12 question to ask a volunteer organization

Despite our deliciously touristic name, “Tropical Adventures” is actually a non-profit. Our legal name is the Casa Milagro Foundation. Quite obviously we’re not set up to service budget travelers. The majority of our volunteers are people who want intense, authentic experiences of Costa Rica. They want to be well cared-for, to be able to customize something special for themselves, and they want the assistance of a guide throughout their trip.

Among the many things you should expect from a potential project is transparency. If they are doing what they claim to be doing, you should have no trouble getting copies of their annual reports (990 or 990-EZ) to the IRS. From the beginning of our existence, our objectives have been threefold:

1. Convert would-be tourists from inadvertently exploiting the country to volunteers who could make long-lasting, positive and eco-friendly impacts on the country and people.

2. Provide the volunteers with life-changing, positive experiences, so instead of returning home with just vacation photos, they can return having learned much more about the world and about themselves.

3. Use the donations we are able to generate (from all sources, including the fees volunteers pay) to keep inside the communities we’re trying to help.

Here is what we used our donations for last year. All of this being accomplished by the volunteers “andiamotony” thinks are “pretending” to volunteer while here:

a. Education of Costa Ricans - In five rural, public schools, the organization provided 3,750 hours of English, environmental, and art instruction, while at the same time mentoring a total of 265 students. Eight hundred hours of English instruction were delivered in two community centers, and approximately 80 hours of support were provided to assist understaffed employees of a government-run daycare & nutritional center in Hojancha.

b. Protecting Wildlife & Environment - The organization provided 4,320 hours of work protecting 10,142 sea turtles, and an unknown number of eggs & hatchlings at three protected sites. At the Camaronal Wildlife Refuge, boundary lines were measured and marked for their 578 acres, a new egg hatchery was built, and the main lodge, office and kitchen were painted. Five new cages were built, 20 injured animals were cared for, and a new educational plant nursery were built at the Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center. In addition, the organization planted approximately 800 trees, built 2 kilometers and maintained another 8 kilometers of trails.

c. Community Development - The organization provided 3,096 hours of service to 67 adults and 174 children, Indigenous members of the Bribri tribe, helping them learn new skills and to build alternative, sustainable sources of income. Five holiday events were provided across the country where food and gifts of toys and school supplies were distributed to more than 600 children. A summer camp was provided to 150 children during their school break where English, arts & crafts, and sports were taught. Emergency supplies of clothes and food were delivered to 22 families after major flooding hit the Talamanca Indigenous Reservation. The organization also painted a church, sea turtle lodge and an elementary school.

d. Volunteer Education (Self-Discovery) - The organization welcomed 150 international volunteers and introduced them to the natural beauty of Costa Rica and people of other cultures, in an attempt to help them learn more about themselves and the world.

I always suggest individuals considering an international volunteer program to consider the following questions before making their final purchase:

1. Does the volunteer organization operate as a non-profit, or are they merely a tour operator?

2. Does the organization respond in a timely and friendly way to your requests for information?

3. Are they willing to let you speak with past volunteers to get an idea of what their experiences have been like?

4. What kind of services does the organization have in place in case of an emergency?

5. Is the organization from the country they are supporting?

6. What is their refund policy?

7. Will they customize your volunteer experience so you can get the most out of your time there?

8. Does the organization accommodate any special needs you have (physically or dietary-related)?

9. Are they set up to support volunteers of any age?

10. Are the employees hired from the communities in which they serve, or do they bring people in from other countries?

11. Do the employees of the organization also participate in the volunteer work?

12. Are you supported once you arrive, or are you just “dropped off” to fend for yourself?

As an added service, when we are contacted by a potential volunteer who cannot afford our services, we provide them with a list of other less-expensive places to volunteer in Costa Rica. We are in the process of creating a website directory for the low-budget traveler. Our mission is to help the communities, wildlife and environment in Costa Rica. And if we have to accomplish that by sending someone to another program, so be it.

I’m glad to see the important questions coming up in this post. It means you are putting thought into your trip and you are trying to prepare yourself. There is no doubt that those who prepare themselves well before participating have a much better chance of ending up in the program that fits best.