Creative teaching project in Ecuador
- Varied activities
- High recreational value
- Knowledge sharing
Are you enthusiastic about languages, music or painting? As a sports coach, do you want to pass on your knowledge of the arts of movement? Or create great photographs? This project allows you to create your own learning ideas in the beautiful seaside town of Santa Elena. The educational program relies on a wide variety of creative approaches, with a particular focus on supporting women and their children.
Santa Elena
from 16 years
4 - 24 weeks
/ from €1.560
Sunday
Ensure inclusive, equitable and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
What's the matter?
We often don't trust ourselves to do many things, preferring to leave them to other people instead of trying out new things with passion. Children, young people and women in particular are often told what they say they can't do and what their limitations are. However, the women in the coastal region of Santa Elena do not want to be restricted. They have set up a project that offers self-paced learning programs at a community center in Salinas. The agency works with these women. By promoting all conceivable talents, they want to find the courage to break new ground.
A new language is like a new life. With this understanding, the organization wants to open up new possibilities for people. The focus of the educational program is therefore on language teaching. Here children, young people and adults can discover their passion for English and other languages such as French or Mandarin. Especially for women, who have few opportunities for professional development, language classes offer the opportunity to work in completely new fields of activity.
A lot can be achieved together. Not just learning a new language. In creative workshops, people should gain new skills and a sense of being strong in the community. The local organization wants to support the participants in the project to become active and put their ideas into practice. There are a wide variety of workshops, seminars, training courses and leisure activities in the artistic field, sports and crafts.
The cultural programs can be very creative. A little sample? Here are a few examples of workshops that have already taken place:
- Make-up tutorial: Doing make-up together is twice as much fun
- Make Panama hats (they were actually invented in Ecuador, not Panama!)
- cooking lessons
- Baking and confectionery courses for children at home
- Ballet for children
- Screen printing to design your own t-shirts
As you can see, there are hardly any restrictions for unusual workshops. And best of all: You can be right in the middle and design your own courses!
Your tasks as a volunteer
In the project you can take part in exciting workshops and lead your own courses. Here are some suggestions:
- Artistic: music, painting, handicrafts, drawing, dance, theatre, photography, sculpture, singing
- Athletic: football, basketball, yoga, meditation, chess, volleyball
- Crafts: gardening, crafts, recycling, woodwork
To do that, just send us a concept with your desired workshop. In it we need information about your previous experience in the desired area, the concept and the frequency of how often the workshop should take place.
Another focus of your work will be the language courses. You design the courses together with our team and the other volunteers according to an age-appropriate curriculum. The students are children, teenagers and adults, divided into different classes.
By giving language and cultural offers, you are taking on a responsible task. You will receive help from our team and the other participants. Over time you will grow and, depending on your knowledge, take on responsibility in other areas. Because the courses also have to be prepared and advertised. Depending on your skills, you can work in organisation, planning, creating materials and marketing, or even helping out with looking after small children.
You will generally be employed Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 15 p.m. Between 12:13 p.m. and 50:3 p.m. you have a one-hour lunch break. The lessons usually last 20 minutes each. On special occasions, you may be asked if you can help out in the evenings or at weekends. The exact working hours always depend on the participation of the students. The classes can seat between XNUMX and XNUMX people.
In order to participate in the program, you need a good knowledge of English and/or another language. Knowledge of Spanish is advantageous but not a requirement. It is possible to book a Spanish language course in Ecuador.
Working with people and especially children always requires a high degree of responsibility. Please also note that the project expects your participation. So you have to be reliable at the agreed times for work. Above all, it is important to enjoy working with people and passing on and exchanging knowledge. Prior pedagogical experience is useful, but not a requirement. In addition, the ability to work in a team, initiative, creativity, flexibility and empathy are important.
The project runs all year round and is only closed on regular holidays and weekends.
Accommodation Catering
Accommodation with a host family
During your stay you will live with a host family, usually together with other volunteers.
You can walk to the project from here or take the bus. It is also possible to rent a car.
Location
Santa Elena
The provincial peninsula of Santa Elena lies west of the Ecuadorian coast and boasts a variety of beaches, a distinctive natural and animal world and a tropical climate.
Around 40.000 people live in the capital of the province, which is also called Santa Elena, and enjoy the atmosphere of a modern and lively city. The surrounding beaches - and there are quite a few of them - are not only popular with surfers: every now and then you can also spot a whale or sea lion.
Here you have an excellent combination of urban flair and rural surroundings, with the coast also not far away. You can also use and improve your Spanish skills in Santa Elena! Connect with the locals and discover this exciting corner of Ecuador!
