Good with children?

For a country with spectacular jungle, a glorious Caribbean coast and sweeping national parks Honduras gets surprisingly few visitors. You should be one of the lucky few though and visit the colonial town of La Esperanza, high in the mountainous pine forests of the Highlands. As is the case in many rural areas, resources are limited and the staff are overworked, so an extra pair of hands will be most welcome. You’ll help out at a local day centre giving the children the attention they deserve and generally helping to improve their quality of life. Like the kids, Honduras’ beauty comes in small packages so you’ll have time to explore it all! Don’t forget we include our TEFL certification in the price to help prepare you.

Project Details:
The La Esperanza Centre hosts around forty disadvantaged children, their goal is to provide them attention, love, care, nutrition and shelter. INHFA has a feeding centre, a general medical clinic, and a distribution centre of humanitarian resources. i-to-i volunteers will be working closely alongside the children, some from very deprived areas. The main aims of the project are to help support the children with their development and help improve their quality of life. Through supporting projects aimed at training young people in specialist areas of industry, agriculture and the tertiary sector, volunteers will be helping children contribute to their country's integral development.

Why the project needs volunteers:
Due to a severe lack of funding, the school relies heavily on volunteer contributions. Through providing much needed enthusiasm, inspiration and practical skills i-to-i volunteers can really make a difference in this environment and to the children's lives.

What kind of skills you need to go on this project:
Beginners Spanish is a requirement as communication with the children will be beneficial to both parties. Working with orphaned and underprivileged children it is important that you are patient and understanding. In addition, a positive and enthusiastic attitude will help you get the most out of the project.

Your role as a volunteer:
Between the hours of 8am and 4pm volunteers are needed to help support all aspects of the day to day running of the IHNFA centre. To help keep the children entertained there are a wide range of activities for volunteers to get involved with including cooking, carpentry, pottery and sewing. There is also the opportunity to teach English to the staff at the Centre as well as assist in the medical clinic.  Many volunteers have been helping out on regenerating the centre, helping building and brightening up the rooms.

Where the project is based:
The project is based in the small town of La Esperanza (pop 13,000) which is in the Western Highlands of Honduras. It is about 3-4 hours by bus from the capital Tegucigalpa. La Esperanza is populated mainly by the indigenous Lenca people, and the town is best known for its traditional Sunday market. The local area is blessed with magnificent scenery and is fantastic for hiking / cycling.

Accommodation is in comfortable homestays with local families.

You will need to arrive into Tegucigalpa (TGU) on your specified arrival date.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It’s also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Honduras.

If you arrive on the arrival Date – Monday you will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night. You will be taken to the Hotel Valle de Angeles where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The hostel is within walking distance of local craft shops, bars and restaurants.

Note: If you’re arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date between 7am and 5pm:

Hostel Valle de Angeles
Enfrente de Banco Occidente
50 metros detras de la iglesia
Valle de Angeles
Francisco Morazan.
Honduras

You should make your way to the hostel before 5pm.

Your orientation will take place the next morning and will introduce you to life in Honduras as well as important information about staying healthy and safe and information on getting to your project.

This is your chance to ask any questions of the team before starting work. After your orientation you will travel to your project, information on local transport and getting to your project.

From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation (approx 15 USD per night).

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 30.00

Suggested Trips

Mayan Ruins of Copan

• The most artistically advanced and elaborate of all the Maya Cities.
• Visit the Grand Plaza where you can find the Hieroglyphic Stairway
• Take photos of various temples including the ‘Temple of the Sun’
• Also visit the new Maya museums, the nearby hot springs and take part in various other activities around town
  

Lancetilla Botanical Gardens

• Largest Botanical Garden in Latin America
• A wonderland of tropical effusiveness and variety. Lancetilla holds the most complete Honduras tropical gardens.
• Explore the fascinating bamboo forest and enjoy a refreshing swim after a hike through the tropical jungle
• Located next to the famous Caribbean port of Tela, you will have an opportunity to enjoy some of the best beaches of Honduras
  

 Lago de Yajoa/ Pulhapanzak

• Get a tour through and underneath the 140 feet waterfall for the best adventure of your life
• Lake Yajoa is a natural lake surrounded by massive 8000 feet high mountains
• The combination of vegetation and water create an impressively diverse habitat home to 373 species of birds
  

The Bay Islands

• The Bay Islands are Roatan, Utila and Guanaja
• The islands have an incredible amount to offer guests; superb scuba diving and snorkeling, kayaking, horseback riding, exploring vast mangrove alleys
• Home to the second largest barrier reef in the world where you can encounter the infamous whale shark, dolphins and a huge variety of other marine life
• The Bay Islands have the least expensive dive certification courses on the planet
• Each island has stunning beaches like West Bay in Roatan where you can soak up the sun then cool off in the crystal clear sea.
  

La Tigra Cloud Forest

• Considered as one of the richest habitats in the world, where there is the highest diversity of flora and fauna
• Wet, cool, primeval, La Tigra is a forest of singular enchantment, a wonder known only to those willing to climb to its height
• Home to more than 700 species of birds including the Harpy Eagle and the Quetzal, as well as rare mammals such as jaguars, pumas and monkeys
• La Tigra National Park is a cool retreat just a 40-minute drive from the capital Tegucigalpa making it a must see for even seasoned ecotourists
  

Pico Bonito

• Located just a short distance from La Ceiba
• Pico Bonito has a variety of nature trails, natural swimming pools, a butter-fly house and serpentarium
• The park also gives you a great chance to spot the keel billed toucan, white-faced monkeys and howler monkeys
• Go on a zip line canopy tour to get a ‘bird’s eye’ perspective of life in the tropical rain forest
• Experience some of the best white water rafting in Central America
  

Isla del Tigre

• A small (extinct) volcanic island on the Pacific Coast
• Forms an almost perfect conical shape and has an altitude of 2,583 feet above sea level
• Relax at the beach Playa Negra, named after the dark volcanic sands that characterize the island
• Climb to the top of the volcano to get a spectacular view of Nicaragua, El Salvador and of course Honduras
• Watch the stunning sun set while trying out the succulent sea food on offer