3. Elementary School:
It is an elementary school, which means that the children’s ages range from six to twelve years old. The natural beauty because of its location can be easily seen from the stunning views of Escazu and San Jose city. This is a good place for creative volunteers because the staff is completely open to volunteers creating their own curriculum and activities to be taught to the children. The education of the English language to the students is really important for the school. Volunteers are expect to assist the students with some of the academic studies such as pre-reading and mathematics, there is also a playground and you will have the opportunity to play sports and games with the children.
Some of the activities you will be asked to participate in.
- Help at the cafeteria at lunchtime.
- Play with the children during their break times.
- Help the teachers during their classes, language, math, music, art etc.
- Develop outside ecological programs for the children.
3. CASA DEL REFUGIO (Shelter home), Escazú:
It is directed by nuns. They work with girls between 1 and 17 years who are in social risk and boys with phisical problems. The girls live at this home during the school year, and during school breaks they go back to the government home, their homes, or a relative’s house, as long as they are under supervision.
The work with the girls is mainly to offer them varied workshops, such as crafts, computer skills, knitting, English and French, human relations (personal development). The work also includes cleaning of the facilities and helping the nuns with the daily chores. The work with the boys are change pampers, giving food, etc.
4. ESCUELA DE PLAYAS DEL COCO, GUANACASTE:
This school is located in a small rural community in a very hot area, close to some beaches. The main socioeconomic activity in the area is the growing and sale of fruits and the maintenance of country houses, which is why the prevailing class is middle and low middle class.
This school has several projects, among the ones we find the BANDERA AZUL (Blue Flag). This is an environmental project that works with recycling, maintenance work to preserve the infrastructure of the school, embellishment of gardens, activities related to agriculture and crops. The school takes part in science fairs and the creativity festival.
5. WORK WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:
The work here is to help the students with cognitive disability to achieve their maximum development, by facilitating services and support according to their needs, so they can fully participate in the society. Another task is to help the teachers with their daily tasks. It is sought to promote the equality of opportunity for handicapped people. This school has a Music Teacher, who is also in charge of the different cultural activities at the school.
Musical Education is very important in the curriculum for people with mental retardation, since it develops attention skills, auditory and visual perception, rhythm, auditory discrimination, body language and others.
6. HOSPICIO DE HUERFANOS (Children´s Orphanage), Ciudad de San José:
it is located in San José, 20 minutes away from Escazú. They work with minors from 0 to 18 years who are in social risk. Most of them lack of love. The orphanage has a physical capacity to take care of 250 minors, however because of economic reasons they can only work with 100 minors (data to 2005). The institution makes very effort to supply all the basic material needs of the children, emphasizing on giving them too much love.
The institution needs your support to offer concrete solutions to the constant and progressive endless needs of the attention these minors who are deprived of resources and well-being.
* For all of these projects, the lodging will be at a Costa Rican family house, in Escazú or Guanacaste.
st families in the region or children of single mothers who cannot afford to pay for daycares while they are working during the day. This is a safe place for parents to take their kids and they drop them off in two shifts mornings and afternoons. The age of the children can vary from as young as two months old to as old as six years old.
