📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
ACI Costa Rica is a non-profit organization founded in 1967, whose main goal is to promote programs of intercultural learning and international volunteer service (IVS) for people from all around of the world, facilitating their experience in social and ecological projects, developing global citizens.
ACI wants to contribute to solidarity and friendship between the different societies of our globalized world, to sustainable human development, and personal growth of our participants.
Our organization is an active full member of the International Cultural Youth Exchange (ICYE), a federation of more than 40 intercultural and IVS organizations located in the five continents. ICYE Headquarters are placed in Berlin, Germany. The federation of ICYE has been recognized as International Peace Messenger by the United Nations.
ACI Costa Rica has developed partnerships with other networks and programs such as: The Committee of Coordination of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS), associate to UNESCO, The Alliance of European Organizations (ALLIANCE), Volunteering Matters from United Kingdom (VM), VolontEUROPE, Weltwärs from the German government, and ERASMUS + from the European Union.
The experiences we promote are mainly focused on incoming and outgoing programs, involving long and short-term periods, for groups and individuals. These programs are managed in cooperation with our local Costa Rican networks, partner organizations and communities such as: The Federation of Social Organizations (FOS) and YO ME UNO from the private initiate, and others.
💼 What the programme involves
The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, located in Monteverde, is a project that
combines conservation, ecotourism and education. This project is an example of a
protected area that is administered by a small community which directly benefits from
it.
Thanks to the help of national and international volunteers, people from the
community, and students, the Reserve has developed a good infrastructure of trails, a
visitors' center, a store and a small restaurant. Many volunteers with technical and
professional experience also help with environmental education and sustainabledevelopment
projects.
Possible tasks for the volunteer:
• Most work is done along with the crew of the Reserve on:
• To maintain and to create trails
• To repair infrastructure
• To help with the reforestation project of the local high school
• To assist at the main office in town with reservations and translations
• If you stay for a longer period and have specific skills you may also help with
research going on at the Reserve.
🏠 Accommodation on site
The volunteers stay in a host family which will be near the project.
3 meals per day are provided by the family.
📍 About the location
The host family is located around 3 km from the center of Santa Elena, in which you can find all the basic services (Banks, Supermarkts, Restaurants, Gyms).
⚠️ Requirements
Required skills and interests of the volunteer:
• Be in good physical conditions
• To work on hard duties such as maintaining of trails
• Willing to work on one side in the natures and to get wet and dirty and on the
other side to work in the office
• Be able to work in a foreign country and adapt to a different culture
• To have the maturity to work following the internal rules in a responsible way
ℹ️ Additional information
Project Fee: $87,50 per week / Pus $15 per transportation per week
Apart from the Project Fee per month, there is a Fee charged by ACI:
Weeks Socio Camps
1 to 4 $150
5 to 8 $250
9 to 12 $350
13 + $450
A minimum stay of 2 weeks at the project is required.
Local transportation, international insurance and airfare will be covered by the volunteer.