Women Volunteering in Costa Rica

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

Maximo Nivel is a locally based organization in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Peru. Volunteer abroad—get involved, make an impact, and learn to serve by working on local projects: - Working with Kids - Teaching English - Conservation - Construction - Animal Care - Eco-Agriculture - Medical and Healthcare To qualify: - Volunteers must be 18+ years of age or accompanied by a parent or guardian. - We require background checks from our volunteers. - Come with a great attitude and a willingness to pitch in. Since 2003, Maximo Nivel has been a leader in educational travel and study abroad. Our work-study-travel programs host more than 4,000 people per year. We are a professional, ethical, and hard-working organization that is completely dedicated to providing a great experience to every participant, student, traveler, and client! Every day, we strive to set ourselves apart and provide the best volunteer, education, and cultural experiences in Latin America, along with top-notch client service and great home-based facilities. Live it!

While Costa Rica has a very high literacy rate and has a very strong tourism industry, there are also quite large impoverished and at-risk communities. This project aims to send volunteers into these communities to help them achieve their goals. There are a variety of projects in different fields volunteers can choose from such as helping with women’s issues, child welfare, health care or education. The internship provides volunteers with a practical and professional experience needed for a career in social work or a similar field. To make sure that participants are meeting their goals there will be bi-weekly meetings with a supervisor and a final evaluation of their performance. This project highly encourages interns to have an intermediate level of Spanish to help enhance their internship experience.

Join our Best Seller Program! Combine immersive Spanish lessons with Surf or Yoga classes and meaningful volunteer work at our home base in beautiful Santa Teresa—one of the top surf spots in the country. Make a real impact through purposeful volunteering, help with sea turtle conservation, assist in the nursery and hatchery, join night patrols, participate in beach cleanups, and more. Cap off your experience with an unforgettable week in the lush Monteverde Rainforest, where adventure and adrenaline await!

Find out why more and more people are choosing to become a Love Volunteer! Love Volunteers is the most affordable way to volunteer and help local communities in developing countries! Why are we cheaper than other organisations? Firstly, we are just a handful of passionate people working hard to help volunteers and local communities around the world. We don't have huge overheads - no company cars, no downtown office - we're just volunteers who knew we could do a better job. Secondly, we work with local organisations wherever we can to keep administration costs to a minimum and also to feed as much money and skills into the local communities where we operate. All of Love Volunteers partner organisations have been fully vetted to ensure that, not only does a genuine need for assistance exist, but that the environments that we place our volunteers are safe and of high quality. Choose from one or more of our 200+ amazing community-based programs in 37 developing countries around the world. Every program has been personally visited by one of our dedicated staff members and is regularly audited to ensure it meets our high standards in terms of safety, sustainability, and local impact.

Travel to Costa Rica and make a difference in a subject area you are passionate about! Choose from program themes ranging from Public Health and Medicine to Animal and Wildlife Conservation to Language Immersion and everything in between. GLA's offerings include: - Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project - Beachside Service Adventure - Marine Conservation & Sea Turtle Expedition™ - The Ultimate Adventure - Medicine & Healthcare Discovery - Middle School Service Adventure - Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure™ - Sea Turtle Initiative™ - Spanish Service Adventure - Surf, Sports & Sustainability ™ - The Initiative for Children ™ - Spring Break Service Adventure - Costa Rica Internship: Career Exploration In Environmental Stewardship Costa Rica is known for its serene tropical surroundings and leading ecological conservation efforts. It comprises five percent of the world's biodiversity, making it Central America’s "crown jewel" and an unbeatable location for natural and cultural exploration.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

This program goes beyond ordinary high school travel programs and build cross-cultural community service summer trips perfectly geared to your interests and curiosities. Whether you’re looking to contribute to authentic service projects, experience exhilarating adventure, or develop your language skills, GoBeyond will immerse you in a new culture where you can make a meaningful difference while on the journey of a lifetime. Our high school community service summer programs proudly serve in many under-resourced communities and environments throughout the world. Explore our journeys in the British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Galapagos & Ecuador, Peru, Iceland, Spain, China, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Beyond experiencing the adventure of a lifetime and creating lasting memories, we believe our community service summer trips enable lasting positive change in the world. For over forty years, we’ve been transforming communities, environments, and students’ lives through meaningful, collaborative adventures and service that develop skills and a more sophisticated worldly outlook—ultimately shaping the person you become.

In addition to our Spanish programs, we offer volunteer projects throughout Costa Rica for anyone 18 or over. Volunteer in the areas of social work, education (most popular: teaching English to local kids in public schools & kindergarten), nature and environment, and wildlife and animal protection. Our volunteer program is eligible for all students who have completed a Spanish course with Intercultura. You can take as many Spanish classes as you wish (minimum two weeks), before starting off with your project. Our locations: You can take our Spanish & Volunteer Program in Heredia at our city campus, at our beach campus in Playa Sámara, or you can combine both locations. At both campuses, we offer cultural activities every day, which you can attend for free during your Spanish and volunteer program. You can also rely on the school's infrastructure (full-time, multilingual support staff, and our volunteer coordinators on-site). Please inquire for more details!

