Ecuador Volunteer & Language Programs
Volunteer Projects
Social Services
There are numerous social programs throughout Ecuador that benefit from volunteer participation. Programs support those in need such as orphans, street children, single mothers, the terminally ill, and prisoners. Volunteers can support these programs by helping provide care and companionship to people in need.
Environmental Protection
Help care for animals rescued from illegal wildlife trafficking in Ecuador. Assist in feeding and improving the living conditions of the animals as well as educating visitors and maintaining the surrounding grounds.
Healthcare
Work alongside local medical professionals to provide basic healthcare to people in need of assistance. Perfect for clinicians and healthcare workers who want to improve their Spanish in a medical setting. As a medical clinician or healthcare worker wanting to improve your Spanish you have a lot to offer in this underserved part of the world. Medical and healthcare students can gain valuable experience and clinical exposure observing and working with doctors and nurses in Ecuador.
- Medical Internships (see "Internships" below)
Recreation and Trade Skills
Coach youth sports teams or teach trade skills in carpentry, metalwork, painting, and construction to at-risk youth.
Internships
Internships create an opportunity for international students, recent graduates and professionals to work in their field of study or area of expertise while becoming immersed in Ecuador's culture and communities. We offer internships in a variety of disciplines such as working in small private businesses or large governmental offices to social service agencies and hospitals. Internship placements are in various cities throughout Ecuador and the length of one’s internship is flexible.
All prospective interns should have at least an intermediate level knowledge of Spanish and are required to submit their resume along with their application. If necessary interns may wish to spend a few weeks in our Spanish school in Quito to practice their language skills prior to beginning their assignment.
Internships are available in the following professions, but are not limited to:
- Arts & Education
- Handicrafts & Trades
- Journalism
- Photography
- Teaching
- Healthcare & Medicine
- Dentistry
- Medicine – Doctors, Nurses, Medical Students
- Physical Therapy
- Psychology
- Veterinary Sciences
- Business & Public Service
- Engineering
- Human Rights
- Import & Export
- Tourism
- Translation & Interpretation
- Urban Planning & Architecture
Learn more about internships in Ecuador and Nicaragua.
Language Study
In our Spanish School located in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, we provide quality language training in a one-on-one setting allowing each student to work at his or her individual level. Particular emphasis is placed on flexibility as students are encouraged to choose the areas that they wish to improve such as conversation, grammar, reading, writing, or comprehension. All teachers are native speakers with Spanish degrees and a minimum of 10 years teaching experience in Spanish as a second language. Spanish instructors will continually evaluate each student’s language acquisition and revise the curricula to meet the student’s educational goals.
Classes take place Monday through Friday beginning at either 8:30 am or 2:00 pm and most students choose to take four hours of class per day. One or two weeks of language study is recommended for those who wish to brush up on their Spanish before embarking on a volunteer project in a more remote area of Ecuador. The school has a very warm family-like atmosphere that makes it an especially fun and inviting place to study Spanish. The teachers and staff often organize after-school activities such as salsa dancing, Ecuadorian cooking, and cultural visits around Quito, encouraging students to practice their Spanish skills while learning about the local culture.
Home-stays
In addition to providing you with a place to sleep and meals to eat, your home-stay family will provide you with the opportunity to experience everyday life in Ecuador while allowing you to practice your language skills. The families will be an important resource helping you to navigate in the community and adjust to your new surroundings and responsibilities.
Living conditions in these homes are above average for Ecuador. In general, homes on the coast and rural areas will be simpler than homes in the urban centers of Cuenca and Quito. You will be provided with a room, three meals a day, purified drinking water, and a sanitary toilet. In many cases washing facilities in homes are shared but private. Your home-stay family may go out of their way to provide you with extras to make your stay more enjoyable. It is important to remember that extras in Ecuador still may not equal typical conditions in your own country. Your appreciation of their homes, families, culture and efforts is all they ask in return.
Weekends
Volunteers are generally not expected to work during the weekends, so this time is ideal for exploring Ecuador’s glaciated volcanoes, wild Amazon basin, beautiful colonial cities, and unspoiled Pacific coast. The local people will be happy to suggest interesting and worthwhile destinations in the vicinity where you are living or give you advice and ideas about traveling throughout Ecuador. There will be many options to travel during the weekends including invitations from your host family, optional school-organized trips if you are in Quito, and of course opportunities to travel with other volunteers.
Travel before & after your program
You may want to consider traveling around Ecuador before or after your program. Whether it’s hiking high mountain peaks, exploring remote jungle rivers, or soaking in the culture of traditional indigenous communities, Ecuador has something for everyone. The Galápagos Islands, considered one of the most fascinating places on the planet and a must-see destination for all nature lovers, are accessible by regular flights from Quito.
Travel to Ecuador
You are responsible for air travel to and from Ecuador and for covering the cost of transportation to and from Quito and your program location. Competitive airline prices can be found by visiting an online air reservation system such as Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, or Sidestep, or contact Fellowship Travel International for quotes on individual and group travel.
Travel from Quito airport to project locations
You will be met by a greeter at the Quito airport and accompanied to your first night’s lodging. In most cases you will spend at least one night in Quito before traveling to your project location. Our Ecuadorian partners will assist you with travel schedules and getting to the bus terminal in Quito.
