from 1,479€

Brilliant 4.7rating (29)
  • Good Health And Well-Being

Surf & Help Community Development

location
4 - 16 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Support children and young people to become agents of change and break the poverty cycle
  • Create change in a community through surf, education and environmental conservation.
  • Learn to surf with locals and volunteers and live right by the beach!
  • Improve your Spanish skills with a FREE 20-hour intensive Spanish course!
  • Our volunteers can expect 24/7 in-country support.

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Create change and support community programs and environmental conservation through youth and children programs, surf, and environmental conservation activities.

Although the island of Tierra Bomba is located next to the mainland of Cartagena, the village is struggling with water deficiency, poor electricity supply and missing garbage disposal. Many families live in poverty, fighting every day to earn enough for their daily lives. Many of the kids and youth ...

About the program

Although the island of Tierra Bomba is located next to the mainland of Cartagena, the village is struggling with water deficiency, poor electricity supply and missing garbage disposal. Many families live in poverty, fighting every day to earn enough for their daily lives. Many of the kids and youth grow up in adverse conditions, they don't go to school regularly and instead have to work to support their families. This project strengthens their capacities, pushes them to get a solid education, and provides them with discipline and values through water sports and educational activities among others. This way, they increase their future opportunities and open up to new perspectives in life.

The project also has the vision that if children and young people develop values, increase their capacities and learn about sustainable development and environmental protection, they will be the agents of change that will protect their environment and lead their communities into a more sustainable lifestyle in harmony with their surroundings and nature.

We include a 1-week full immersion FREE Spanish course because we believe that it will allow you to have a greater impact on the project, as you will be able to interact with local people and communities and share knowledge and skills. The Spanish course is catered to your project and will teach you specific vocabulary that you will need during the placement. 

The project creates a long-lasting impact for the whole community through 3 focus areas:

Education:
  • Reintegrating and keeping young people in school until graduation and supporting them in their first moves in university and in the working environment.
  • Providing extracurricular activities such as language, technology and IT, sustainable arts and crafts, environmental workshops, and women empowerment workshops.
Sports:
  • To motivate and encourage self-discipline, the project engages children and youth in watersports such as surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and paddleboard.
  • Through sports, they learn different values, such as team spirit, companionship, resilience, sharing and solidarity.
  • Water sports are also a tool to raise awareness among young people about environmental conservation and a litter-free environment.
Environmental Conservation:
  • Protecting the environment forms part of everything the project does, creating awareness of sustainable thinking and conservation through workshops and activities.
  • The project works with the community as a whole organizing recycling festivals and clean-up days, where hundreds of local people participate, collecting and recycling more than 50 tons of garbage in the past years.

Typical day

On a typical day, you will work from 8.30 to 1.30 in the morning. There is a structured timetable every week, and as a volunteer, your main responsibility will be to support the extracurricular activities and workshops, such as the languages, IT, surf and sports, environmental, and women's ...

Typical day

On a typical day, you will work from 8.30 to 1.30 in the morning. There is a structured timetable every week, and as a volunteer, your main responsibility will be to support the extracurricular activities and workshops, such as the languages, IT, surf and sports, environmental, and women's empowerment workshops. You will also support the other project's activities such as the environmental awareness and community activities with the locals. 

The project is open to ideas on different workshops according to your expertise and interests, which you can discuss and plan with your coordinator. 

In the afternoons you can surf the waves with the local children and young people, explore the beach with the other volunteers, relax in the hammock area or support some of the other project's activities, interacting with the local community and getting to know the local culture and customs.

Free-time activities

Your project is very close to Cartagena, a beautiful colonial city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It is famous for its life, its culture, and its vibrant colors. It is a touristy city so there are lots of things to do and try!

  • Visit historical monuments and castles
  • Walk through its colonial ...

Free-time activities

Your project is very close to Cartagena, a beautiful colonial city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It is famous for its life, its culture, and its vibrant colors. It is a touristy city so there are lots of things to do and try!

  • Visit historical monuments and castles
  • Walk through its colonial streets
  • Try local gastronomy
  • Learn how to dance
  • Biking
  • Hiking
  • Snorkeling in the famous coral reefs of Isla del Rosario
  • Exploring nature parks nearby
  • Island-hopping
  • White sanded beaches full of palm trees in Isla de Baru
And much more! Your local project coordinator will be happy to recommend things to do in your free time. 

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 (basic level)

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

Covid Vaccine

Nationality Restrictions

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

Other Skills

You don’t need to have any special technical expertise, only sincere personal commitment. It goes without saying that whatever kinds of project-related expertise you may bring to the table will be gladly received and put to good use.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 08:30 - 13:30

What's Included

What's Included

Services by NGO Taxi

  • Lodging: Volunteers have their own bedroom and bathroom unless you apply with a friend, partner or family, where you will be sharing a room.
  • Usage of all facilities
  • Meals: You will have a cooked meal twice a week. The rest of the week the organisation will buy the food you want (you will make a shopping list with the other volunteers) and you will have access to a kitchen to cook.
  • Airport pickup
  • Pre-arrival pack.
  • FREE 20 hour Spanish course
  • Comprehensive NGO Taxi Support Packet (see section Additional Information).
  • On-site support through your volunteer coordinator.
  • 24 hour support.

