Information on CRCT's Costa Rica Volunteer Program

Objective

Osa Conservation

To support efforts that protect biodiversity, advance sustainable development and promote ecological, cultural, and educational programs that advance respectful relationships with the Earth. This program also aims to provide visiting travelers, families and youth groups with a rich, memorable and mind-expanding ecological and cultural experience.

Description

CRCT's Costa Rica Volunteer Program supports CRCT's programs and those of its grassroots partner organizations and community groups in Costa Rica that are working towards common goals. We send volunteers and groups to support the projects and programs of:

Asociación Amigos de la Naturaleza del Pacífico Central y Sur (ASANA) - (www.pasodeladanta.org) A community group working with endangered sea turtles and on the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor initiative since 1994.
Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Savegre (ADI Savegre) - a rural community group trying to promote sustainable living practices on local farms in their mountain village.
Asociación de Educación Ambiental de Pérez Zeledón - a small civilian group working with the local municipality to provide environmental education and a recycling program throughout the Perez Zeledón county.
Asociación Raices de Esperanza - a civilian group working to help small farmers and indigenous people sustainably develop their farms and revive the tradition of local production of foods, as well as the conservation of native seeds.
Comité de Bandera Azul de El Brujo - a civilian committee working to make their community cleaner, healthier and more sustainable.
Comité de COVIRENAS de Savegre - a committee of young men and women trained by MINAE to be ecological advocates and volunteer forest rangers.
Comité de Subcuenca División Abajo - a community group comprised of environmental leaders of 5 rural mountain villages - mostly youth that are doing amazing work to help their rural valley become sustainably developed.
Escuela de El Brujo - a small rural village school with a recycling center and visions to do more to promote sustainable development, such as a communal organic garden.
Instituto Asis - an organization that runs a wildlife rescue center and has been working on social and ecological projects in rural communities in the San Carlos area for ten years.
Telesecundaria de Savegre - a small rural village high school with an endangered tree nursery and recycling center. The youth wish to do more to convince their parents of the need of conservation and sustainable living practices.

In addition to supporting the work of these groups, this volunteer program directly advances the work and philosophy of CRCT. In order to learn more about us, please read our website, and/or our Executive Summary and The Bigger Picture.

This program is appropriate for traveling individuals, couples, groups (youth and otherwise), families, and students/interns. Depending on your length of stay and/or if you are traveling with a group, you can either choose from our established Start Dates or set your own. You can stay on for as long as you want (minimum of 1 week), and we can often accommodate your expertise or interests into your work plan(s).

Qualifications Needed To Volunteer:

Every single person has something to offer as a volunteer. There is no such thing as being qualified for "being the change you wish to see in the world!" We are flexible and honor the life experience and individual knowledge every single person offers. However, we conduct a thorough reference check on all our individual adult volunteers and youth group leaders. Thus, the only strict qualification you need is to be a dependable, trustworthy and respectful person. We cannot accept a volunteer or youth group leader that does not provide the three references required or who has been convicted of a crime. In the case of minor participants, we cannot accept a youth whose parents do not sign a Parental Consent Form and Release and Waiver of Liability on their child's behalf. Adult participants must also sign a Release and Waiver of Liability and a Participation Agreement.

If you are looking to expand into something new, or wish to use this as an internship or for college credits, of if you are a group leader and wish for this to be part of a special project for your group, we can usually accommodate this into your placement. Just let us know on your Enrollment Form (we have a special Enrollment Form for Youth Groups).

If you do not know any Spanish, don't worry, you will get along just fine - everyone does! For those of you wishing to learn Spanish, this is a great opportunity to learn! If you have any troubles, you can call our nearest bilingual Volunteer Coordinator and he/she can help. If you prefer to only work in a setting where your supervisor and the place where you stay speak English, just let us know on your Enrollment Form.

Individual Volunteers Staying 1 - 3 Weeks:

We require that individuals and couples staying less than three weeks choose from one of the scheduled Arrival Dates listed below (groups and volunteers staying three weeks or more can establish other Start Dates - read below). Depending on the size of the group that ends up going on an established Start Date and the length of your stay, we may give you additional work plans to accomplish after the one listed here is finished (we give you something additional to do that is often tailored to your skills and/or desires). For more detailed information about each of the placements listed below, please read or request our Upcoming Start Dates document.