San José, the capital city, is in the central valley of the Costa Rican rainforest. As the cultural, economic, and political center of Costa Rica, this is where most people live, work, and play. Here, you can experience a vibrant and busy Latin American metropolis while also having the rest of the country's pristine natural wonders nearby. We provide opportunities to serve dozens of local NGOs, schools, clinics, and businesses through structured programs offered all year round. Program participants can work with host organizations in a variety of fields and areas: museums, local schools, youth and disability centers, health clinics, and several others. Through service at a local organization and guided reflection-based curriculum, our goal is to help you gain a better understanding of the local language, culture, and community. Each service-learning placement is unique, so visit our website to learn more about the specific program options available. We especially recommend San José for students interested in education or working in museums.

Study Spanish and volunteer in one of a variety of projects in Costa Rica with The National Registration Center for Study Abroad. Volunteers spend 20 hours per week for two or more weeks in 50-minute group Spanish classes with a maximum of five students. Although volunteers may enroll for as many weeks as they desire, beginner Spanish learners need to study for four to 12 weeks, while intermediate and advanced learners need to put in about two to 12 weeks. After spending at least one week in Spanish classes, volunteers will work on a placement for a minimum of two weeks. In San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, they can contribute to projects at national parks, orphanages, retirement centers, drug rehabilitation institutions, special education schools, hospitals, and museums. Recycling and English teaching positions are also available.

Get the chance to experience Costa Rica from the perspective of locals rather than just a tourist by joining our volunteer programs. Placements are based in and around San Jose, the country’s capital and largest city. Here, you can spend weekdays making a difference in a local community and the weekends enjoying various adventure activities. Volunteering Journeys offers the following: - Medical programs at leading clinics and hospitals - Sea turtle conservation, which mainly involves rehabilitation and releasing - English teaching at local schools - Animal and wildlife care at local shelters - Women’s empowerment centered around local initiatives and education - NGO placements, with tasks ranging from teaching to renovations - Family volunteering program in areas like community development, teaching, and conservation Costa Rica boasts a naturally diverse environment but still faces development issues such as domestic violence, poverty, lack of quality education, and poaching. As a volunteer, you will help the local people address these challenges. The minimum commitment for our programs is two or four weeks, depending on the project.

AMIGOS offers students a transformative summer in Costa Rica, blending meaningful environmental action and deep cultural immersion. Participants can choose from three impactful project types: 1. Marine and Mountain Exploration, where students engage with climate change adaptation efforts, helping with sea turtle protection on the Caribbean coast to visiting significant archaeological sites. 2. Highlands Biodiversity, where students volunteer with women-led community organizations working to protect wildlife in the Brunca region and learning how farmers support conservation efforts. And 3. Eco-Tourism and Environmental Protection, where students experience Costa Rica's incredible biodiversity firsthand. Students will volunteer at an environmental conservation reserve and visit community entrepreneurship initiatives to learn about their conservation approaches. Beyond the service, AMIGOS Volunteers have the incredible opportunity to live and interact with host families and local communities, allowing students to genuinely connect with Costa Rican culture, practice Spanish, and build lasting friendships!

We are recruiting volunteers for our hostel in Costa Rica. Positions (for preferably monthly stays) are available through April 2026. Volunteers work 5 hours/day 5 days/week. Compensation for volunteers are air conditioned dorm room accommodations and 3 meals (vegetarian). We are located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Our hostel features 25 bungalows in a tropical environment near several Pacific coast beaches. Our facilities include a restaurant and two swimming pools. The hostel is five minutes east of shops in downtown Quepos, Costa Rica.

Join our January Community Health & Well-Being Volunteer Program and work with our organization to support inclusive, resilient communities in rural Costa Rican border communities. Volunteers engage in service-learning projects with migrants, refugees, and local families, promoting health, well-being, and access to essential services. Health education, arts and crafts, and sports and recreation volunteer projects. In addition to hands-on community work, participants enjoy cultural and recreational activities that provide insight into Costa Rican life and foster personal growth. Open to all majors, this program offers a meaningful and immersive experience that combines service, learning, and cultural exploration.

Volunteering with ICYE UK is a transformational experience with real impact. Our ethical programmes promote peace, intercultural awareness and equality of opportunity, encouraging young people from around the world to live, learn and work together. UK residents can apply now to join us on our six or 12-month placements starting in either January or August, and work with locally run NGOs in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe on impactful projects that matter, such as: - Human rights projects - Women’s empowerment projects - Supporting people with compromised health and/or disabilities - Environmental and wildlife conservation - Sustainable agriculture projects - Providing education, care, and support for children from under-resourced communities - Sports, art, or cultural projects - Community development programmes - And many more Additionally, short-term placements of 3 to 5 months with flexible start dates are available in some of our partner countries. Whether you join us on our long-term or short-term programme, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture and language, learn, grow, and make an impact! Get in touch to find out more!

Developing World Connections (DWC) invites you to join one of our Fall 2025 volunteer trips—transformative experiences where you’ll give back, connect deeply with local communities, and leave a lasting impact. These hands-on projects span six incredible countries, each offering unique cultural insights and meaningful work. Whether you're building an e-lab in Kenya, improving school facilities in Costa Rica and the Philippines, expanding learning space in Peru, supporting women’s empowerment in Nepal, or constructing homes in Sri Lanka, your contribution will help drive long-term change. Each trip includes accommodations, meals, in-country transportation, program costs, and eligibility for a charity tax receipt. No special skills are required—just a willingness to help and a sense of adventure. Whether you're traveling solo or with friends, you’ll gain unforgettable memories, form lasting connections, and contribute to something greater than yourself.