakfast and dinner will be served 7 days a week and will usually be local cuisine, cooked by your host family. The food in Costa Rica is a mix of African, Italian, French, Chinese, and Spanish cuisines. Common food are grains such as rice, corn, and beans and different meats mixed with spices like coriander, saffron, parsley, oregano, thyme and nutmeg. The food is usually mildly seasoned and has plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Below images show a typical South American homestay, and some of the volunteer hub/ centres.
San Jose
Specialty Projects
- Community Construction
- Medical Internship
- Nutrition & Healthcare
- Turtle Conservation
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Beach & Nature Reserve
- *Christmas & New Year Holiday
-
1 Week - $595
-
2 Weeks - $935
-
3 Weeks - $1275
-
4 Weeks - $1590
-
8 Weeks - $2690
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12 Weeks - $3775
What's Included
-
Accommodation
-
Meals
-
Airport Pickup
-
Local Transportation
-
1 Day Orientation
-
24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card fees included in below pricing 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
If you don’t mind giving up your winter (or summer, depending on where you’re coming from!) holiday and would like to spread the festive cheer, then yes! This is a varied program, where each day you will do something different. It focuses on different community groups such as kids, the elderly and special needs, so great if you want a bit of a ‘all-round’ project and to help in lots of different areas.
- Airport pick-up
- Host family accommodations
- Breakfast and dinner, 7 days/week
- 1 day orientation
- 24/7 in-country support
- Walking tour
- Official certificate of volunteer service
- Letter of recommendation
- Spanish language tutoring table
- Tandem Conversation Program
- WiFi and computer lab
- Salsa dance classes
- Cooking classes
- Free coffee and tea and on-site snack bar
- Volunteer centre open 7 days/week
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Daily transportation
- Travel and tours
- Transfer back to the airport
- Personal spending money
Each project will include a 1-day orientation to familiarise yourself with the local area, rules, safety advice and general information. Your host family will show you the best way to get to/from your accommodation to the volunteer centre. Orientation will include health and safety advice, do’s and don’ts, cultural norms, activities and tours you can do on weekends, and a short walking tour, showing you the local area. You are also able to take a free Spanish placement exam. On your first day the local coordinator will take you to the placement, where you will be introduced to everyone and shown around the project.
For San Jose
Our local team will pick you up from San Jose airport on the Sunday before your project. Sunday night accommodation is included in the fees.
If you arrive outside the pickup times, you can book a private transfer for an extra fee.
If you want to book any extra nights before or after your program, you can do this for an extra fee.
Christmas Program
Sunday, December 17 – Arrival & Orientation
TBD – Arrival, pick-up, transportation to housing
PM – Orientation at the institute
Monday, December 18 – Community Beautification
AM or PM – Beautification Project
Paint, garden, work on light repairs or construction work.
Work varies depending on community needs.
Tuesday, December 19 – Holiday Party for the Elderly
AM or PM – Local Nursing Home
Spread the Holiday Spirit at an elderly home by playing
games, preparing a special holiday snack, dancing, and
providing much needed company and conversation.
Wednesday, December 20 – Children’s Holiday Cookout
AM or PM – Local Park
Depending on weather, accompany children to a local park
to get fresh air and have a little holiday fun. Come ready to
grill and distribute food and gifts to the kids!
Thursday, December 21 – People with Special
Needs Holiday Party!
AM or PM – People with Special Needs Project
Spread the Holiday Spirit at a special needs home with
activities and games, special holiday food, Santa, gifts,
and socializing.
Friday, December 22 – Children’s Holiday Party
AM or PM – Working with Kids Project
Celebrate the holidays with underprivileged kids by
bringing them food and gifts!
Saturday, December 23 – Departure
TBD – Departure
You can arrange airport drop-off for an additional
charge at the client service desk.
New Year Program
Sunday, December 24 – Arrival & Orientation
TBD – Arrival, pick-up, transportation to housing
PM – Orientation at the institute
Monday, December 25 – Christmas Day
Institute closed
Lots of local holiday festivities to enjoy independently.
Tuesday, December 26 – Community Beautification
AM or PM – Beautification Project
Paint, garden, work on light repairs or construction work.
Work varies depending on community needs.
