More than 1.1 million Costa Ricans live in poverty - that’s 1 in every 5 individuals - and the population living in extreme poverty increased last year. Women and children are particularly vulnerable, and Costa Ricans living in poverty are more likely to live in a single-parent home with a higher-than-average number of children under 5 years. With more than 77% of this population working in the informal sector, a lack of employment security and fewer years of education are pressing concerns.
Join CCS as a volunteer in Costa Rica to fight for equal and complete education for children. With more than 12% of all children not completing primary school, CCS is determined to prepare students for success through early childhood preparation, and through support to mothers in the community working tirelessly to provide for their families.
In Costa Rica, CCS has been working for the past 15 years as leaders in early childhood education with the support of international volunteers.
While incredible environmental richness is a national treasure, it also brings with it some interesting social and economic challenges, such as an increasing percentage of regional immigration. Costa Rica’s reputation for social stability, along with its free education and universal healthcare, has drawn the attention of international trading partners, as well as immigrants from other Central American countries seeking better lives. As the economy changes, so do traditional social structures, which often neglect vulnerable populations and leave them little access to healthcare, education, or social services. As a Cross-Cultural Solutions volunteer in Costa Rica, you'll have the opportunity to work with local organizations as you work alongside vulnerable people to raise their quality of life.
Read more about the Costa Rica volunteer experience on our blog!
Once enrolled, you will have the chance to select the volunteer opportunity that's most interesting to you. Volunteers will always receive their first preference. The only exception to this will be when there are national or school holidays, or there are exceptional circumstances.
Child Development
CCS volunteers in Costa Rica greatly contribute to improving the quality of education that every child deserves. Women, mostly single mothers, need to work to support their family, and thus rely on community support to help with their children. Community groups and childcare centers are present to provide these essential services, but they are grossly under resourced and understaffed. CCS volunteers assist teachers, conduct early education programming, teach English language skills and provide children with one-on-one attention.
Global Health
Costa Rica’s healthcare system is universal, yet large gaps in public health education and access to basic services remain a challenge. Through outreach, education, and care, you will provide much-needed support to vulnerable children and adults in low-income communities. In addition CCS will be spearheading multiple public health projects in Costa Rica including vision screening for children, oral health campaigns and the promotion of hygiene in schools.
"Volunteers trust our students, respect their disability, but also recognize them as people who have their own goals and desires for the future. The impact has been very positive."
"CCS volunteers have helped us complete projects that would have otherwise been abandoned."
"Our community has learned so much about other cultures, and our own culture has been enriched as a result."
During your orientation, our CCS staff will take your group on a tour of Cartago, pointing out sites of interest from the famous, like the Basilica, to the practical, like banks, and the just plain zany, like a restaurant known for its cone-shaped pizza. You’ll also learn the path to the market and how to ride the bus; skills you’ll put to use as you begin to explore your new neighborhood on your own.
Whether your knowledge of the Spanish language starts and ends with "hola" or you're a fluent speaker, there’s a twice-weekly Spanish lesson that's right for you! Taught by our CCS staff at the Home-Base, each level targets specific language goals based on your abilities. From the basics - donde está el baño? - to local Costa Rican slang to help you connect with the neighborhood kids, we've got you covered.
Learn all about Costa Rica's past and present with CCS Costa Rica Country Director, Jose. He'll lead you and your fellow volunteers through conversations on history as well as some hot-button topics like immigration, politics, and the tourist industry. These talks provide an open and comfortable forum for all of your questions, and will set the stage for frank discussions about current issues like religion and LGBTQ rights in Costa Rica.
At weekly cooking classes, prepare mouth-watering Costa Rican recipes alongside our amazing CCS cooks. With your new Spanish vocab and a tasty plate of homemade gallo pinto -- traditional Costa Rican rice and black beans -- you'll have plenty to bond over.
Tour a local coffee plantation and learn about the organic process, from plant to package. Or focus on the importance of “buying local” from co-ops organized to help farmers survive in the increasingly globalized coffee market. After the tour, sample different local brews, and buy a pack or two to take home as a deliciously caffeinated reminder of your time in Costa Rica.
You might not have time to visit all of Costa Rica’s 26 national parks, but be sure to check out Manuel Antonio National Park. Sail through the treetops on a zipline tour or hit the surf at Manuel Antonio’s beach. If you tend to travel with a rash guard, you'll be happy to hear that Manuel Antonio has got some great breaks that are good to surf any time of year. Then, hike the beautiful forest trails or just relax on the shore and snap some photos of the epic neon sunsets.
Ride a horse through the foothills of the Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna and explore the Arenal Volcano, one of the most active in all of Costa Rica. Next, get extreme as you rappel down some of La Fortuna’s waterfalls. For a more tranquil experience, wander the sprawling sugar cane fields on horseback, and finish the day in the famous geothermal hot springs. Now doesn't that sound lovely?
Home to one of the world’s premier cloud forests, Monteverde invites you to indulge your inner nature-lover. Hike through clouds on platforms suspended in the treetops. Enjoy a unique glimpse into a rare and diverse ecosystem, including the nearly 500 species of wild orchids housed at a nearby orchid farm.
If you’re looking to take a break from city life, head just outside of Cartago to the Orosi Valley to enjoy the rugged beauty of rural Costa Rica. Spend some time wandering the streets of the colonial town of Orosi, and stop into the Church of San Juan, the oldest church in Costa Rica. Then, slip on your swimsuit and let your worries melt away as you soak in one of Orosi’s famous hot springs.
At Cartago’s Basilica, you’ll find Costa Ricans flocking to the country’s most famous church. Explore Cartago’s simply divine bakeries or invest in a jersey to show your support for the local fútbol -- soccer -- team, the oldest club in the nation. Take advantage of the chance to mingle with the frenzied crowds packing the stands -- and crowding atop parked buses around the perimeter -- of Cartago’s fútbol stadium. By the end of the day, you might just be mistaken for a Tico -- Costa Rican -- yourself.
If I look back at my life and could have even one moment of making the world a better place through work with vulnerable women and children, it would be worthwhile.
I grew up in rural Costa Rica, always grabbing for any educational opportunities and thankful to people, sometimes unknown, who trusted me and offered me a hand to grow. It’s these opportunities that led me to earning a degree in English Literature in the US, as well as opportunities to work in the academic field through the University of Costa Rica and Lawrence University. My experience and commitment to improving my community, country, and world continued through experiences at the United Nations, teaching in Washington D.C., and later, returning to Costa Rica with Cross-Cultural Solutions.
Working with students and volunteers has given me the opportunity to give back to my country and add true meaning to my life. Service and education are the greatest tools you can offer for a global mindset and to be of service to others. Each day, I witness the connection between volunteers and communities through true outreach and connection, and could not imagine doing anything else.
Reserve your spot today with a deposit of $350! Fees and start dates vary by destination and duration. Make selections below to get started. Did you know your out-of-pocket trip costs might be just a fraction of the below? Click here to find out how.
