from 1,746€

Outstanding 5rating (32)
  • Affordable And Clean Energy
Reopening soon

Solar Energy Workshop in Rural Communities

location
2 - 2 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Outstanding 5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Get hands-on experience in off-grid solar energy.
  • Learn how to build a solar panel from scratch!
  • Help schools located off-grid to get power.
  • Make memories of a lifetime together with a fun group of like-minded volunteers.
  • Experience the beauty of the Osa Peninsula while learning useful skills that can help you in your future career!

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Our goal is to provide power to small rural elementary schools around the Osa that are off-grid and without power. Furthermore we educate the local community about solar.


Why is your program important? Which social issues do you face? And how do you try to solve these issues?

The workshop aims at installing solar systems free of charge for chosen elementary schools or organizations in small remote communities with no access to grid-electricity. Furthermore we also ...

About the program


Why is your program important? Which social issues do you face? And how do you try to solve these issues?

The workshop aims at installing solar systems free of charge for chosen elementary schools or organizations in small remote communities with no access to grid-electricity. Furthermore we also try to educate the local communities (and you as a participant) about Solar energy, and show them how to install, maintain, and build their own solar system!

An important aspect of the project is that we involve the local community in the workshop and provide knowledge and expertise to locals on solar power systems. The locals are the ones managing and running the systems later on, so they’ll have to know how they work. You will help to educate the community about renewable energies and solar systems.

We are also including educational events for kids and adults throughout the workshop – usually we do a visit to our local high schools and show them how to make panels from scratch and teach them about solar energy.


What is your program exactly about? What is the role of the volunteer?

You as a participant in our Solar Power Project will gain an understanding of the basic engineering principles of photo-voltaic power and solar panels. You will receive theory and practical lessons on how solar panels work. We will make panels from scratch and install basic systems. We will also install solar systems on one or two of the places we will donate the solar system to (varying locations throughout the Osa Peninsula).
We ask of our participants to actively take part in the theory and practical lessons, and help us with the installations of the solar system. We also include a visit to the local high school and we ask from our participants to actively help plan the high school visit and teach high school kids about solar energy. We also include locals into our daily practical and theory classes, and we would appreciate that participants help us to teach locals about solar energy.

Surroundings

You'll be living and working mainly in Puerto Jimenez, a small rural town on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. The workshop will take place in communal buildings, such as the Salon Communal, which is a centrally located meeting place. 

With whom will the volunteers be working with?

The volunteers will be working with our instructors, program staff, and also with locals! You'll meet locals that also want to learn about solar energy, and help us teach them how it works!

What do you expect from the volunteers? What can the volunteers expect from you? Do the volunteers have to bring special equipment?

An ideal volunteer on this project has a passion for environmental conservation, renewable energy, and helping communities. As a participant you should be flexible, pro-active, creative, and a team-player! The workshop is held in English for our foreign participants. However, Spanish knowledge is always of advantage since you’ll be speaking with locals throughout the workshop and also communicate with your host family – who may not speak English!



Typical day

The daily schedule is from around 9am - 4pm, with a lunch break. There will be some days off in the middle and end of the workshop - so that you have the chance to enjoy the Osa Peninsula: go to the beach, go for a surf, go for a horseback ride, or just hang out around town

Typical day

The daily schedule is from around 9am - 4pm, with a lunch break. There will be some days off in the middle and end of the workshop - so that you have the chance to enjoy the Osa Peninsula: go to the beach, go for a surf, go for a horseback ride, or just hang out around town


Free-time activities

Volunteers could spend their time in Puerto Jimenez, a small town that has everything to offer for example: beautiful beaches, many hotels & resorts, travel agencies, rental tour companies, supermarkets, a hospital, a pharmacy, various gift shops, bars and restaurants. In addition, organizing your ...

