Health care

Project Details

The project is a support service offered to parents and children in the National Children´s Hospital. The project was originally called "The Grey Ladies", but now it is called The Volunteer Ladies (Damas Voluntarias) who focus their work on the needs of sick children providing moral support as well as financial assistance.

Volunteer work:

Volunteers can work 2 to 3 times a week, for a minimum of one month, and for 3 hours a day, following instructions from The Volunteers Ladies. The schedule is between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 11a.m. on Saturday. Therefore, you may choose your hours according to this time frame.

Volunteers usually work in pairs with one of the Damas Voluntarias members, you can expect to work in:

• Playing with the children
• Feeding the children
• Organizing and cleaning the children clothing
• Reading stories, etc.

Genmeral Guidlines:

• Please have your hospital ID card on you at all times while on the hospital grounds.
• Volunteers should wear their T-shirts that identify them as volunteers.
• You should always wear long pants.
• You should always wear closed toed shoes.
• You should always wear socks.
• Please do not wear any strong perfumes.
• Wear simple jewellery.
• Remove all visible piercings (simple earrings on the ear are acceptable).
• Volunteers may not receive visitors in the hospital while working.

Location:

The project is located on downtown San Jose,

Accommodation and Food

You will be living at the Shelter. Accomodations are basic but comfortable, you will live communally in a large wooden cabin, equipped with bunk beds and basic furniture. Outside the cabin is a veranda, which serves as a communal eating area, with a large table and seating.

Travel Arrangements and Transportation

Booking travel is your responsibility, but we are more than happy to help you as needed. You will fly into the airport in San Jose where you will need to take a taxi to the hostel where you will stay for 1 night to receive your orientation. During this time, your lodging is included but you will be responsible for food. After orientation you will then be taken to a bus station where you will board a bus to travel to your new host community. Upon arrival, the project coordinator or your host family will meet you at the bus station. After the Project finishes, you will be provided with a night in a hostel and a RJI staff member will meet you there so you can provide us with feedback about your experience.  You will have to arrange your transfer for the airport.

Buses are the main form of transportation in Costa Rica and are extremely inexpensive. Depending upon where your family is located, you may need to take a short bus ride each day to and from the project. Reto Juvenil will cover the bus fare used in transit to the work site, but won´t cover any other transport you use during your time in project.

Dates, Duration and Application Deadline

• Individual volunteering
• Minimum duration 4 weeks
• Age 18+

Requirements

An intermediate level of Spanish is required. Experience or education in counselling, and/or teaching is helpful, but not required.

Program Costs