volsol honduras brochure 2016 compressed

2016BROCHURE

HONDURAS

www.volunteeringsolutions.com

VOLUNTEER INTERN TRAVEL

ContentsCover01

Contents02

Accommodation and Living10

Cost and Start Dates11

What am I Paying for?12

What am I Paying for? (Contd.)13

Things to Do14

How to Apply - The Process15--17

Get in Touch18

Honduras & La Ceiba Overview03

Honduras - All Programs04

Healthcare Program05

Orphanage Program06

Teaching Program07

School for Special Needs Children08

VOLUNTEER


Your Accommodation 09

With regular criminal activities flashing on news channels, the

country of Honduras has been pictured as the ‘bad boy’ of Latin

America, more often than not. But those who have been to this

mysteriously beautiful landscape, know the ground reality. Amidst

all the “negative elements”, the region of ancient Mayan

community has persisted one of the most flamboyant and magical

ambience for many years now. The fabled Bay Islands, Magical

MayaMaya ruins of Copan, seductive beauty of the Lenca highlands, and

the wildlife-rich jungle reserves in Moskitia; Honduran landscapes

are extraordinary, and its cultural sights are compelling.

Located at the southern edge of the Caribbean coast and known

as the “party-town of Honduras”, the city of La Ceiba is surrounded

by lush jungles, breathtaking mountains, challenging rivers, and

sandy beaches. Considered to be the gateway to the Bay Islands,

La Ceiba comes across as one of those ‘small town’ places with

party frenzied people. Under the various programs offered by

Volunteering Solutions, one can get a great opportunity to work

withwith the locals. Through the orphanage and various teaching

programs, you can spend some quality time with the kids and help

them learn the basics of life sciences. By enrolling to the

healthcare program, you can help the resident doctors in treating

patients who visit the hospital from local as well as remote areas.

Honduras Trip Highlights

Explore the ruins of Mayan community at Copan

Embrace the natural diversity at Pico Bonito National Park

Check out the wide range of Bay Islands with crystal clear, turquoise colored water and magical aquatic

life.

Indulge in vibrant Mayan cultural activities, like the street carpet tradition in the colonial village of

Comayagua.

Gorge on some lip-smacking local cuisine. (and try to learn some too!)Gorge on some lip-smacking local cuisine. (and try to learn some too!)

Honduras & La Ceiba Overview


03


Healthcare Program

Orphanage Program

Teaching Program

Volunteer in a School for Special Needs Children

LA CEIBA

Honduras - All Programs04

Program Requirements

Volunteers must be 18 years or older on the volunteer program start date.

A certified medical/healthcare education background.

Should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference

Be in good health.

Intermediate level knowledge of Spanish Language

While there are a handful of decently equipped hospitals in Honduras,

which most of the middle-class families can’t afford, the public

healthcare system in Honduras is one of the worst in Latin America. As

a volunteer to the healthcare program, you need to dedicate at least

5-6 hours per day in assisting the doctors and in house medical staff in

public hospitals of La Ceiba. Depending on your general skills,

qualifications, age and experience, you may help taking care of

patients,patients, check blood pressure, distribute food, and work in the

pharmacy or with a gynecologist. Tasks allocated to participants in the

medical healthcare program depend on the skills, confidence level of

the participant as well as Spanish language skills.

Healthcare ProgramStarting from $345


05

Add On Tour

- Hiking trip to Pico Bonito National Park

- Trip to Cayos Cochinos Islands

The staf f at the hospital was

very inviting and did all

they could to make it a good

experience for me

-Elizabeth Bernthal



A mandatory criminal background check


Be in good health.


By enrolling in to this program, a volunteer needs to get very much

dedicated towards taking care of small children at the orphanage

center. As a volunteer you need to assist with various activities

including games, sports, teaching, hygiene & education, while assisting

the local staff and helping them in administration work wherever

possible. Apart from teaching basic English to children, you can also

get them involved in various other activities and organizing games and

sports for kids.sports for kids.

