WELCOME
This is the volunteer program page for the VOLUNTARIOS DE OCCIDENTE (VDO) projects in Ecuador.
The volunteer program
The aim of the program is to give volunteers the opportunity to help poor people by offering assistance to the projects of Voluntarios de Occidente. VDO works directly with the people, in the primary and secondary schools, in rural and suburban communities, in the families, in construction projects in health institutions and many other places. VDO offers several opportunities to help.
This is an immersion program and is a great opportunity to practice and improve your Spanish while becoming part of the local communities and families. There are many opportunities to practice Spanish with the projects themselves and through other side activities.
While working in this program you will have enough time to take day trips to visit nearby touristic places and enjoy other beautiful attractions in each area, for example, the beautiful volcanoes in the central Andean region or the jungle in the Amazon region.
This is the volunteer program page for the VOLUNTARIOS DE OCCIDENTE (VDO) projects in Ecuador.
The volunteer program
The aim of the program is to give volunteers the opportunity to help poor people by offering assistance to the projects of Voluntarios de Occidente. VDO works directly with the people, in the primary and secondary schools, in rural and suburban communities, in the families, in construction projects in health institutions and many other places. VDO offers several opportunities to help.
This is an immersion program and is a great opportunity to practice and improve your Spanish while becoming part of the local communities and families. There are many opportunities to practice Spanish with the projects themselves and through other side activities.
While working in this program you will have enough time to take day trips to visit nearby touristic places and enjoy other beautiful attractions in each area, for example, the beautiful volcanoes in the central Andean region or the jungle in the Amazon region.
Conditions
Working hours are normally four or five hours each day from Monday to Friday. There is no work on weekends but each project can have an specific timetable.
Accommodation is with local poor families in the community or in the nearest house of Voluntarios de Occidente. In some places hostal accomodation is necessary.
Meals are served in the house from Monday to Saturday morning.
We ask for a time commitment of one month minimum, and two months maximum.
When you enter to the program there is a one week of intensive introduction activities
Basic, intermediate or an advanced level of Spanish is required. The level required varies from project to project.
Volunteers must be over 24 years old. This program is for mature persons, with a genuine interest in serving others. This program is not for people looking for free accomodation and meals, free tourism or sex and drugs experiences.
Accommodation is with local poor families in the community or in the nearest house of Voluntarios de Occidente. In some places hostal accomodation is necessary.
Meals are served in the house from Monday to Saturday morning.
We ask for a time commitment of one month minimum, and two months maximum.
When you enter to the program there is a one week of intensive introduction activities
Basic, intermediate or an advanced level of Spanish is required. The level required varies from project to project.
Volunteers must be over 24 years old. This program is for mature persons, with a genuine interest in serving others. This program is not for people looking for free accomodation and meals, free tourism or sex and drugs experiences.
This program is for people able to work an live indepently during an specific time commitment, not for backpackers looking for a place where to pick up fellow travellers.
In some project locations with high touristic season as the Amazon region a minimum number of confirmed volunteers is necessary in order to run the program.
All this information is valid and is the same for one person or for each member of a group.
Projects location in Ecuador
North region:
In some project locations with high touristic season as the Amazon region a minimum number of confirmed volunteers is necessary in order to run the program.
All this information is valid and is the same for one person or for each member of a group.
Projects location in Ecuador
North region:
Cotacachi, Otavalo
Central region:
Sangolqui, near Quito
Ambato, our home town and main projects
Salasaca, indigenous community
Amazon region:
Tena, Misahualli
Puyo, Pastaza River
AFTER YOUR REGISTRATION YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO COMPLETE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH PROJECT
Volunteers needed
- Volunteer Teachers for English language, basic Computers skills, Arts and Sports training (in special soccer football).
- Volunteer for a good video camera for making v ideos on the projects.
- Volunteer with good skill in Joomla and Internet programation for helping in the web pages development.
- Volunteer for helping in health campaings in the Amazon region.
- Volunteers for helping in reading promotion campaigns (in Spanish).
- Volunteers for helping in the general administration of the projects.
- Volunteers for helping in construction and improvement of houses.
Registration fees
VDo is a non profit organization with the only aim of giving you the best volunteer opportunities in Ecuador. We do not receive any support from any government agency. The only way this program can operate is by means of contribution from members. You are invited to enter to our association and we can guarantee you that with VDO you will find the voluntteer opportunity you are looking for.
VDO is a fellow asociation of more than 200 former volunteers and friends anxious of giving you the best information about their experiences for you to have a succesful participation in the program and safe travels in South America.