Free-time activities

Volunteers could spend their time in Puerto Jimenez, a small town that has everything to offer for example: beautiful beaches, many hotels & resorts, travel agencies, rental tour companies, supermarkets, a hospital, a pharmacy, various gift shops, bars and restaurants. In addition, organizing your trip can easily be done with the various transportation possibilities like taxis, local and public busses, public boats to Golfito and even a local airport which is able to fly you all the way up to San José. Not to forget the many assortment of activities this town has to offer: sport fishing excursions, hiking, mountain biking, rappelling horse riding. Surrounded by the natural beauty you will be able to see scarlet macaws, crocodiles, monkeys and various colorful birds.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (fluently) or Spanish (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

An ideal volunteer on this project has a passion for environmental conservation, renewable energy, and helping communities. As a participant you should be flexible, pro-active, creative, and a team-player! The workshop is held in English for our foreign participants. However, Spanish knowledge is always of advantage since you’ll be speaking with locals throughout the workshop and also communicate with your host family – who may not speak English!

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 - 16:30

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Green Life Volunteers

FEES:

The two week program is 1800$.

FEES EXPLAINED: Our fees for the solar project covers a lot of different aspects. A significant amount goes into your host family accommodation and food. Another amount covers instructor expenses (flights, salaries,etc.) and coordinator/staff costs. Another part go into materials for the workshop. There is also an amount included in the fee as a donation to the project and will cover the solar system we donate to the schools. Finally, a small amount is used for transportation costs during the project (to installation and excursion sites), other costs such as room rental fee (which we have to pay to rent the room where we’ll be working in), and other small expenses.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE: First and last night in San Jose in a hostel, travel to and from the international airport (airport shuttles are around 30$ each way to San Jose - We can set this up for you, just ask us during sign-up), travel to the project site (usually by public buses, which are from around 10-16$ one way), national/ International flights, travel insurance, visa costs, Any additional food or snacks besides the host family meals, extra-curricular activities.

Accommodation

Our host families in Puerto Jimenez can host several volunteers at the same time, so you'll most likely share a room with another volunteer. We are going to try to separate rooms by gender, but there may be mixed-gender dormitory style rooms with several beds.

Food & Beverages

Host families provide three meals a day and there are plentiful local fruits provided for volunteers. Food is usually served around 6-7 am for breakfast, 12:30-1pm for lunch, and around 6pm for dinner. All volunteers will share meals together at the host family housing. For lunch there is a 2 hour break allocated to eat, and also to rest a little before continuing the workshop in the afternoon. 

We can accommodate vegetarians, vegans and allergies - please let us know if you have any special dietary needs during your sign up process.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Puerto Jimenez

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Puerto Jimenez (PJM) in Puerto Jimenez. We assist you to find cheap flights to Costa Rica. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Costa Rica provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Costa Rica you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Costa Rica. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

You'll arrive in the international airport in San Jose on the 14th of July, 2018. From there you'll take a short taxi ride to the hostel, where all participants and at least one program staff will meet. The next day, 15th of July, all of you will travel together from the hostel to the local bus terminal, and take the bus to the town Puerto Jimenez together. Upon arrival in Puerto Jimenez you'll be greeted by other program staff and taken to your host families. The next morning program staff will meet you at the host family and take you to the first program classes to start your first day. The last day of the project will be the 26th of July 2018, with potential flight out date for the 28th of July 2018.
We only have 1 project per year, for 2 weeks.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

2 weeks 1,746€
Average fees 873€/week

Program fees

873€ per week 2 - 2 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

2 - 2 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Green Life Volunteers during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Green Life Volunteers

Outstanding 5 rating (32 reviews)

Non-profit

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Janina

About the project

A small non-profit organization aims at providing affordable volunteering programs and improving the living standard of local peoples in Costa Rica

Meet your organization

Our goal is to provide power to small rural elementary schools around the Osa that are off-grid and without power. Furthermore we educate the local community about solar.

Who we are? 

Green Life Volunteers (GLV) is a small registered non-profit organization in Costa Rica, run by Janina Schan, the founder and manager, and dedicated Interns and volunteers. Janina founded GLV in 2012, after working already in the volunteer industry in Costa Rica for around a year. Our interns are students from Universities that need the internship to graduate, to conduct research, or they really just want to gain experience.