Orphanage ProgramStarting from $345


06

Add On Tour

Canopy Zip Line and Hot Springs Tour - ALL DAY TOUR

I loved this experience with

the kids and I will surely

miss it very much

-Cassidy Anson





Be in good health.


This program is set up for the children in primary schools. A volunteer

enrolled for this program is supposed to teach various subjects to the

kids; including, Math, English, Computer, Geography, etc.

Extra-curricular activities, reciting poetry and holding music lessons

can also be part of your duties as a teaching volunteer. You must

design your lesson plan in such a manner so as to include not only the

key content of the syllabus or the curriculum but also the lessons in

charactercharacter building and morality. You can choose a subject to teach

according to your proficiency. You are welcome to take Spanish classes

in advance to develop your proficiency.

Teaching ProgramStarting from $345


07

Add On Tour

Hiking trip to Pico Bonito National park

I felt welcomed entering and

helping out in each

classroom

-Alyssa Anne





Be in good health.


This program is dedicated for small children in primary schools who

are differently abled. As a volunteer, you play a crucial role in their lives

by helping and improving the communication level of the kids. Kids

from kindergarten to sixth grade are accommodated in these schools

which suffer from minor physical, mental, hearing, learning, and

speech disabilities. You can adopt various communication techniques

such as auditory-verbal, bilingual-bicultural, oral method, speech

readingreading (lip-reading) and manual sign languages (PSE, ASL, Signed

English, Signing Exact English) to interact and teach the kids, while

helping the local staff of the school in other administrative tasks.

School for Special Needs ChildrenStarting from $345


08

The staf f at the school treats

the children with dignity

and respect

-Rosarius Roy Leonardi

Your Accommodation


09

Accommodation Highlights

Fully Furnished and well equipped

Host family accommodation

Close proximity to the project and the local markets

Meals 3 times a day unless stated otherwise

Volunteering Solutions make sure of a comfortable and

memorable sojourn for its volunteers. After receiving them from

the airport, the volunteers are accommodated at the host family

houses. All the host family houses are in close proximity to the

project locations and within a very safe and vibrant neighborhood.

While, the houses are fully furnished and well equipped with all

necessary requirements, it is also a good way to get close to the

nativenative culture, understand the traditions, and polish your Spanish

speaking skills.

Volunteers are served traditional home cooked food, three times

a day, which is a combination of African, Spanish and indigenous

cuisine.


Accommodation and Living10

So, why do I have to pay for volunteering abroad? I mean, I want to help them and all and still I will have to pay? That is a

common question people ask. People often forget that volunteering is never free. Volunteering Abroad is definitely a choice,

and when you choose to do so, you have to pay. For what? For your airfare, for your lodgings, for your meals, for local

commute, airport transfer, for your project placement tie-ups! There is more in the list, but again, all of us dread the word

"program fee"

So, we thought we should simplify it for you. Your program fee solely aims to provide you comfort, while you volunteer

abroad. It is structured to meet your most basic needs.


Cost and Start Dates11

Airfare

Mobile connection and recharge

Entry fees to monuments or sightseeing places (if not included in program)

Transportation and local travel

Visa Fee

Personal expenses

Return Airport DropReturn Airport Drop

Expenses other than program fee

Honduras Program Dates

1 Week 2 Weeks 3 Weeks 4 Weeks 5 Weeks 6 Weeks 7 Weeks 8 Weeks Program Name Extra Weeks

$545$345 $745 $945 $1145 $1345 $1545 $1745 $245Honduras Program Cost for Orphanage,

Teaching, Special Needs and HealthCare

Please Note: -An application fee of $225 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.

