This project works with the people of San Cristobal, in the Galapagos Islands, to develop environmental education through community programs. Volunteers can make a real difference to the local community and contribute to the long term conservation of the islands.  

The project began in 1996 through a partnership of local Galapagos residents and English speaking volunteers in order to address the social and ecological challenges facing conservation in the Galapagos Islands and the surrounding Marine Reserve.  In the year 2000, after several years of 'unofficial work', they gained recognition as a legal, non-profit charity committed to providing a more inclusive and therefore effective conservation program for the Galapagos Islands. The aim is to achieve this through a program of education, which can ultimately provide the necessary skills, knowledge, and awareness to the most influential species in the Galapagos; humans.  

The acquisition of a foreign language (English) for a Galapagos resident provides countless personal, social, and economic opportunities. Not only does it help locals better serve the tourists that visit Galapagos each year, it provides a new, sustainable alternative to fishing and allows for a mutual sharing of perspectives as contact between visitor and resident are made possible. More importantly, English skills are not limited to tourism, but include areas such as scientific research, education, and many others.  

The program offers English courses for children aged 4-12 years old, teenagers aged 13-18 years old, and adults of all skill levels. The classes are given by international English speaking volunteers.  Students are not charged for these classes, and although there is strong demand amongst local residents, class sizes are restricted to 15 -20 students per class. Students attend daily classes in the afternoons and evenings, depending on their age and skill level. The curriculum focuses on the natural habitat of the Galapagos Islands, emphasizing conversation, creativity, and interactive exercises over grammatical structures and rote memorization. Occasionally, audiovisuals such as cassette tapes and movies are utilized, and students are also asked to interview tourists to hone their skills. Thus far, the results have been very positive from a language standpoint, and, more importantly, many students seem to have adopted a more open attitude and awareness for conservation and environmental education.    

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES  

Volunteers will teach English to the students at the centre.
The program follows a set course and all students have their own books however volunteers are also welcome to offer their own ideas and use their own initiative to make their classes as interesting and educational as possible.   

Additional Activities: As the English classes take place in the afternoons and evenings, volunteers are offered the opportunity to also help out in the local INFA nursery (a local equivalent of family services for more vulnerable children on the island) in the mornings helping, caring, entertaining and playing with the babies and toddlers.  

You may also be asked occasionally to help out with painting or decorating the classrooms, helping out at local schools and colleges or any other activities that benefit the local community.

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