Why does this organization need volunteers?

When a child lives in a SOS Children's Village it is usually because after successive efforts with the family of origin, it is determined that, based on the interests of the child, he/she should be removed from that environment, as the child is at risk. The SOS Children's Village is a long term option for these children.

61% of revenues for the SOS Children Villages in Costa Rica, dependent on national and international donations. Donations from individuals and partner companies is also vital to ensure sustainability of programs that create and support homes with families to many at risk children.

An English program would make a valuable contribution in the development of the children for their future obligations as adults. Currently, children receive primary education in public schools and many of these schools can not afford a teacher to give English language lessons. Others have lessons, but the human and didactic material is very limited.

Learning a second language, promotes and stimulates enthusiasm for school and provides a valuable tool towards future careers goals.

What tasks will you be required to fulfil?

The volunteer will develop an English program for children and adolescents ages 13 to 18 years old and will combine this with physical activities and games for them.

The volunteer will have an exclusive classroom.

Other tasks that you may be requested to preform outside of your core duties:

The volunteer may have the opportunity to help the children with their homework during school time.

How many days per week will you be working?

Volunteers are required to work from Monday to Friday

How many hours per day?

Volunteers will work from 9 am to 4 pm

What age-range will you be working with?

The placement has a total of 100 children and adolescents and there is a total of 13 people working in Santa Ana Village.

What kind of background may be useful at this placement?

Someone who instinctively understand that language teaching is all about empathising with and caring for students of diverse cultural backgrounds who have embarked on a great educational adventure Ability to design an effective lesson plan is essential to successful teaching. The educational aims of each lesson must be clear, and activities should be selected that contribute to the realization of those aims. Lesson objectives should be stated in terms of student capability, that is, in terms of what the student will be able to do as a result of instruction. These objectives must specify a goal in terms of student learning and skill.

Will you be required to operate any special equipment?

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What personality traits would be useful for a volunteer at this placement?

Volunteer must have moral character and honesty. Volunteer must be well prepared for each lesson. Volunteer must have a good knowledge of the English language. Volunteer must have a positive, friendly attitude, be enthusiastic, energetic, creative with the stamina to work with young children and enjoy doing so.

Who may have a difficult time at this placement?

Volunteers who would prefer not to work with young children or have a difficult time taking the initiative. Volunteers who would find it too stressful to work with children that have come from severe and challenging backgrounds.

What specific skills are they looking for at this placement?

What is the purpose of this organization?

SOS Children's Village in Costa Rica is part of a worldwide non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing over 200,000 children around the world with a safe and loving environment to grow up in. The SOS Children's Village is located in 132 countries and in 5 continents around the world. They are a non-religious and a non-political organization that strives to promote the rights of children around the world. The vision of this organization is to provide every child in need with a family environment that is safe, secure and is filled with love. They try to achieve this vision by building homes or centers for children to live in where they receive three meals a day, a chance to receive a basic education and are given the opportunity to live in a loving and wonderful environment.

SOS Children's Village was first started in 1949 by a man named Hermann Gmeiner. When Hermann Gmeiner was five years old his mother passed away and he was left to be raised by his sisters and brothers. Although they did their best to provide him with an loving and safe environment they were children trying to help raise a child.

After the end of World War II, Hermman Gmeiner, realized that many women had lost their husbands in the war and were left to tend to the children on their own. In addition, Hermman Gmeiner, also realized that war had left many children orphaned with no place to go. In response to this Hermann Gmeiner, decided to started the SOS Children's Village with the goal that every child should have a protected and loving environment to grow up in.

In 1975, the first SOS Village was opened in Costa Rica in the area of Dulce Nombre de Tres Rios. As the demand of children needing housing rose they opened three other centers which include: Lemon in 2000, Moin in 2003, and Santa Ana in 2008.

One of the primary programs with the SOS Children's Village is their SOS Mother's Program. In this program women who would like to provide a wonderful and loving home for children who are in need, are given the opportunity to become an SOS Mother. Their role is to help become a part of the SOS Children's Village and be responsible for the care of a group of children. The role of the SOS Mother is very challenging but extremely rewarding. It is wonderful to watch the bond of compassion and love that forms with SOS Mothers and the children they care for.

SOS Children's Village has been very successful in Costa Rica. They currently have 300 children who are living in a loving environment where there is siblings, a mother and a village setting where the children are all taken care of!

SOS Children's Village in Costa Rica since 1975 acts solely for the benefit of children and is an independent, non-governmental social development program, promoting equal opportunities and rights for children, respecting their different religions and cultures.

What community(s) does this organization assist?

