Ecuador

Placement Overview

Ideal for anyone who wants to get stuck in with children. This placement offers you an opportunity to teach English to some of the poorest children in the capital of Ecuador. This incredible city, nestled high in the Andes is surrounded by lush subtropical valleys, thermal springs and snow-capped volcanoes.

Your Experience

Working at a centre in a poorer district of Quito you will help the children to learn English-a valuable and well respected skill throughout Latin America or help in arts based projects.

Placements are allocated after arrival to each volunteer by a volunteer coordinator based on the volunteer's interests and skill level.

As a volunteer you will help to fill a gap and will assist Monday to Friday on your placement. You do not need to prepare yourself especially for this placement other than try to brush up on your Spanish or learn a few phrases before you arrive.

Volunteers stay with local families or independently in a hostel which will be arranged for you.

Placement at a Glance

Age

18yrs+ on arrival

Project location

City

Accommodation

Self catering hostel or home stay with meals

Working hours

Variable Mon to Fri for Quito projects

Language

For some projects volunteers without conversational Spanish will require lessons on arrival (these will be arranged for you)

Minimum stay

4 weeks

Project operates

All year round

When to apply

At least 3 weeks before intended arrival, longer if arriving between June and September

Costs

Approx. £5 per day for hostel accommodation plus local one-off contribution of 0 US Dollars (approx. £100) on arrival which covers pick-up and local organisation of chosen placements

Airport Pick-up Service

Included in the 200 US Dollars one off fee on arrival

What's included in this programme

Volunteer accommodation in hostel/home stay. Volunteer coordinators are easily reached for assistance should you need it.

Other opportunities are available for longer stay volunteers with a basic grasp of Spanish or after a week or two's classes. These include conservation projects and cultural exchange projects in remote forest communities far from the beaten track and conservation and beach cleaning in small coastal villages. Spanish classes can be arranged after arrival.

Ecuador at a glance

As its name indicates, Ecuador sits astride the equator. It's relatively tiny size belies its staggering geographical diversity-from the heights of the snow-capped Andean peaks down to the remote Amazon rainforest. The landscape is complemented by the colourful textiles and traditional costume still worn by rainforest Indians and highlanders alike.

Ecuador is compact and easy to get around. While not all roads are paved, they are almost invariably scenic and interesting...

Climate: There are two main seasons, wet and dry. The rainy season in the jungle lasts April-June, Quito at 2580m can have four seasons in one day. Festivals: Dia de Quito, 6 December. Inti Raymi, June. Yamor, September. Mama Negra, November.

Time difference from UK: -5hrs GMT