Quick Facts
Program code
PM-VOL100
Category
Volunteer Work, Child Care, Education / Teaching
Country
Panama
Location
Chame, Panama Oeste, close to Panama City
Program start
Every Monday from March to December. Arrival to Panama should be on a Saturday or Sunday.
The school year is divided into:
Trimester 1: March 07 - June 10
Trimester 2: June 20 - Sept 09
Trimestre 3: Sept 19 - Dec 16
Minimum duration
2 weeks
Minimum age
18 years
Contact us
Happy to help you
(+1) 954 762 7607
(+56) 9 7516 9816
(+49) 7735 425 339
skype: chileinside
8 am - 4 pm EST
Project details
Panama is a country with a good economy, even if economic growth and prosperity only reach a small part of the population.
The teaching method of the education system in Panama is usually very traditional. Many of the children have a high rate of absenteeism and often fail to pass the exams to enter secondary school.
The volunteer project focuses on providing the children with educational tools, tutoring and monitoring their learning success in accordance with their age, in order to give them a future with better and more adequate opportunities in the labor market, as far as possible.
With this volunteer work you support a school project in the community of Chame on the Gulf of Panama. Due to a lack of financial resources, the public education system in Panama is rather simple and therefore, as in many other countries in Latin America, there are many children with educational deficits. The volunteer project has made it their mission to support these children with different educational offers.
Panama is a country with extreme differences. The capital Panama City is the economic center of the country and with its high-rise buildings and modern financial district is more like cities as Miami or Singapore. However, large parts of the country are very rural, and a large part of the population suffers from poverty. Many children from the poorer population do not attend school regularly or finish school prematurely. For many families, securing three meals a day is already a major challenge, not to mention the procurement of schoolbooks, teaching materials and the daily transportation costs back and forth to the school.
The aim of the volunteer project is to support children from low-income families through holistic educational offers. Here, personal and professional growth is promoted through teaching, didactic and leisure games. This should give the children the chance to develop and use their potential.
Education is the cornerstone of all progress. Especially in regions with a high poverty rate, a lack of education and a lack of prospects often lead to hopelessness, violence and crime. Help to give young Panamanians new hope and improve the situation of people in need.
Tasks
As a volunteer in the school project in Panama, you support education and promote the development of children and young people from poor families. In the morning hours you accompany the students in class at the school. You will also provide support in subjects such as English, Spanish, mathematics, geography, and the like. You design and conduct exciting secondary school activities. In the afternoons you will take part in sports activities with the children and take part in educational workshops. You also have the opportunity to help manage the volunteer project.
The volunteers usually work in two shifts. You work Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and in the afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Note: The tasks may vary. They depend on factors such as the number of volunteers, time of year, current needs of the project and self-motivation. Not every volunteer may be fully involved in all these tasks.
Accommodation
You will live in the small town of Chame. This is where the volunteer project and the volunteer house are located. If there is no more space available in the Volunteer House, the volunteers live in a hostel nearby. There are shared rooms and shared bathrooms. The facilities include a kitchen, bathrooms and common areas where you can relax in your free time.
Full board from Monday to Sunday is included. Internet is available.
Note: In Latin America, especially in remote areas where many of our volunteer projects take place, the cellular or internet connection is not always reliable and fast.
Location
The school project is located in the municipality of Chame, in the Panama Oeste region on the Gulf of Panama. The capital Panama City is about 1 hour away by car.
The dream beaches in the Gulf of Panama are only a stone's throw away and invite you to explore and relax in your free time. Panama is a natural land bridge that connects North and Central America with South America. To protect and preserve the native flora and fauna, there are 15 nature parks in Panama, which take up more than 29% of the total land area.
Panama is still a relatively unknown travel destination - but we think this is a mistake. Even Janosch from the book Die Tigerente (lit. The Tiger Duck) dreamed of Panama. And he was absolutely right. The small country between Colombia and Costa Rica, nestled between the Pacific and the Caribbean, is worth a trip for many reasons. Visitors will find breathtaking nature, diverse flora and fauna, fantastic national parks, an active culture of the indigenous population, sports facilities on water and on land and, last but not least, the world-famous Panama Canal in the heart of the pulsating metropolis of Panama City.
Language skills
In order for both you and the children in the project to benefit from your volunteer work in Panama, it is important to have a good level of Spanish. We recommend it to be at communication level. You should be able to make yourself understood in Spanish. In order to optimally prepare for your volunteer work in Panama, we advise you to take a Spanish course before the start of the program. This gives you the opportunity to slowly get used to the national language, culture and mentality.
You can book your Spanish course in Panama directly with us!
Requirements
- Intermediate Spanish skills (book your Spanish course in Panama!)
- Minimum age 18 years
- Completion of a foreign travel health insurance (get your travel insurance here!)
- Application at least 4 weeks before the desired start of the program. Read more about our application process here.)
Pre-departure and in-country support
Before arrival, our experienced team will be at your disposal to assist you throughout the booking process and travel planning. With the booking confirmation you will receive our 24-hour emergency number, so that you can reach us 24/7 in case of emergency.
In addition to the assistance given by our office staff you will be supported by our volunteer coordinators located in Panama.
Costs & Services
Our volunteer project at Elementary Schools in Panama includes:
- Shared room in Volunteer House
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Airport pick-up Panama City*
- Advice from our experienced staff
- On-going support via WhatsApp, phone or mail
- Elaboration of your application profile in Spanish
- Your Volunteer Work placement
- Pre-departure information
- Packing list
- Country handbook
- Intercultural guide
- On-site volunteer coordinator
- 24/7 emergency number
- Advice on travel insurance
- Certificate of participation
Costs
Application fee: US$ 150
Program fee: US$ 710 (minimum stay 2 weeks)
Each additional week: US$ 180
*Note: Arrival should be on a Saturday or Sunday between 8 am and 8 pm. Otherwise a surcharge of US$ 50 may be required (to be paid on site).
Additionally, you can book:
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Volunteer Guide
Find valuable information about volunteering abroad in our program guides. Find out about all the benefits, possibilities and challenges, that a stay abroad offers you. Read more about the great opportunities that South America Inside has at your disposal.
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