VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

CPI´s Volunteer Program in Costa Rica is designed for students who, while visiting this beautiful part of the world, wish to enrich their stay by working in an area of their interest that will benefit the country.

The volunteer opportunities offered through CPI are for students at least 18 years of age and registered for classes at CPI for a minimum of two weeks. Most of the programs are half time, so you may take classes and volunteer at the same time.

There is a registration fee for 2012 of US$50 Net per school for a volunteer program arranged by the staff of CPI.

The options are:

Teaching or assisting in CPI’s English Department at CPI Heredia, CPI Monteverde or CPI Flamingo (classes for native Spanish speakers).

CPI has an English as a Foreign Language program, offering classes from January to November. Classes are typically scheduled in the afternoons and evenings, and participation is possible while the volunteer is a CPI Spanish student or once they have concluded their Spanish classes.

La Paz Primary School and Junior High School.  Available at CPI Flamingo

La Paz School is a bilingual non-profit school that teaches children from 5 to 12 years old. La Paz School accepts volunteers to assist with classroom activities as well as to tutor individual student. Volunteers are also accepted to assist the English teachers and help with administrative duties.

Huacas & Brasilito Elementary School and Kindergarden.  Available at CPI Flamingo

The Brasilito and Huacas public schools are elementary schools that teach children from 6 to 12 years old.Accept volunteers to assist with classroom activities as well as tutor individual students and help with administrative duties.

CEN CINAI Huacas. Available at CPI Flamingo

This is a public institution that provides Social Services to children ages 0-6.

Students can be involved both in the academic-administrative area and in the cleaning and cooking. Any assistance provided by them will be of great support to the company and children.

San Angel Education Center. Available at CPI Heredia.

A private school located in San Joaquín de Flores that teaches preschoolers and primary children. Volunteers are needed to assist in the English classes.

Group House for Girls – Niño con Cariño. Available at CPI Heredia.

A private entity, supported by the government through the P.A.N.I. (National Children’s Bureau). It functions as a home for girls between the ages of 5 - 12 years and adolescents, living on a very low economic level; many of the girls live in impoverished as well as precarious conditions. During the week the girls reside at the group home and each Friday they leave to spend the weekend in their own houses with their mothers. Volunteers must be female.

Técnico Profesional de Flores High School. Available at CPI Heredia.

Técnico Profesional de Flores is a public High School located in San Joaquín de Flores that teaches three different bilingual specialities: 1) Tourism emphasized in beverages and meals, 2) Accountancy is emphasized with executive services 3) Computing (technical support). Volunteers are needed to assist in English classes.

Centro Educativo Adventista de Monteverde (Adventist Elementary School)

This small bilingual school was founded in 1991 here in Monteverde. There are currently 23 students who attend the school but they are expecting a larger enrollment within the next few months. The students range in age from 7 to 13 years old.

Ideally the volunteers will be either teachers, child psychologists, educators, pediatricians, doctors who practice general medicine or others who might have a knowledge of construction and infrastructure repairs so that they can help assist with beautification projects at our education center. Other volunteers who are interested in working with children in this age range are also welcome. The age of the volunteer doesn’t matter so long as they have very well established moral values and are interested in helping out a good cause.  A basic understanding of Spanish is preferred to be able to communicate with the director of the school and staff.

The Ecological Sanctuary. Available at CPI Monteverde.

The Santuario Ecológico in Monteverde is a refuge for wildlife administrated by a Costa Rican family that offers walks on trails, through a forest with beautiful viewpoints, two large waterfalls, coffee and banana plantations and the opportunity to see many birds.

The goal is to maintain the Sanctuary and projects of conservation, with the aim to preserve and regenerate the forest and live in harmony with nature.

The Santa Elena Reserve. Available at CPI Monteverde. (Full Time)

Volunteering: Part time. Located in the Monteverde area, the Santa Elena Reserve was established in 1998 not only to protect the forest and its flora and fauna, but to directly benefit the people in nearby communities as well. It has a great biodiversity of species and habitats, where populations of animals that were previously endangered have risen (i.e. the agouti, jaguar and the resplendent quetzal). Volunteers work in trail maintenance specifically entails: building trails, carrying sand bags, helping lay bricks for the trails, painting the bunkers, and maintenance of the suspension bridge.

Monteverde Butterfly Garden. Available at CPI Monteverde.

The Monteverde Butterfly Garden is an environmental education center focusing on "Bugs found in Costa Rica ". In our Nature Center we have live exhibits of all different species of insects. We also have four butterfly gardens, which represent micro habitats in Costa Rica . Furthermore, we have an exhibit on Leaf Cutter ants, including a colony under plexi-glass.
Volunteers are needed as a guides, help at reception, and perform general maintenance of the facility.

The Monteverde Conservation League. Available at CPI Monteverde.

The Monteverde Conservation League (MCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the tropical forest. Our mission is to Conserve, Preserve, and Rehabilitate Tropical Ecosystems and their Biodiversity.
Volunteers are needed for trail maintenance and clearing of the trails and various other tasks in the forest. They might also help out in the office, create information materials and signs.

Biological Reserve Monteverde Cloud Forest. Available at CPI Monteverde

The Monteverde Cloud Forest has earned its fame as one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the New World Tropics. Positioned on  the Continental Divide in Northwestern Costa Rica . The resultant combination of climatic and geographic factors creates temperature and humidity gradients, which change dramatically over relatively short distances.

Volunteers are needed for trail maintenance, helping to create Educational Programs (for school visits), assisting with workshops, creating visual/informational materials, and helping in reception with customer service.

CASEM.  Available at CPI Monteverde

CASEM, the Cooperativa de Artesanas de Santa Elena y Monteverde, is a non-profit crafts cooperative dedicated to enhancing the economic and social well-being of local women artists.
CASEM’s objectives are to offer employment opportunities to local women and to provide training in production and diversification of arts and crafts techniques. They also work to promote understanding of business operations in order to help generate extra family income and, more importantly, build self-esteem and encourage community participation.

Female volunteers with a background in art or experience in craftsmanship are welcome to volunteer at CASEM during their business hours. Preferably the volunteer will have a basic understanding of Spanish in order to communicate with the local women artists.

For more information and to register for the CPI Volunteer Program, please email the CPI Admissions Office or our authorized Representative.