Mexico - APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
"I am just about to say goodbye to Oaxaca. (...) I have met some amazing people and eat some strange and wonderful food. It has been one of the greatest experiences of my life"
Anthony - 2012 Mexico Travel Award winner
Would you like to volunteer in an environmental project in Oaxaca?
This exciting, fully funded eight-week volunteering programme is with the co-operative project in the beach village of La Ventanilla in Oaxaca State. It was set up to stop the killing and selling of turtles and their eggs and has grown into a sustainable development project which generates alternative sources of income for the 25 families who live in the community.
¡Buena suerte con tu solicitud!
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
Details
Additional information:
The Co-op now organises guided tours and horse riding along the mangrove swamp. Other projects include a tree nursery, a crocodile farm and nurseries for turtles and iguanas. Volunteer activities might include cleaning and preparation of the eco-friendly tourist cabins, to assist in the community owned restaurant "El maíz azul" ("The blue corn"), helping in the rehabilitation of confiscated animals and the release of newly-hatched turtles into the ocean.
Age profile: 18 or over on 1st June 2013.
Travel dates: End of June 2013.
What's included:
- Return flights from Ireland to Mexico, insurance, orientation programme and overnight in Mexico City
- Transfer to Oaxaca city for 2 weeks/30 hours Spanish language classes, cultural activities and homestay with local family
- Accommodation and meals during volunteer project
- Volunteer work for 6 weeks on the island
- Local mentor and support
How to apply
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED:
While you can apply for a number of awards, each entry needs to be specific to the country you wish to apply for i.e. you cannot use the same entry for more than one country.
(a) You need to request an application form and complete it;
(b) You also need to tell us:
- What you could bring to this experience?
- What you would hope to learn from it?
- How it can benefit your community upon your return?
Please answer these three questions equally. You can present your work by using any one of the following formats:
- An essay of not more than 700 words.
- A project format of not more than 8 A4 size pages combining pictures, clippings, art, drawings and writing in any combination you wish.
- A video not longer than 4 minutes and submitted on a CD, DVD or memory stick.
Please forward the completed application and your project in hard copy form to reach EIL by 6pm on Tuesay, 5th March 2013.
Top Tips from Past Award Winners:
- EIL will look for somebody with one or more of the the following: an interest in environmental projects; or community co-operatives; experience of volunteer work in your school, college or community here in Ireland; an interest in animals, tour guiding or restaurant work. Obviously you wont have experience in all of these, but even if you have experience in one area make sure you highlight it.
- It is not essential to already speak some Spanish, but it is essential that you are ready to learn. You will have a 2 week language course when you arrive. If there is anything else you are ready to do to learn Spanish make sure to highlight it in your application.
- It gets very hot and humid in La Ventanilla during the summer. Sounds great. But in practice it is too uncomfortable to work during the middle of the day and as a result it means very early starts to get as much work as possible done while the day is cool. This type of climate also supports different bugs and insects to what we are used to in Ireland.
- Sometimes people ask if Mexico is safe. There is a lot of drug related violence in Mexico, but this is mostly located in the parts of Mexico bordering with the USA. Oaxaca is in the opposite end of the country and it would take over 2 days of non stop driving to get to the border with the USA. Like in any country you need to be street wise and careful, but previous participants have not seen any of the violence sometimes reported in the media.
Blogs
Terms & Conditions
- Shortlisting may take place and interviews will take place pror to final selection
- Each successful applicant must complete all necessary supplementary application forms as required by EIL (including parental/guardian permissions if under 18)
- Selected applicants forfeit their Award should he/she not be able to fully participate on the programme on all the dates as specified and/or should they be found unfit to travel by a medical practictioner.
- Candidates will need to demonstrate an appropriate level of maturity and responsibility in order to participante
- All the applicants agree to accept the decision of the EIL adjudication panel as final.
- Entries must include a fully completed application form, a completed reference form by a responsible, non-family member and an essay/project/video. Interviews will be held in March 2013 and results will be announced in April 2013.
- Closing date for receipt of hard copy entries is 5th March 2013.*
*If you are submitting your hard copy application by post very close to the deadline (as in March 3rd or later) we require you to: Post original in any An Post letterbox/office up until Tuesday 5th March at 6pm and email a full scanned copy of the entry to info@eilireland.org before 6pm on Tuesday 5th March so that we receive your application in time.