Your free time in Santa Elena
If you're in Santa Elena as a volunteer, don't forget to pack your bathing suit, because after your work on the project you'll have time to extensively test the beaches in your area.
Discover the beautiful beaches along the Ruta del Sol, a stretch of coast that runs through the provinces of Santa Elena and Manabi through several small towns and cities.
The internationally renowned beaches of Ballenita, Salinas and Montañita are particularly popular. The perfect places to relax, swim and sunbathe.
Alternatively, you can try other activities there, such as scuba diving, surfing, sport fishing and paragliding. As the crowning glory, it is worth watching the beautiful sunset from the beach and ending the day with it.
Whale watching is very popular in the Santa Elena region. If you want to see the impressive sea giants, take part in a whale watching boat tour. You will certainly never forget the sight of the beautiful animals.
Cultural activities are also not neglected in Santa Elena. Step back in time at the Los Amantes de Sumpa Museum. The special feature: The museum is located on an old cemetery of the indigenous Sumpa people. The skeletons found there are estimated to be 5000 to 8000 years old. A find of a 20 to 25-year-old couple embracing in the grave is particularly beautiful. In addition to the human remains, numerous antique objects such as pots, tools and carvings are also on display in the museum.
On-site procedure
Arrival in Guayaquil
Our driver will be waiting for you with a sign with your name right at the exit of Guayaquil José Joaquín Olmedo Airport. Because there is only one exit, you won't be able to miss it.
The drive from the airport to Santa Elena takes three hours. In Santa Elena you will stay with a host family. Once you've arrived, you can drop off your belongings in your new room and explore the property. Your orientation course begins the next day.
language course
If you have booked our language course in Quito, this five-day course will take place there directly in the accommodation. You can brush up on your Spanish skills and at the same time get to know everyday life in Ecuador in an interactive course through joint trips to Quito. Then you should fly on to Guayaquil on Sunday.
Orientation program in Ecuador
During the first two days that you are in the project, our team will prepare you for your upcoming stay in Ecuador. You will be offered activities that will help you get to know the country and the people better and learn more about the culture. Our team will show you what you need to consider so that you can find your way around the area and inform you about your activities and tasks in the project.
Your first day in the project
As soon as you have familiarized yourself with everything, you can start with your project work. To do this, you will drive to the deployment site together with one of our team members the next day. You get to know your contacts and the area there. Depending on how much previous knowledge you have and depending on the assessment and needs of the local specialists, you will be slowly introduced to the work or you will soon be assigned your own tasks.
Pricing
-
4 weeks of participationbase fee€ 1.560, -
-
up to 20 weeks respectivelyextension week€ 255, - / week
included
Services
Before departure
- Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
- Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
- Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
- Non-binding flight advice
- Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
- RGV t-shirt
On site
- Orientation program with the team on site
- Support and guidance from the on-site team
- RGV 24h emergency number
- Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities
- Airport transfer on the agreed day of arrival
- Accommodation in a host family
- Meals: Breakfast and dinner
After return
- Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
- Reflection course on your experiences abroad
- Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
not included
Services
- Round trip
- Private expenses on site
- Excursions with microlight flights
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Visa and Vaccinations
- All nights outside your agreed accommodation
- Public transport and extra transfers
- Airport transfer on departure day
Individual
Recommended additional offers
& must-haves
Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?
With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.
The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.
These special tariffs give you special added value:
- maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
- generous baggage allowance
- Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.
The following building blocks are included:
- Health Insurance
- Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
- Travel insurance
- One week language course in Quito or Santa Elena
- Interactive online TEFL/TESOL course for volunteers
- Interactive online TEFL/TESOL course
-
Two tools to get you started on your personal developmentPersonal development introductory courseFree of charge
RGV
FAQ
to the project
What are the project fees used for?
Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.
What visa do I need for Ecuador?
For Ecuador you need a tourist visa, which you can apply for upon arrival. This is valid for 90 days.
What language skills do I need for the project in Ecuador?
You don't need to know Spanish in advance, but as a beginner you will have to book the language course on site.
What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need?
If you are traveling from a yellow fever area, you need a yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise there are no compulsory vaccinations.
We generally recommend a consultation in a practice for travel and tropical medicine.
You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.
What are the requirements for the social project?
There are no special requirements for participation. What is important is enjoyment of working with children, a sense of responsibility, exemplary behavior, use of appropriate language, initiative and empathy. Comfortable clothing appropriate for a children's center is recommended, as is clothing that can get dirty (when painting, for example). Smoking should not be allowed in the presence of children.
What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?
Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.
For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.
Ready to volunteer in Ecuador? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!
Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.
You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.
Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.
RGV
Your way
to the volunteer
1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.
2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.
3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.
4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.
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Impressions &
Impressions
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