Airport Pickup at Rafael Nunez International Airport

You will be picked up at the airport and taken to your accommodation for your Spanish course. You will receive more information on how to get to your project after your Spanish Course week in our Pre-Arrival Pack.

Accommodation

During your week at the Spanish course, you will be staying with a host family in Cartagena, close to your Spanish School, with your own private bedroom and a shared bathroom.

During your time at the project, you will be living at the project site, with your own bedroom and bathroom. Bed linen is available but you should bring your own towel.

There is Wifi, phone coverage, sea views, and a hammock area where you can chill with the rest of the volunteers.

Food & Beverages

During your week at the Spanish course, breakfast is included.

During your time at the project, you will have access to a kitchen where you can prepare your meals. All the food is included, you will make a shopping list with the other volunteers and the food will be bought for you. There will be 2 days a week where a local lady will make the meals and teach you how to cook local food, if you are interested!

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG) in Cartagena. We assist you to find cheap flights to Colombia. 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 Colombia provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

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

Details on arrival

Official start dates:
1st and 3rd Sunday of the month

Individual start dates:
+ € 150,00 – Start your placement any Sunday of the month

The project is closed between the 24th of December and the 8th of January and through the whole month of June.

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

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 1,479€
8 weeks 2,894€
12 weeks 4,287€
16 weeks (max. stay) 5,716€
Average fees 363€/week

Program fees

363€ per week 4 - 16 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

4 - 16 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 NGO Taxi during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your organization

NGO Taxi

Brilliant 4.7 rating (29 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2012

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Alex

About the project

NGO Taxi is partner for small organizations and individuals that have a strong social objective and are working hard to make a difference in their communities.

Meet your organization

Our Organization

We work as international logistics, communications and service provider for humanitarian aid projects by supporting local, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profit organizations (NPOs) and private development aid initiatives. All organizations we work with, are vetted to ensure they have high levels of accountability and transparency.

Our Commitment

We provide a platform through which organizations in Latin America can find the resources they need to achieve their goals, including people placement, technology and capacity building. This includes skilled manpower, relief items, construction materials, administrative, educational, environmental and medical support. Our commitment is to be an online advocate and agent of change.

Our Approach

NGO Taxi identifies projects in need. When a project has been approved to be accountable we send volunteers to support and work together with communities and supporters to identify issues and design sustainable solutions (e.g. micro finance initiatives). From beginning to end the entire life cycles of our projects – the identification process, the evaluation process and the monitoring of project locations and development aid initiatives – are documented.

29 reviews · rating4.7

I really enjoyed my time in Ecuador and especially my time at the Surf and Help camp, with 9 other volunteers. The accommodation is really nice and close to the beach. The people are friendly and helpful and we were a big community; we spent a lot of time together, cooking, surfing, diving, and ...
The Surf and Help camp was a great start to my South American journey. It was a lot of fun with the other volunteers and the local people. I really enjoyed learning to surf and dive. The work in the wildlife center was really interesting and I learned a lot about the animals and how the ...
Viktorija Stojcheva rating5

2024 at Sustainable Living & Yoga Retreat Camp

I am finding it difficult to find the words to describe my experience at Akasha permaculture. Words seem too limited. Too simple. Too mundane. To capture the profound, life-changing, transcending 5 weeks me and my partner spent at Akasha farm with Paola and Marlon. Paola and Marlon are one of the ...
Rihane Bengassem rating4.6

2023 at Surf & Help - Marine Wildlife Conservation

Beautiful experience. The accommodation was beautiful. I liked the hammocks especially:) The staff at the accommodation were very kind. The Spanish school was also very nice. All the teachers were super nice. Got to learn a lot after just a couple of classes. Surf classes were also very helpful. ..
I have rarely seen so many happy people, and laughed so freely. I spent my time in Peru in the animal shelter project. My thoughts of what to expect there were quite different to what I found. The village in which you live consists mainly of wooden huts, with mountains and greenery around you ...
Mark rating4.6

2020 at Sustainable Living Camp

I stayed at Rio Muchacho from December 15, 2019 until February 26, 2020. The first week as a paid guest and from then on as a volunteer. The farm is located in the province of Manabi in Ecuador close to the beach town of Canoa. A 20-minute taxi ride takes you inland through rural Ecuador into the ...

Location

Americas > South America > Colombia > Cologne

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Contact Alex
  Excellent response rate

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