What we do?

Green Life Volunteers is a volunteer service organization placing volunteers in projects around Costa Rica. Some of the projects are created by GLV such as the Solar Power Project, and others are projects offered by other non-profit organisations, such as our Turtle Conservation. The projects we collaborate with are in need of help and have experience working with volunteers – which guarantees you to have a great time and an awesome experience. The projects are always run by local members of the community, non-profit, and with a benefit for people, nature, or animals.

Where we work?

We offer our volunteer placements in Costa Rica. Upon entering Costa Rica you will be granted a 90 day Tourist Visa* if you wish to stay longer  than the 90 days you will need to leave the country for 72 hours – offering a good excuse to  jump across the border and see neighbouring countries Panama or Nicaragua! This is an easy process and we will provide you with all the information you need on how to do this. Residents of USA, Canada, the EU, Australia and New Zealand are given 90 days Visa. For all other countries check with your embassy.

If you are travelling to Costa Rica from South America or Saharan Africa you will be required to have the Yellow Fever vaccination.  

Costa Rica is the most developed country in Central America and attracts over 2 million tourists each year! With tourism being its highest source of income Costa Rica has been sculpted to welcome and make life easier and safer for tourists. Families, youngsters and solo travellers are most welcome. As a country Costa Rica is a stable democracy. Medical care is modern and the tab-water is safe to drink.

Our mission/vision

We are a volunteer service organization placing volunteers in local non-profit organizations which are run by members of the local community and most importantly are in real need of help. GLV makes sure that every project has a positive impact on the local people, on the community, and the local animals and nature.

Our goals / Objective

Green Life Volunteers  provides non-profit organizations with volunteers who bring the man-power and know-how needed for their conservation or social development efforts. GLV makes sure that every project has a positive impact on the local people, on the community, and the local wildlife and nature.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for open minded individuals who love animals, conservation and social development. For us you’re not just a number - every volunteer has specific wishes, needs, and expectations, and we work hard to find the right volunteer work for you!

Why choose us?

We work with projects which are in need of actual help! Most organizations in Costa Rica make up “fake” projects which are entirely run by foreigners, make no actual difference and have no impact on the surrounding communities. You’ll spend large sums of money that go directly into foreigners pockets – no income and no benefit is made to any local community member.

We make sure and GUARANTEE that our projects are: local, grassroot, non-profit organizations, run by members of the local community, registered and licensed, and most importantly – IN ACTUAL NEED OF HELP!

32 reviews · rating5

The Solar Power Project by Green Life Volunteers in collaboration with Green Go Solar was a truly enriching experience. Whether your main goal is to learn about solar cell technology, experience the gorgeous rain forests and beaches of the Osa Peninsula, or meet and help out local Costa Ricans, this ...
My two week excursion with Green Life Volunteers exceeded my expectations. Janina’s organization (GLV), enthusiasm, kindness, and humor throughout the trip united the diverse group of volunteers and allowed for a fun and engaging learning environment. Week one was spent in a classroom and ...
I participated in the Green Life Volunteers Solar Power Project in collaboration with the Green Go Solar Project during the summer of 2018 and I couldn’t recommend it more! The team running the project were amazingly knowledgeable about every aspect of implementing an off-grid solar system and I ...
Anthony Thronton rating5

2018 at Solar Energy Workshop in Rural Communities

The team running the project were amazingly knowledgeable about every aspect of implementing an off-grid solar system and I learned so much from the course despite already having a technical background in solar systems. The project perfectly balanced classroom-based theory with hands-on workshop ...
I participated in the 2-week solar power workshop in June 2016. I came to the workshop with a general interest in clean energy and a desire for an immersive travel experience. In addition to learning all things solar (theory, system design and maintenance, installation, and how to build a panel ...
Once upon a time I was looking for an opportunity to volunteer and install solar energy abroad and learn more about off-grid PV systems. I stumbled across the Green Life Volunteers organization through google searching these kind of opportunities in Latin American countries, and Green Life ...

Location

Americas > Central America > Costa Rica > Puerto Jimenez

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