The registration fees to VDO is FREE but you are invited to make any donation if you can.
Members that make volunteer donations over USD 36 receive an special membership that allows you to Sign in to the pages and gives you you the opportunity to have the most complete, trustable and updated information about VDO, the programs the projects and volunteer opportunities.
The special membership allows youYou receive also updated information about easy, safe and affordable travels in Ecuador. As VDO special member you have access to more than 60 true testimonies and email adresses of former volunteers. You will have also access to all the VDO web pages with abundant information, articles, photos and videos.
For both member and special members VDO offer the opportunity to volunteer and participate in our projects in Ecuador.We have true volunteer opportunities in real projects for true volunteers.
We invite you to be one more member of VDO starting now. You only need to Sign Up and make the registration donation via our online paypal button or via Western Union.
Cost
In VDO we do not have program fees. VDO registered members can participate in any project without paying any fees. We can offer you free participation because we are also volunteers and we do not have to pay for bureaucracy.
About accomodation and meals costs we have four categories:
1. FREE food and accomodation
For both member and special members VDO offer the opportunity to volunteer and participate in our projects in Ecuador.We have true volunteer opportunities in real projects for true volunteers.
We invite you to be one more member of VDO starting now. You only need to Sign Up and make the registration donation via our online paypal button or via Western Union.
Cost
In VDO we do not have program fees. VDO registered members can participate in any project without paying any fees. We can offer you free participation because we are also volunteers and we do not have to pay for bureaucracy.
About accomodation and meals costs we have four categories:
2. ONLY ACCOMODATION (around US$160 per month)
3. LOW COSTS food and accomodation (from US$330 up to $390 per month for food and accomodation)
4. Free program participation and food and accomodation by your own means in a hostal or other kind of accomodation as a friend´s house.
You can be sure that with VDO you will have the best affordable volunteer opportunities if you consider that our projects are located in the best but expensive places for visitors in Ecuador. After your registration you will have access to the most complete infoprmation on costs and other topics for each project.
we do not have hidden fees. The only additional cost to consider is the airport pick up service. In some places we have free airport service for daylight hours, in other places we ask for an additional airport pick up sdervice payment. But always you are free to arrive by your own means if you are an experienced traveller.
VDo is a non profit registered Charity in USA with IRS tax benefits for contributions made in USA.
Application and Confirmation process
For the normal program when the volunteer is making travel and volunteer plans with several months in advance, we have the following procedure:
1. Application. After your registration you will have access to abundant information and you will receive detailed information about projects, volunteer opportunities and costs for each project location in Ecuador. You can take the time you want for choosing the dates and project you like the most, then you will apply for an specific project location and participation dates. Application must be made with at least three months in advance to your arrival date.
2. After application you will receive our Confirmation with detailed information about your participation. We will confirm you if there is a place for free or with payment, minimum number of confirmed volunteers necessary (only in some projects) and the number of participants already confirmed.
You can be sure that with VDO you will have the best affordable volunteer opportunities if you consider that our projects are located in the best but expensive places for visitors in Ecuador. After your registration you will have access to the most complete infoprmation on costs and other topics for each project.
we do not have hidden fees. The only additional cost to consider is the airport pick up service. In some places we have free airport service for daylight hours, in other places we ask for an additional airport pick up sdervice payment. But always you are free to arrive by your own means if you are an experienced traveller.
VDo is a non profit registered Charity in USA with IRS tax benefits for contributions made in USA.
Application and Confirmation process
For the normal program when the volunteer is making travel and volunteer plans with several months in advance, we have the following procedure:
1. Application. After your registration you will have access to abundant information and you will receive detailed information about projects, volunteer opportunities and costs for each project location in Ecuador. You can take the time you want for choosing the dates and project you like the most, then you will apply for an specific project location and participation dates. Application must be made with at least three months in advance to your arrival date.
2. After application you will receive our Confirmation with detailed information about your participation. We will confirm you if there is a place for free or with payment, minimum number of confirmed volunteers necessary (only in some projects) and the number of participants already confirmed.
3. Two months in prior to your start date we will ask for your Confirmation. If you have a free program you only need to confirm your arrival date and flight. If you want a pick up airport service with costs involved we wil ask for the payment in advance.
If you have a volunteer opportunity with project costs involved, two months in prior to your program starting date you will receive instructions for the confirmation payment and you will have ten days for sending the money. The confirmation payment is the amount corresponding to the first month of your food and accomodation costs.
4. If you confirm your program at your arrival you will be invited to pay for the rest of your program fees.
4. If you confirm your program at your arrival you will be invited to pay for the rest of your program fees.