START DATE	LOCATION	POTENTIONAL WORK PLAN
May 20 `06	Somewhat secluded mountain placement in the La Fortuna/Arenal area of C.R.	Maintenance and assistance in a wildlife rescue center program (cleaning and building cages, releasing wildlife, etc.)
Jul 01 `06	Very secluded mountain village (El Brujo) on the Southern border of the Los Santos Forest Reserve in the Central Pacific region of C.R.	Building a community recycling center and recycling outreach to local farmers.
Jul 09 `06	Secluded mountain village (Savegre) on the Southern border of Los Santos Forest Reserve in the Central Pacific region of C.R.	Organizing and executing an ecological campaign. May include river clean-up, planting endangered trees, etc.
Aug 06 `06	Somewhat secluded beach placement at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge just North of Dominical (Central Pacific)	Working to protect and recover endangered sea turtle eggs - this job requires late nights.
Aug 19 `06	Somewhat secluded beach placement at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge just North of Dominical (Central Pacific)	Working to protect and recover endangered sea turtle eggs - this job requires late nights.
Sep 02 `06	Somewhat secluded beach placement at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge just North of Dominical (Central Pacific)	Working to protect and recover endangered sea turtle eggs - this job requires late nights.
Oct 07 `06	Somewhat secluded beach placement at Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge just North of Dominical (Central Pacific)	Working to protect and recover endangered sea turtle eggs - this job requires late nights.
Oct 22 `06	Somewhat secluded mountain placement in the La Fortuna/Arenal area of C.R.	Maintenance and assistance in a wildlife rescue center program (cleaning and building cages, releasing wildlife, etc.)
Dec 06 `06	La Danta Arboretum - Secluded and very rural mountain placement on the Southern border of the Los Santos Forest Reserve in the Central Pacific region of Costa Rica.	Maintenance on arboretum trails and signs, planting endangered trees, expanding exhibits, building bridge, etc.
Jan 06 `07	Secluded mountain village (Savegre) on the Southern border of Los Santos Forest Reserve in the Central Pacific region of C.R.	Work plan to be determined, but will most likely include maintenance on community recycling center.

After arriving, you can stay on and volunteer as long as you want!

Individual Volunteers Or Couples Staying For 3 Weeks Or More:

In order to save resources (and possibly provide you with a discount), we ask that you try to arrange your travel dates to coincide with one of our established Start Dates, but we also can work around your schedule and work individually with you to establish a new start date, and a work plan and setting perfect for you!

Private Groups Of 3 Or More:

In order to save resources (and possibly provide you with an discount), we ask that you to try to arrange your travel dates to coincide with one of our established Start Dates, but we also can work individually with your group to establish your own start date, work plan and a setting perfect for your group! If you are leading a youth group, please ask about our Enrollment Form for Youth Groups, but if you are leading or are a part of an adult group or family, please use our regular Enrollment Form.

Placements With a New Start Date:

New Start Dates and placements for long term volunteers or groups will depend on the following:

Time of year/season preferred.
Type of work requested to do.
Type of setting requested (i.e. rural or urban, on the beach or up in the mountains, etc.)
Individual requests, such as not being placed in a home with pets.
Which organization has an active project or program they need help with.
Lodging option chosen and availability (we offer lodging with a host family, private bungalows/cabins and private rooms at local lodges and tent camps).
Whether or not there are minors involved.
Size of groups.
Just rotation of the organizations receiving volunteers.

Cost To Participate In Our Regular Volunteer Program:

CRCT is a non-profit organization and relies on the program fee paid by participants in this program. This fee is used to cover related logistical, administrative and material expenses related to placement and to keep this program in operation.

As of Jan. 1, 2006 our program fees have changed!!

The fee for individuals joining an established Start Date is:

$725.00 per person for the first week
$394.00 per person per additional week

However, DISCOUNTS ALMOST ALWAYS APPLY because we make every effort to make this program affordable for everyone and because some of our previous volunteers have not exercised a discount and/or have donated extra so we can offer discounts to those that need it most.

We ask that if you are a volunteer that does not need a discount and are willing and able to pay the full posted price, to consider forgoing your discount so we can use some of your fee to contribute towards a fund to make this program more accessible to others. In addition, we offer the opportunity to make an additional tax-deductible contribution to this fund or towards any of our or our partner's projects and programs. Just let us know!

Discounts offered:

These discounts cannot usually be combined, but if a discount is something you need, we will do our best to provide you with the lowest fee!