Currently Costa Rica SOS Village serves a population of 307 young children and adolescents who have been disconnected from their families of origin. We have four host villages or permanent dwellings, located in Tres Rios, Santa Ana, Limon-Moin and Cocos-Limo

Does this organization have any religious affiliations?

SOS Children's Village Organization does not have a religious affiliations and all individuals from any background are welcome to volunteer at this placement. In Costa Rica, the predominant religion is Christianity and therefore at some point in your placement you will probably hear the children praying before a meal or at bedtime. You are not expect to participate, however, please be respectful of any religious practices that are being observed.

When was this organization founded?

In Costa Rica, they were founded in 1975 with one village program. Since 1975, they have opened three other villages throughout the country.

How are they funded?

The first SOS Children's Village was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Austria. He was committed to helping children in need: those who had lost their homes, their security and their families as a result of World War II. That year, Gmeiner, founded the first SOS Children's Village in 1949 in the small Austrian town of Imst, to provide orphaned and abandoned children a home in familiar surroundings. Today, SOS Children's Villages are in 132 countries and territories in the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of the Child United Nations.

How many people at the organization speak English?

At the SOS Children's Village in Costa Rica there are only 5 people who speak English. It will be important that as a volunteer you are able to speak Spanish at a basic to intermediate level. This will help you become more immersed within the placement and more effective as a volunteer.

If you find sponsors interested in sending donations, here is what they need:

Donations are greatly appreciated as the organization has very limited supplies for the children. Items that they would appreciate include: clothing for children between 0 and 17 years of age, books in Spanish and in English, old laptops or computers to teach the children how to type and to learn basic computer skills, pencils, disposal and reusable diapers, milk, food and toys for children of all ages.

Location description

Santa Ana, also known as "Valle del Sol" (Valley of the Sun), is a very enchanting town, where you can see how nature has blended perfectly with the residential/commercial aspects of a town that is growing rapidly. The town is not only warm due to its weather but also because of its unique and friendly people. This town will make you feel welcome and like you are part of the community.

Volunteering in Santa Ana provides you with a great opportunity to see more of Costa Rica - surrounded by green mountains yet so close to San Jose - Santa Ana is an oasis away from the city. This location is ideal for those seeking an opportunity to expend their energy on an extremely worthwhile cause and at the same time be situated at a site where you can readily explore an exquisite part of the country.

Santa Ana is traditionally known for it’s onions, clay pottery and horses. Although onion production is being pushed out as real-estate prices rise and the farmland is converted to residential developments. In some areas locals are often still called, “Cebolleros”, (Onion men).

There are several large equestrian centers (e.g. La Caraña), shops and animal supply stores. Following this cowboy theme, there are several Tico-style steakhouses and Tex-Mex restaurants. Even though the town is seeing explosive development and now there are luxury condos springing up all over the place, right next door to these you will still find the small frugal houses of residents that have lived there for decades or a farmer working his field. Even in the downtown area, it’s not uncommon to see houses with chickens, horses or rabbits in the back yard. In many neighborhoods we still see a handful of cattle going up to pasture in the mornings.

Santa Ana is now one of the most exclusive places in Costa Rica. In the last 10 years Santa Ana, due to a series of private investments in the area, has developed an atmosphere of exclusivity. Among the first important buildings in the area was the Free Trade Zone (tax free) "Forum" where initially Procter & Gamble settled. Today in the Free Zone other multinationals such as Hewlett-Packard, Western Union, Maersk Sealand, Cisco Systems and even the National Stock Exchange have established themselves at this site. "Forum", has created jobs for more than 7,000 people and "Forum 2" is now built about a mile away. The company, Oracle, was the first to settle in the second Forum. One of the focuses in development has been the road, "Santa Ana-Belen Radial" where they have recently installed four shopping centers along the route. The area is also known for its exciting nightlife.

Historical significance of the area

SOS Village Santa Ana, started with the name of Casa Hogar SOS and received children, on a temporary basis, who were considered at risk. In 2006 it was initiated to amend its condition of transience and transformed it into a permanent placement option.

Thus was born the SOS Children's Village in Santa Ana and like other SOS Villages, allows children and adolescents to grow up in a family oriented home with the guidance and protection of a SOS Mother.

At the present time the organization is working to expand the physical facilities of SOS Children's Village Santa Ana, by the construction of four new dwellings and the expansion of existing ones and thus achieve a total of 10 family houses with a capacity to provide for 90 foster care children and youth, between 0 and 19 years old.

SOS Village Santa Ana, is located in San Jose, on Salitral Road. The property is surrounded by mountains and it has a lot of green areas with fruit trees.

What is the weather like?

It is important to be aware that Costa Rica has two distinct seasons, in which the weather is very different. The dry season runs from December to May; in this season there is very little precipitation, the weather will be hot and dry both in the central valley and on the coasts. The coasts of Costa Rica are typically slightly more humid than the central valley. During this season, be sure to pack light cool clothing, but remember that long sleeves will be useful to combat bugs and sunburns!