Wednesday, December 27 – Holiday Party for the Elderly
AM or PM – Local Nursing Home
Spread the Holiday Spirit at an elderly home by playing
games, preparing a special holiday snack, dancing, and
providing much needed company and conversation.
Thursday, December 28 – People with Special
Needs Holiday Party!
AM or PM – People with Special Needs Project
Spread the Holiday Spirit at a special needs home with
activities and games, special holiday food, Santa, gifts,
and socializing.
Friday, December 29 – Children’s Holiday Party
AM or PM – Working with Kids Project
Show the kids a great time for the holiday! Play
games, arts and crafts–celebrate by bringing gifts and
food to the project.
Saturday, December 30 – Departure
TBD – Departure
You can arrange airport drop-off for an additional
charge at the client service desk.
* Transportation to/from the institute to the project is included.
** Itineraries are subject to change based on field conditions.
San Jose
San Jose is the capital city and has plenty to do from city tours, watching a show at the theatre, markets, museums, parks, and city walking tours. You can also take day trips to mountains, volcanoes and the beach.
Arenal Volcano
Situated about 90 km northwest of San Jose is Arenal volcano, measuring 1,633 metres high. This scenic volcano is one of the most popular tourist attractions, with daily tours walking around it, plus it’s proximity to the nearby rainforest and waterfalls make it a popular place to visit.
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
Close by the where a lot of our projects are, this National park is one of the most popular in Costa Rica. With beautiful beaches, rainforest walking trails and an abundance of wildlife, this is a must visit for any traveller!
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Another stunning destination to visit and a lush oasis of green rainforest and misty fog and clouds sitting at the top of the canopy. There are around 420 different types of orchids, ferns mosses, as well as a large bird population- perfect for nature and wildlife lovers. There are also night time walking tours.
Corcovado National Park
A stunning national park with plenty of hiking trails, natural swimming holes, waterfalls, rainforest, wildlife, flora and fauna and camping. Here you will find more than 400 bird species, monkeys, sea turtles, over 40 frog species, 100 butterfly species and perhaps even a jaguar.
Adventure activities
Costa Rica has so much to do for those who like to live on the wild side! From ziplining, white water rafting, canyoning, surfing, snorkelling, diving, horse riding and paddle boarding. This is a nature and adventure lovers paradise!
Beach Hopping
There is no shortage of beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. From white sand, black sand, beaches that meet jungle and all with crystal clear, blue waters. Many of the beach town have cafes, restaurants, accommodation and places to grab a fresh coconut juice, the perfect way to chill out after a hot day!
Volunteers must:
- Be at least 16 years of age
- Those under 16 are welcome when there is a faculty leader, parent, or guardian present
- Have a valid CRB check working with children
Costa Rica is a small country in Central America and is bordered by Nicaragua to the North, Panama to the South, the Pacific Ocean to the West, and the Caribbean Sea to the East. The country has a population of 5 million people and is roughly the same size as a large city in the USA! Costa Rica offers incredible mountain trails, coffee plantations, lush rainforests and some stunning beaches, with a huge variety of landscapes.
Volunteer projects are situated in the beach town of Manuel Antonio and in the capital city of San Jose. Some projects are situated in areas further afield, offering a more ‘off the beaten track’ option. These areas are Guanacaste (beach), Caribbean (beach), and Monteverde (cloud forest).
Manuel Antonio: Located at sea level, you can expect average temperatures from 19 degree Celsius to 28 degrees. The dry season is from December to April with hot and humid weather. The wet season is from May to November. The weather will be humid, with showers throughout the day. The plus side of travelling during this time is that everything will be so green!
San Jose: At 1170 metres above sea level, temperatures can range from 20-30 degrees Celsius. December to April has little to no rain, moderate temperatures and can get cooler during the evenings. May to November experiences warm days, cool nights and short intermittent bursts of rain and sun.
Costa Rica still has much of its Spanish heritage (the national language), with a vast amount of the population being of Afro-Caribbean descent. There is also a small population Jewish and Chinese communities. A large proportion of the country is Catholic and Latino music and dance are enjoyed throughout the country, as well as a love for soccer. Cost Rica disbanded their armed forces in 1949, as the area is so safe. The people are happy, laid back and welcoming.
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