Student Discount: Students and youth (ages 16-20) get a 5% discount!
Group Discount: Private groups receive special discounts, especially if joining an established Start Date.
Work-trade Discount: Due to important changes, which take effect as of Jan. 1, 2006, we are no longer able to offer a $200 work-trade discount for volunteering in our office in San Francisco. We can only offer up to $50 discount for work-trade (up to 5 hours of volunteer work). However, senior level volunteers who can help with accounting, fundraising, grant writing, etc. should get in touch with us to discuss possibilities.
Additional Discounts: If you found us through a search on-line or through another source that does not required a commission, you will receive a 5 to 10% discount.
Staying longer than 4 weeks? You will receive a discount depending on length of stay.
Creating or leading your own group (youth or otherwise)? We can usually offer group leaders a significant discount, depending on the size of group, length of stay, and other related factors.
Recruitment and referral to our program - If you recruit and refer potential volunteers to us, you receive a $25 credit for each one that ends up participating (up to $200), so tell your friends and make sure they tell us you sent them!!
Getting a trip sponsored or paid for by a donor or grant: We offer the opportunity and support to potential volunteers who want to help us find contributors, donors, or grants to sponsor this empowering program for underprivileged youth. A volunteer that achieves this gets to come along, with the kids, for free (or at another time)! Please contact us if this is something you are interested in.

Details about what your fee covers:

Your one-time contribution, or program fee, covers:

Room and board with a local family - three delicious home-made meals, a bed (most likely in a shared room), and the opportunity to become a part of a Costa Rican household. In addition, each family has been chosen because of their desire to begin converting to sustainable living practices. Hosting volunteers has become a sustainable income strategy that is helping subsidize their conversion. However, we also offer private accommodations, such as bungalows, cabins, and private rooms in locally-owned lodges (private accommodations include meals and cost an extra $15-$25/night).
In-country transportation to and from your placement site from the nearest urban center, which is easily accessed by taxi and/or bus from the airport (we provide you with details on how to get to your nearest urban center from the airport). Limited to only one round trip and may include taxis, horses, motorcycles, and ox carts, depending on placement. The cost of additional trips in and out of your placement must be assumed by the volunteer.
A donation to the local group you will be working with to support the project you are involved in and to go towards the costs associated with the job you will be doing, such as gear, supplies, etc. It is thanks to our volunteers and their contribution that many locally impacting projects are being carried out, such as recycling centers, endangered tree nurseries, etc.
Local volunteer coordination and supervision costs - thanks to the fee paid by our volunteers, many local youth now have jobs related to creating, coordinating and carrying out environmental projects for their own communities, thus curbing their need to engage in ranching, logging or poaching, and avoiding their forced economic migration to urban centers and the U.S. to find work.
In-country emergency staff and support - You will have local coordinators that make sure you make it your placement safely, watch out over you, are available in case any problems arise, etc.
Logistical, administrative, and overhead cost associated with keeping this program in operation.
Any left over funds (if any) go into a fund used to help CRCT advance its stated philanthropic mission and provide discounts/scholarships for future volunteers that cannot afford this program, but would benefit highly from participation (i.e. inner city youth).

Payment schedule:

It costs you nothing to enroll. However, later on you will be asked to pay a $100 deposit to confirm your participation and reserve your space. We will keep your Enrollment Form on file for two years, so if you do not confirm a placement right away, you can reactivate your enrollment within two years just by contact us. If you are a group leader and want to establish a relationship with us to bring groups down more than once, please let us know.

The rest of your volunteer fee/contribution is due at least two weeks before departure via direct deposit in our Bank of American account, checks or money orders. We will provide more details regarding this after you have enrolled.

Additional Costs to Consider:

Airfare can run anywhere from $300 to $1,000+ depending on when and where you are traveling from. Visit your nearest travel agency, pick up a guide book, or do a search online for more information.
Transportation to the nearest urban center closest to your placement from Juan Santamaria International Airport runs about $25 between taxis and buses. A local Volunteer Coordinator will meet you at the urban center closest to your placement and will make sure you get to your placement from there by car, and/or horse, depending on how far into the jungle you will be going. We provide detailed instructions on how to get to your nearest urban center from the airport, etc. after you have confirmed your participation.
Travel insurance is an additional cost of approximately $25 - $200, depending on length of stay, risk factors, etc. You can look at the following website for information on costs and providers. www.healthinsurancefinders.com. We require getting medical travel insurance and we ask that you sign a Release and Waiver of Liability before a notary public before arrival (and on behalf of any dependents traveling with you).
Country Exit Tax: You will have to pay a $26 - $30 Country Exit Tax at the airport when you are departing.

