New Era Galapagos Foundation

The cost of your volunteering experience depends on the length of time you wish to stay rather than the type of placement you wish to undertake.

As many of the costs are initial costs which remain the same regardless of your length of stay, staying for longer simply means you pay more for your food and accommodation.

Where does your money go?
Unlike other organisations running volunteering projects, New Era Galapagos Foundation guarantees that your money will make a difference to the local projects you are working with. From your fee, 65% will go directly to New Era Galapagos Foundation in San Cristobal, funding teaching resources such as textbooks, stationery and the general maintenence of the New Era Galapagos building.

New Era Galapagos are also in the process of building a new educational centre for the children and adults of San Cristobal. The centre will be an eco-friendly, self sufficient building which will not only serve as a place where local residents can come and learn English, but also as a working example of sustainable development in the community.

The remainder of your course fee is reinvested into New Era Galapagos UK, to ensure we can continue to send a constant stream of volunteers to the people of San Cristobal.

Programme Length

Volunteer programs last for 4, 6, 8 or 10 weeks. We believe that the nature of the volunteering experience means that a minimum of 4 weeks is required in order for the volunteer and the locals to gain maximum benefit from the experience.

As you walk around town you will quickly get the feeling that 'everyone knows everyone.' As a volunteer, you will quickly become known and locals will go out of their way to integrate you into the community. A stay of 4 weeks or longer on the island will allow you to build relationships and lasting friendships with your host family and people from across the island.
 

Longer programs allow...

...Students to benefit from having the same teacher for an extended period, so they can follow a well planned curriculum and get used to a consistent teaching style.

...The volunteer to benefit because they are able to get to know their students and can thus adapt their lessons accordingly. They also become more immersed in the local community, learning the language and building relations with the local people, which only adds to the experiencee.

...San Cristobal to benefit from the stability of having someone who can be integrated into the community and who spends money which stays in the local economy to the benefit of the the local population.

The maximum stay in Ecuador on a tourist visa is 90 days, so volunteers can only stay on the island for this 3 months.