Volunteering
Monteverde is such a popular destination that we get far more offers to volunteer than we can accommodate. At times we have had to decline these generous offers.
We are a small school and the impact of visitors and volunteers is easily felt. A volunteer must gain a student’s trust and be of prolonged help to him or her. Therefore, we ask for a commitment of at least a quarter (10-12weeks). We may make exceptions in the case of a more experienced volunteer with specialized training, such as a special education consultant or reading specialist, or in the case of volunteers who plan to work exclusively outside the classroom.
We look for a good match between the skills you bring with you, often career or hobby oriented, and our specific needs at a given time. Some of our needs are classroom and teaching-oriented and we look for volunteers with substantial classroom experience. We are often looking for activities that engage students in the community and particularly the environment around them. In addition, we can often use administrative and maintenance skills that are needed to keep a school running.
Timing is also important. We suggest you look at our calendar for the school year to see both when we are in session and when there are special events. We have several volunteers who have worked with us for a decade or more who usually join us between January and April, so we may not have additional opportunities then. The first semester is more open for volunteering.
If you are interested in volunteering with us, please initiate contact through a Contact Us email. Please provide information about when you plan to be in Monteverde and a brief description of your background and skills. If we mutually decide to proceed, we’ll ask you to complete an application and participate in an in-person or Zoom interview.
We require volunteers to provide a background check from a national entity in the country they’ve lived in for recent years – e.g. the FBI in the United States or the RCMP in Canada. We also require proof of COVID vaccination.