Additional/Optional Components:

Short Eco-Cultural Expeditions:

Sometimes one of CRCT's co-founders, a Central American/U.S. anthropologist and historian leads very educational, 2 day/3 night Eco-Cultural Expeditions right before an established Start Date. Destinations include less-known attractions and exclusive tours, such as a visit to a Fair Trade/organic coffee farm and processing plant or to very remote and secluded archeological or natural sites very deep in the rainforest. These expeditions support only ecologically and socially responsible businesses, employ local farmers and youth that are trying to convert to sustainable income strategies, and give travelers a taste of the "behind the scenes" of Costa Rica, in particular with regards to the long-term conservation and sustainable development of rural areas. If this opportunity presents itself, potential volunteers will be notified in advance so they can participate. Joining one of these trips is a great way to get introduced to the wildlife, people and country where you will be living and volunteering!

These highly informative, exclusive, adventure-packed side trips (2 night/3days) cost $300 per person, but CRCT volunteers and their friends/family pay only $250!

Connections Eco-Cultural Expeditions:

If you are leading a youth group, are a life-time learner, or will be traveling with your family, please ask about our 1 to 2 week Connections Eco-Cultural Expeditions! These 1 & 2 week traveling eco-cultural expeditions bring together people from different backgrounds to learn cooperatively about and through nature, each other, and themselves. The multi-intelligence, artistic, experiential, and out-ward bound activities include a volunteer project, exploring and reflecting on nature, written and artistic expression, physical feats, traveling to different ecosystems (i.e. beach, mountains, etc.), and more! Activities also focus on the exploration and reflection of themes such as RESPECT, COURAGE, TOLERANCE, INTERCONNECTEDNESS, BALANCE, SILENCE, DIVERSITY, etc. Lodging is with local families, tent camps, and locally-owned lodges and mountain inns.

Tailor-made Volunteer and Eco-Cultural Expeditions:

We offer private groups of 5 or more tailored Eco-Cultural Expeditions (with or without a guide), which include a volunteer component as well as educational, mind-expanding, adventure, ecological, eco-tourism, and/or cultural activities. This is a great option for groups that wish to volunteer for part of their time in Costa Rica and want to also enjoy educational/cultural activities and adventure tours that will take them to other regions of the country. Arranging all components of your trip with CRCT assures that all the destinations and places you support with your travel dollars are socially and ecologically responsible and/or locally or cooperatively-owned enterprises (you can also stay exclusively with host families). Please e-mail us and let us know if this is an option you are interested in knowing more about. Prices vary depending on the size, needs and desires of the group, but prices of all-inclusive packages usually range between $500 - $1000 per person for a one week trip, and $1000 to $1,600 per person for a two week trip.

Airport pick-up and drop-off:

For an additional price, we can have someone pick you up at the airport and take you directly to your placement, instead of giving you detailed instructions on how to get from the airport to the nearest urban center to your placement. This is required for minors traveling alone.

Schedule and Work Day:

We ask for a commitment of 20 hours/week and request a minimum commitment of 1 week to enroll in the program. However, if you or your group would like to join the program, but cannot complete the weekly work hours, we encourage you to apply anyways. Your presence in the community and your donation to locally impacting projects are a large gift to the local community groups we support. If you are interested in volunteering, but can only stay half the week or complete less amount of hours, get in touch with us and we will try to work something out. Likewise, if you would like to stay with a local family, but do not wish to volunteer, we can arrange this for you or your traveling group.

Depending on your placement and time of year, your schedule may be in the morning, afternoon or night (for example, turtle watch patrolling occurs after 10pm). Sometimes, depending on the placement, work plan and time of your, there is flexibility in the work schedule. This is usually arranged with your local supervisor upon arrival, but if you have special requests, please let us know on your Enrollment Form.

When a volunteer is not able to complete a work day due to the weather or other factors, they usually help out their host family in some way - teaching them about non-toxic ways to clean house, doing housecleaning, mending, babysitting, cooking, etc. In addition, all volunteers are asked to help out around their host family's house or farm, such as helping cook and clean.

