Panama

Volunteer Holidays offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities in Panama. Volunteers can work with in an assortment of projects including orphanages, schools, wildlife, and environmental, working with the elderly, or handicapped, literacy projects, jewellery making, and much more! The Panama projects are based in the small mountain village of Boquete. It is a picturesque tropical rainforest tucked away on the eastern slopes of Volcan Baru.

Program Location
Our Panama program is located in the valley of Boquete and in the city of David. Boquete is situated in the western highlands of Panama at 1,200 metres above the sea level. Nestled amongst the country's most mountainous region, this peaceful town is situated between the Caldera River and Baru Volcano. Surrounded by untouched tropical cloud forests, Boquete is just one hour away from unspoiled white sand beaches in the Pacific and four hours from Bocas del Toro in the Caribbean, offering volunteers plenty of opportunities to hit the beach during the weekend to enjoy the warmth of the sun and experience some of the most amazing scuba diving, snorkelling, and surfing that they could imagine. Boquete is a very safe place and has a large expatriate community of North Americans and Europeans.

David is located roughly 45 minutes away from Boquete, and is the second largest city in Panama. David is situated on gently rolling plains about half way between the Pacific Ocean to the south and the Cordillera Talamanca Highlands to the North. To the south of David is the city of Puerto Armuelles and the beaches of Lar Barqueta, Las Lajas and Playa Hermosa. In David you can encounter a wide range of international cuisines, museums, cinemas, shopping malls, dance clubs, bars, and is the centre of a rich farming area. It is also only one hour from the Costa Rican border.

Online Spanish Lessons
We have established a partnership with the Spanish school Instituto Exclusivo, which offers our volunteers a 5% discount off their online Spanish lessons. This is not like other courses which give you pages of web material or recordings of various phrases to repeat. You will speak to, and see your instructor as he/she is giving you a private lesson, tailored to your level of Spanish.

Panama Programs

- Children's Programs
As a volunteer you have the opportunity to help children in need and aid in developing and inspiring their minds and hearts. These children seek love, attention, knowledge and education to empower them to have successful futures, free from poverty and filled with opportunities. This program works to create growth and development opportunities for children and teenagers with a focus on children living in orphanages, and those who come from low income families. Volunteer opportunities include: working in orphanages assisting with daily activities and childcare duties; working with teenage mothers and their newborn children; working as a youth mentor helping with homework and being a friend to confide in and talk too; running Saturday morning soccer; and music classes. As some of these projects are not full-time, volunteers must be able to join 2 to 3 projects to build a full-time schedule. This program is suitable for a positive, caring, motivated, and self-directed people who have a love for children.

- Literacy Program
The ability to read, write and speak English is key for many Panamanians in the workforce or those planning to enter the workforce. Volunteers have the opportunity to work as English teachers within the community of Boquete with both adults and younger students. Teaching and reading is done one-on-one or in small groups. This program is suitable for organized, patient, and self-motivated people. A teaching qualification is not required, but volunteers need to be confident teaching English and preferably have or are studying towards a university degree. Volunteers are not required to speak Spanish however a basic knowledge is beneficial.

- Community Outreach Programs
Our partner works with a number of small community based organizations that provide important services to enhance the local community. Volunteers have the opportunity to work in a variety of projects; with the disabled, nutrition projects, animal wildlife, and community recycling. Most projects are not full-time, so volunteers can expect to be placed in a combination of projects. Placements will be allocated with volunteers interests in mind, but please note that you will need to be flexible. Below are examples of some of the possible placements in the Community Outreach Program.

Disabled Centre for Children and Adults: Volunteers have the opportunity to work in a center for the disabled giving physical therapy to both children and adults. This can include playing games, pushing someone in a wheelchair, reading a book, helping with handicrafts, or just being available to lend a helping hand where needed.

Animal Refuge Project: Volunteers will work with an animal refuge and educational centre that saves and provides a home for unwanted, abused, and abandoned animals, and also provides a long-term home for macaw parrots. Volunteers are needed to assist in caring for the animals, maintaining the center, increasing awareness, and providing valuable information to guests of the center.

Youth Development Sports Project: Volunteers are encouraged to engage children in physical activity to create a positive team environment and encourage healthy lifestyles. This includes community sports as well as the opportunity to develop projects in local schools.

Recycle it: Volunteers have the opportunity to work in one of two community projects. The first project runs school based programs in conjunction with collecting recyclable products. Volunteers will promote art by using recycled items to educate school children about the value of recycling and their responsibility to the environment. The second project provides a service to the community by redistributing surplus goods to those who need them. They work with any serviceable commodity including, but not limited to, clothing, appliances, books, shoes, furniture, houseware, etc. Volunteers are needed to assist with the collecting, sorting, and distribution of materials.

The GEM Project: The GEM Project is a jewelry-making empowerment program that inspires positive thinking, global giving, and creative power for positive individual and social change. The GEM Project is currently working with mothers with children with disabilities, and young pregnant teens who are struggling to care for themselves and their babies. They are currently seeking volunteers that are skilled jewellery designers, mentors, and motivational leaders. Both English and Spanish speakers are welcome. Male volunteers may be limited in participating with certain activities and events.

Program Cost
A US$97 application fee (fully transferable) will secure your place on the program, with your program fee due for payment eight weeks before you begin your placement. You only pay your application fee once and then you can access any of our volunteer programs over the next 5 years.

Once your application fee is paid the remainder of the cost for your time in the Panama program is:

1 week: US $1397
2 weeks: US $1597
3 weeks: US $1797
4 weeks: US $1997
5 weeks: US $2097
6 weeks: US $2197
7 weeks: US $2297
8 weeks: US $2397

What's Included

The other costs you will need to meet are your flights, tourist visa, vaccinations, travel insurance (compulsory), and departure tax. You will also need to consider other expenses including food (between $7-12 per day), transportation, bottled water, personal costs, beverages, and entertainment.

To see the cost in your currency, we recommend you look here.

Program Schedule
Placements start on the first or third Monday of each month.

You may stay from one to twelve weeks. Your stay can be extended beyond twelve weeks on a case-by-case basis (depending upon visa and our partner's requirements).

Volunteer placements and orientations take place of the first and third Monday of each month. Volunteers are encouraged to arrive on the Friday before their placement to have the weekend to explore the area and gain comfort with the culture.

Schools are closed during the summer months, January to March each year. During this time school programs will be closed.

Contact Us
If you would like more information on any of these projects, or if you have any questions, please email Lee-Anne or phone 03 6224 7444.


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