Honduras Program Costs (in USD)

Most people are surprised to hear that they have to pay to volunteer abroad. What they often do not realize is that there

are significant administrative costs involved to arrange for a worthwhile volunteer abroad placement. Volunteering

Solutions is not supported by any government funding and runs its programs entirely from the fee that volunteers pay to

take part in the volunteer programs. Volunteering Abroad, involves incurring of many costs such as food, accommodation,

transportation, transfers, project selection etc. The program fee charged by us, goes into providing you all these services.

The money that you pay to us is distributed at various stages to provide you a meaningful volunteer abroad experience.The money that you pay to us is distributed at various stages to provide you a meaningful volunteer abroad experience.

VOLSOL Program Cost IncludesAdvertising Online/Offline Credit Card processing charges

In country maintenance of offices, vehicles etc.Staff recruitmentVolunteer recruitmentMaintaining office and other expenses

Salaries for staffNGO financial helpCommunication with volunteers and partners, by phone/email etc.International travel done by our staff to monitor projects and attend local meetings with partnersWebsite maintenance.Government taxes.


What am I paying for?12

Administration Cost

In Country SupportProject Development

Project Support &Field Cost

Food & Accommodation

It is necessary for an organization to employ full time staff to recruit and manage volunteers. There is lot of work that goes

side by side ensuring that you are supported before and during your program. We are dedicated to make your volunteering

abroad a memorable experience and ward off of all possible hunches at every steps. Our administration cost is 28% of the

total cost which include advertising, staff salary, website maintenance, taxes, volunteer recruitment and other expenses.

The application processing fee is part of your administrative costs, unlike many other volunteer travel company we do not

chargecharge any additional credit card processing fee. These companies can charge as much as 6% on your application fee taking

it to a difference of almost $100 extra. We have a flat rate and that is what we charge.

Administration

You may be endowed with exceptional skills and acumen in your area of expertise but to figure out your exact role in the

placement agency and to gain insights of its operations require training. To know cultural practices and etiquettes is of sub-

lime importance to carry out your tasks. So you need someone who could impart training and dispel your doubts at every

step, obviously he/she doubles as your friend and trainer. Generally your training program extends to few weeks and tire-

less efforts of the trainer need to be properly remunerated.

Good grasp of the local language is an added advantage that helps you to communicate effectively and learn the culture

promptly so in some cases they also assign language trainers to help you out who is paid by program provider.

Training and orientation

We charge for food and accommodation based on your preferences. You may decide to do home stay or group accommo-

dation or relish the cuisines cooked by host family and pay them. You may cook for yourself if you find it economical or your

placement organization may provide you lunch. You have plethora of options to choose from and charges are determined

accordingly. Host organization provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere for the volunteers. Food and accommodation

charges cover 40% of your total expenditure.

Food and accommodation

Volunteer service organization often employs in-country staff to provide local support and to make your volunteering

abroad experience memorable. As long as you are volunteering outside which may take up to six months, our staff is con-

tinuously working for you behind the screen. So we pay them from program fees we receive despite other sources like

grants and donations.

NothingNothing can be more discomforting than to struggle for getting basic services like healthcare, banking or even visa

reviewing in a foreign land that otherwise would have been comparatively less difficult in an English speaking country. As a

volunteer, you have not been tied up to the agency only but you may roam around the city to watch historical places, zoo,

movies etc. and should have total access to everything in order to distress yourself. VolSol has incredible in-country support

(around 12%) to ensure your trip runs smoothly.

In country support

The most important part of the volunteering fees is on the project which you have chosen. Program fees help fund the

project activities and resources. Thus organizations need paid staff member to ensure continuity of your program and

administrative duties. Project development involved 11% of the total program fee.

Project Development

What am I paying for? (Contd.)13

Surrounded by the Pacific at south and the Caribbean Sea in north, Honduras has some of the best of the travelling

experiences to provide. Certainly there is no dearth of exciting activities and mind blowing views in the region.

With some of the most scintillating Bay islands available, there is no dearth for a water sport lover and those who are

looking for silent beach side solace; Roatan & Utila are the perfect examples for that.