Location:

The geographic focus is primarily, but not limited to, the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor (Paso de La Danta) and its surrounding areas, in the Central/South Pacific Region of Costa Rica. The Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor is a regional initiative aimed at creating a communication route for the flora and fauna of the Osa Peninsula (at the South end) and the Los Santos Forest Reserve (at the North end). Many of the community groups we support are right on the Southern border of the Los Santos Forest Reserve. This area is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, part of a critical migration route of thousands of species, and under serious threats.

However, if you are establishing your own Start Date or a tailored Eco-Cultural Expedition, your placement and/or destinations may include the Osa Peninsula, the Central Valley and/or other locations.

Free Time and Exploring Other Areas of the Country:

We want your experience to be as enjoyable and varied as possible. With only 20 hours of work each week, there is ample time to spend with your host family, explore the surrounding landscape and neighboring villages, or leave the area for a night or two in search of Costa Rican adventures! We can arrange your groups' day-to-day activities in advance (see Tailor-made Volunteer and Eco-Cultural Expeditions above), or you can choose what you want to each day once you arrive and meet the community Eco-Tourism Coordinator, who can give you information about the local attractions and tours that are offered in his/her community and surroundings. You will meet this individual when you arrive at your destination. If there is no Eco-Tourism Coordinator at your destination, then your Coordinator, Supervisor or Host Family can point you in the right direction.

All our volunteer placements have easy or relatively easy access to fun activities such as the beach, the river, canopy zip lines, cave and waterfall tours, etc. We recommend supporting locally-operated tours and entertainment, as eco-tourism is a sustainable income strategy that is helping small farmers become more sustainable. Most communities also have a local church which holds Catholic mass every Sunday and community fiestas are always a great experience and treat!

We ask that extensive traveling to other areas of the country be done BEFORE or AFTER volunteering, as it is not easy to reach some of the project sites due to their rural nature. Your regular fee only pays for the transportation costs of one round trip in and out of wherever you are placed. Be aware that some of the communities we work with can only be accessed by taxi and by renting horses and a one way trip can run as high as $100. The costs of additional trips in and out of the project site are assumed by the volunteer. But remember that we also offer 3 day/2 night educational eco-adventures right before some of our established Start Dates and from there escort you to your placement. Also, some of our placements are easily accessed by bus, thus traveling to other areas of the country during weekends is easy and affordable.

To learn more about each potential placement we offer, their accessibility to other regions of the country and the local attractions and things to do in your free time, please review the document titled, Upcoming Work Parties.

We recommend that you bring a pocket translator or dictionary, a pair of binoculars, a camera and an open and adventuresome spirit! No matter where you or your group are placed, there will always be wonderful Costa Rican people to talk to and learn from, Spanish to be practiced, birds and wildlife to see, and inspiring and memorable scenes to take pictures of (BTW, you will be given a more detailed list of recommended items to bring later on).

Communication with the "Outside" World:

All the villages where we place volunteers either have a short-wave radio or a public phone. Long distance phone calls are possible with a national calling card where there is a phone. Internet service is not available in most rural areas; however, there is internet service in the urban centers closest to your placement. You can find out more about each potential placement on the document titled, Upcoming Work Parties.

Emergencies and Medical Care:

Emergencies in rural areas are handled via the Red Cross and National Ambulance Service. When an emergency is identified, the community is activated (usually there are a few individuals trained in First Aid and Rescue), and they begin search and rescue, and radio and/or phone the nearest hospital for help. A neighbor with a car begins transportation to the hospital. The ambulance usually meets them half-way and takes over from there.

The Costa Rican medical system is competent and can take care of most all first aid emergencies. They ask non-insured foreigners to pay whatever they can of their hospital bill, but do not enforce payment, as it is state owned and subsidized. However, it is CRCT's requirement that all volunteers purchase a private international medical insurance plan and not overtax the Costa Rican medical system.

CRCT does not provide volunteers with medical insurance coverage and is not responsible for injuries or accidents that may occur during a volunteer's stay. For this reason, we require all volunteers to sign/notarize and send us a Release and Waiver of Liability Form before arriving in Costa Rica. We also require volunteers to review and sign/notarize a Participation Agreement.

Thank you for taking the time to read through this information. Your feedback is important to us! If you have any further questions not answered, comments or concerns, feel free to call us at (415) 359-4759 or e-mail volunteer@conservecostarica.org.