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Did you know that volunteering abroad can be as effective, if not more effective way of learning a language than standard language classes? As a bonus, it can be much cheaper too!

There are a variety of placement options when volunteering: Part-time Volunteering, Full-time Volunteering, and Volunteer Only. If your schedule is tight and you are looking to volunteer a few days a week before or after classes, part-time volunteering is the best option for you. You’ll need to be in country for a minimum of 2-4 weeks. Full-time volunteering is a popular option because it offers a full immersion experience. You will spend a minimum of 6 weeks in the country; participate in two weeks of classes and four weeks volunteering full-time. Volunteer only placements are for those that already possess good language skills and/or are already familiar with the country.  Please note that each placement has a minimum language level requirement to begin work. Contact us if you are unsure where you fall.

Placement categories vary widely, including business/professional (marketing, accounting, etc.), construction, education, environment/nature, ESL teacher, healthcare, and social work, among others. One placement example is working with a youth outreach program in Brazil. This organization works to assist the people living in various slums in the southern zone of Rio de Janeiro. You can help out at the Community Education Centers, non-profit organizations who offer school and day care to children. Children, ranging in age from 3 months to 14 years are accepted into the program on need-based criteria. Volunteer doctors work at a small medical facility that provides care to about 1500 families. Another program in Salvador, Brazil works with adolescents to instill values through a community basketball program. The goal is to keep the kids off the streets while instilling wholesome values and avoiding delinquent behavior.

Another volunteer placement is at the Monteverde Butterfly Garden in Costa Rica. Volunteers are needed to give guides of the butterfly garden and museum, as well as general maintenance and gardening. People from all over the world volunteer at this placement, ensuring a varied, multicultural experience. For those interested in working with rescued animals, placements can be arranged in Costa Rica working with wild animals that were illegally taken from their natural environments. This placement is located in a remote section of Guanacaste, and participants must have a desire to live in a remote area, as well as want to work with animals and nature.

There is a wealth of volunteer opportunities out there, all you need to do is apply and see what piques your interest. 

By volunteering instead of only taking classes, you get real-life experience working with locals and using the local language in a completely different setting than one would as a tourist or student.  This is especially true when working with some of the lesser-developed communities who usually don’t have much exposure to English-speaking people. Volunteering is an excellent way to completely immerse yourself in a new culture and see a lot more of the country than you would from the classroom. Even though we call it “volunteering”, many teachers, social workers, etc. will also find it a helpful resume builder!

Volunteers can save a substantial amount of money by volunteering, as compared to regular classes. For example, 6 weeks of classes with a homestay will cost you about a thousand dollars more than a 6 week full-time volunteer position, which includes two weeks of classes and a homestay. During your placement, all you pay for is your lodging, which we try to keep as inexpensive as possible.

Realize that language skills compound the longer you are in the country. You will learn almost twice as much by staying three weeks as opposed to two weeks. Volunteering is a great way to maximize your language learning because you are using the language in a practical, daily manner for a longer period of time. For more information on AmeriSpan’s volunteer opportunities, click here.