Dive into the ocean of happiness

It is a known factor that Honduras is a complete tropical paradise for travellers. The Pico Bonito National Park, La Tigra

National Park and Celaque National Park have it all to make you lose yourself to the magic of nature’s carvings.

Embrace the nature

Kayaking, canopying, camping, hiking, trekking…… it’s all there at your service! The crystal clear Caribbean waters are

always ready for a full throttle surfing and snorkeling. The tropical forest lands have all the elements for trekking,

bouldering, alongside the dense flora and varied fauna.

Ride on to adventure land

You go to a foreign land on a trip and return with a load of photographs as a significance of your travel memories; does that

suffice the box of memories? I believe not! Simply, until you have a considerable amount of souvenir items with you. Most

of the cities have fancy stores and souvenir shops lined up in a row, selling items at considerably cheaper rates.

Going back empty handed is not an option

Use of corn, black beans and coconut is a common habit in the kitchens of Honduras. One can find various preparations of

tortillas with cheese and beans as a regular snack on the food streets of Honduras. Carne asada, Pupusas and Baleadas are

amongst the famous dishes of Honduras cuisine.

Play with your taste buds

As a peculiar Roman Catholic country, most of the towns in Honduras conduct annual fests to honor their patron saints.

There are street parades, glittering performances, lip-smacking food…. In short, whole lot of fun! The biggest festival in

Honduras takes place on the streets of La Ceiba, a complete mega carnival.

Join in the celebrations


Things to Do in Honduras

14

Trip Notes

Avoid travelling at night and travel in groups or with a tour so as to be self-cautious.

How to apply - The process15

From the drop down select either Volunteer Abroad, Intern Abroad or Summer programs abroad.

If you are already familiar with the website and are visiting just to apply ignore this step and simply click on the Apply Now button at the

end of the drop down header.

Where it will ask you to create a login and password for your My Account login. Your email id would be treated as the username or user

id. Click on the proceed to next step button. The next step button will take you to a form that you have to fill to pay your application fee

of $225. This application fee will book your seat in the placement until you pay the entire program fee amount. If we fail to provide you

the placement we will refund you the money.

**Points to Heed

**If you are a past volunteer and already have my account user id and password then login to your my account section directly.

**If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again. **If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again.

01

When you click on the apply now button, you will get a window like this:

02



Fill out the forms marked 2 to 4 and submit application, it will be redirected to your payment gateway, where you can make the payment.

If you make the application fee payment now, your My account login would be activated as soon as we receive the payment. In case of

any glitches if your My account login is not activated, please inform us and we will do it manually.

You will receive a Thank you mail for booking the application or making your my account

login. You will get this email irrespective of full payment made or not.

03

04

This email would be followed by a Welcome mail and a community email with platforms to

help you connect with our past volunteers. If you are using gmail, please check your

promotions folder or spam folder and mark them not spam and shift them to your inbox.

Actively participate in VolSol Facebook page and Groups and also join the social

community made by volunteers, that will help you better prepare for the trip.

05



One month prior to your booking you will get your pre departure booklet. The pre-

departure booklet would contain all the details about your project and project location.

While on the project, we will send you an email to check on you, whether you are doing fine or not. You can send your pictures, blogs or

videos or anything related to your ongoing work to us and we will share it with other prospective volunteers.

After the completion of your project, we send you a feedback form, fill this form out and help us improve our services.

06

If your placement is confirmed you will get an email from us stating the same, along with

the final payment due amount.

You can pay your program fee from your my account section or from payment page. The

links for the same would be provided in the email. Payment details would be updated on

your my account page.

05

Know your coordinator

Manuel(Program Coordinator - Honduras)

He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A mastering in the EPFS to be an English teacher

in Honduras. Manuel has over 12 years of experience in dealing with international volunteers in

Honduras and also providing great Spanish classes to all volunteers.


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volsol honduras brochure 2016 compressed

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