The Green season runs from June to November. This is also referred to as the rainy season, however, it is important to know that it will not necessarily rain throughout this entire period. Overall precipitation will be higher, but it typically does not rain for the whole day, usually only for an hour or two in the afternoon. Of course, there are days when it doesn't stop, and some spectacular tropical thunderstorms occur! Be sure to bring adequate rain gear if coming during this time period.

It is hot and humid during both seasons, with average annual temperatures ranging between 21°C and 28°C.

What fun things are there to do in the area on days off?

San Jose, is the hub of Costa Rica, with buses regularly departing for almost all destinations north, south, east and west.

Nestled in the heart of the gorgeous and fertile Central Valley or Meseta Central, San Jose is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Central Americas. Your typical Latin American metropolis with overcrowded conditions, traffic, smog and congestion, this city still manages to rise above all this, to offer a charm that is uniquely distinct. If you look past the urban, commercial and unattractive exterior of San Jose, you will find a vibrant city emerging with a lot to offer, both in terms of culture and spirit. San Jose is an interesting place to visit with many sights and sounds that give this city its unusual appeal. Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design inside CENAC or tour the Jade Museum in the Instituto Nacional de Seguros. If you have kids, a great place to take them would be to the Simon Bolivar National Zoo on Avenue 11 or the Kids Museum on Calle 4. To get up close and personal with the residents of this city, visit the many local mercados or markets such as the Mercado Central on Avenue Central.

A visit to the Cartago region provides a flashback in time, with ruins dating back to the 16th century found here, reminding visitors of a time when pre-Columbian inhabitants farmed what was once the country’s breadbasket region. Most of the early farmers here were killed by the Spanish settlers, nevertheless by visiting places like the Monumento Nacional Guayabo, one gets the opportunity to take in this area’s amazing past.

Poás Volcano is an active volcano with some of the most beautiful scenery in Costa Rica. Poás Volcano is situated in the Alajuela Province at about 2,700 meters above sea level. Being only an hour and half drive from down town San Jose it is a popular day trip from the city. The main crater of Poás Volcano is about 2 km in diameter and over 1000 meters deep. Next to the crater is a beautiful blue-green crater lake as well as many forests. There is a visitor’s center overlooking the crater lake and it is a sight not to be missed, especially if you have a couple of days to spend in San Jose. The best time to view the crater is early in the morning before the clouds cover the crater and the lake, however if there are clouds when you do arrive take a hike and watch closely for the clouds to clear for the spectacular view of the crater.

Feel the Latin heat with a visit to Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano National Park. Originally believed to be one of the country's dormant volcanoes, the Arenal volcano erupted in 1968, which ironically boosted the province's tourism. With the volcano coming to life, it has become Costa Rica's most active volcano, drawing tourists to visit the Arenal Volcano National Park and behold the majesty of Costa Rica. The volcano is very much alive, as it has regular lava flows and cinder blocks tumble from its mouth. At night, visitors can witness one of nature's fiercest and most spectacular displays when sometimes, hot lava that flows from the volcano's mouth provides a striking contrast to the peaceful Costa Rican nights.

The spectacular Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is a very important and popular ecotourism destination in Costa Rica with its unique cloud canopy. Encompassing eight distinct biological zones the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 26,000 acres (10,522 hectares), and is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exploring the forest you will come across a variety of birds and animals including, bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas and monkeys, as well as the golden toad, a toad species that is only known to exist here the in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Home to an amazing variety of birds and wildlife, the Manuel Antonio National Park also has some of the best beaches in the entire country that not only offer wonderful water sport activities, but also are lined with striking lush green forestation. The snorkeling here is terrific, while swimming conditions on some of the beaches in the park are fantastic. The four beaches here include; the Espadilla Sur, the Playita, the Manuel Antonio, and the Escondido. Of these the Playa Manuel Antonio is the prettiest beach with silky white sand and a stunning offshore coral reef.

The Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is truly a wonderful place to visit with its laidback environs, spicy piquant food, and unique Afro-Caribbean culture. The heart and soul of the Caribbean Coast, this region with its rich flavors has become a tourist favorite for those who are looking to relax and have some fun in the sun. Step into Puerto Limon, the capital of Limon province and you will be transported into a completely different world, from the one you left back in San Jose.

How do you get to your placement after your orientation?

From BaseCamp walk up hill to the Automercado; it is 3 blocks away from the house. Take the bus to San Pedro - San Jose. Once in San Jose take the Sabana bus and get off at Coca then take the Santa Ana bus and get off one station after Bomba Hermanos Montes .