The Global Volunteer Network offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities in Panama.
Volunteers can work with an assortment of organizations including orphanages, schools, wildlife, and environmental organizations, working with the elderly or handicapped, literacy projects, jewellery making, and much more!
Volunteers may choose to work in the following areas:
Childrens' Programs
As a volunteer you have the opportunity to help children in need and aid in developing and inspiring their minds and hearts. These children seek love, attention, knowledge and education to empower them to have successful futures, free from poverty and filled with opportunities.
This program works to create growth and development opportunities for children and teenagers in extreme poverty conditions with a focus on children living in orphanages and those who come from low income families.
Volunteer opportunities include:
* working in orphanages assisting with daily activities and childcare duties, performing psychological profiling of new arrivals and other social service duties;
* working with teenage mothers and their newborn children;
* working as a youth mentor helping with homework and being a friend to confide in and talk too;
* running Saturday morning soccer; and music classes.
As some of these projects are not full-time, volunteers must be able to join 2 to 3 projects to build a full-time schedule.
This role is suitable for a positive, caring, motivated, and self-directed person who has a love for children and has childcare experience.
Literacy Program
The ability to read, write and speak English is key for many Panamanians in the workforce or those planning to enter the workforce. Reading makes it possible to obtain knowledge that would not otherwise be absorbed into our minds. It gives us increased levels of self-esteem, enhances our personal self-worth and our self-confidence to succeed in fulfilling our hopes and desires.
Volunteers have the opportunity to teach English and Literacy skills. Teaching and reading is done one-on-one or in small groups.
This role is suitable for an organized, patient, and self-motivated individual. A teaching qualification is not required, but volunteers need to be confident teaching English and preferably have or are studying towards a university degree.
Volunteers are not required to speak Spanish however a basic knowledge is beneficial.
Community Outreach Programs
Our partner works with a number of small community based organizations that provide important services to enhance the local community.
Volunteers have the opportunity to work with the disabled, animal wildlife programs, nutrition projects, and community recycling. All projects are full-time, however there is flexibility to work in two projects.
Disabled Centre for Children and Adults: Volunteers have the opportunity to work in a center for the disabled giving physical or speech therapy to both children and adults. This can include playing games, pushing someone in a wheelchair, reading a book, helping with handicrafts, or just being available to lend a helping hand where needed.
Animal Refuge Project: Volunteers will work with an animal refuge and educational centre that saves and provides a home for unwanted, abused, and abandoned animals, and also provides a long-term home for macaw parrots. Volunteers are needed to assist in caring for the animals, maintaining the center, increasing awareness, and providing valuable information to guests of the center.
Nutrition Project: The Boquete area has a large, generally poor, indigenous population in which malnutrition is a problem. Our partner works with local groups in an effort to reduce end this problem. Currently, school children and members of the community in dire need are recipients of food parcels; the attendance rate has increased by 30% since the project started. Volunteers will be involved in food collection and sorting, visiting families with food parcels, and spending time and getting to know recipients.
Recycle it:: Volunteers have the opportunity to work in one of two community projects. The first project runs school based programs in conjunction with collecting recyclable products. Volunteers will promote art by using recycled items to educate school children about the value of recycling and their responsibility to the environment. The second project provides a service to the community by redistributing surplus goods to those who need them. They work with any serviceable commodity including, but not limited to, clothing, appliances, books, shoes, furniture, houseware, etc. Volunteers are needed to assist with the collecting, sorting, and distribution of materials.
The Gem Project: The GEM Project is a jewelry-making empowerment program that inspires positive thinking, global giving, and creative power for positive individual and social change. The GEM Project is currently working with mothers with children with disabilities, and young pregnant teens who are struggling to care for themselves and their babies. The GEM Project is currently seeking volunteers that are skilled jewellery designers, GEM Mentors, and GEM Motivational Leaders. Both English and Spanish speakers are welcome. Male volunteers may be limited in participating with certain activities and events.
A US$350 application fee will secure your place on the program, with your program fee due for payment eight weeks before you begin your placement. You only pay your application fee once and then you can access any of GVN's volunteer programs over the next 5 years.
Once your application fee is paid the remainder of the cost for your time in the Panama program is:
* Cost for 1 weeks - US $460
* Cost for 2 weeks - US $693
* Cost for 3 weeks - US $856
* Cost for 4 weeks - US $969
* Cost for 5 weeks - US $1082
* Cost for 6 weeks - US $1195
* Cost for 7 weeks - US $1308
* Cost for 8 weeks - US $1421
* Cost for 9 weeks - US $1534
* Cost for 10 weeks - US $1647
* Cost for 11 weeks - US $1760
* Cost for 12 weeks - US $1873
The fee covers your breakfast, accommodation, orientation session, airport pick-up from David, Spanish Crash Course and on-going support from our partner organization. Included in this are opportunities to attend weekly Salsa lessons, Wifi access, regular volunteer social gatherings and a certificate of completion from our partner organization. Your program fee also includes a donation used to support the organization you are working with in Panama.
The other costs you will need to meet are your flights, tourist visa, vaccinations, travel insurance, and departure tax. You will also need to consider other expenses including food (between $7-12 per day), transportation, bottled water, personal costs, beverages, and entertainment.
For more information and details on the costs of this program visit
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/panama
If you have a question then send it to:
info@volunteer.org.nz
* The Global Volunteer Network offers opportunities in Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nepal, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, South Africa, South Dakota, Thailand, Uganda, and Vietnam.
