There are many areas lacking in Roatan and the rest of Honduras, including medical care, schooling, and water. Several non-profits are working to improve these areas, and you can help! There's no better way to enrich your stay than to give of your time. We love to support local charities: a donation will be given to the non-profit that you're volunteering at, just mention where you're volunteering when you book. You can also earn yourself a free hostel stay by helping out around the hostel.
Hostel Volunteer
Help out in the hostel in exchange for a free stay a shared volunteer room. It's about 20 hours of helping per week- sometimes assisting in the office with guests, as well as cleaning, laundry and gardening, wherever needed. You have the rest of the day to enjoy the island: head out snorkeling, do a dive, lounge by the pool, go ziplining, or any of the other great activities around Roatan. Minimum commitment is 1 month, though 2 is preferable. Volunteers must be at least 22 and speak fluent English. Some Spanish is helpful. email roatanhostel@gmail.com to see the next availability for a volunteer position.
Healthcare Clinic
Whether you have a medical background or not, Clinica Esperanza can use your help! The clinic provides extremely low-cost medical and dental care to anyone in need. Doctors, nurses, and medical students can assist with medical services, while non-medically trained individuals can help with cleaning, painting and other much needed jobs. If you have room in your bag, donated medications such as ibuprofen, baby asprin and vitamins are always welcome. The clinic is a 3 minute walk from Roatan Backpackers' Hostel. Visit www.clinicaesperanza.org for more information.
Schools and Educational Programs
Interested in spending time in a local school, assisting with English classes, volunteering at the new library or at a e-learning center? Whether you'd like to bring down school supplies, sponsor a child for their schooling, or offer your time as a volunteer, your help would be greatly appreciated! Roatan Backpackers' Hostel is located about 20 minute walk from the SandCastle Library and the Sandy Bay e-learning center, both headed up by Partners In Education Roatan. Visit www.pierroatan.org for more information.
Another great place to volunteer is with www.care4communities.com Help with an English class, coach soccer, assist in organizing a beach cleanup: there are tons of ways to get involved! The SOL Foundation also works with children, including nightly activities at the basketball courts just a few minutes away by Anthony's Key.
If you'd like to help out in a school, Bay Islands International School is a short 5 minute walk away, and has great volunteer options working with various age groups. www.roatanschools.org
Another great place to volunteer is with www.care4communities.com Help with an English class, coach soccer, assist in organizing a beach cleanup: there are tons of ways to get involved! The SOL Foundation also works with children, including nightly activities at the basketball courts just a few minutes away by Anthony's Key.
If you'd like to help out in a school, Bay Islands International School is a short 5 minute walk away, and has great volunteer options working with various age groups. www.roatanschools.org
Dwellings
Want to help build a home? Dwellings www.dwellingsnow.com provides homes for underprivileged individuals who are nominated by someone: they have to own their own property, and fundraising is done to cover the materials. If you like to swing a hammer, this might be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you, if they have a build going on while you're on Roatan.
Roatan Marine Park
Roatan's beautiful coral reef is one of the main tourist attractions, and the Roatan Marine Park came into existence in order to protect this treasure. The marine park is responsible for several initiatives, including installing and maintaining mooring buoys for dive sites, doing patrols to ensure that the illegal harvesting of conchs and lobsters within the marine reserve does not occur, organizing beach and reef clean ups, and providing education in schools. If you'd like to be a part of their efforts, volunteers are welcome. www.roatanmarinepark.com
Bay Islands Beach Volleyball Association (BIBVA)
The Bay Island Beach Volleyball Association (BIBVA) was established in 2015, and uses beach volleyball in order to reach out to at risk children. Kids get trained in beach volleyball, and with collaboration of other institutions on the island, they also receive education in areas such as health and environment.
The project is still fairly small. So if you are somehow involved in sport, education or any other area that you think can be beneficial; if you are here for at least three weeks and interested in getting to know the project and support it somehow, we are happy to hear from you. Donations of clothing or other items that you might not need anymore are also welcome. http://www.bibva.com/
The project is still fairly small. So if you are somehow involved in sport, education or any other area that you think can be beneficial; if you are here for at least three weeks and interested in getting to know the project and support it somehow, we are happy to hear from you. Donations of clothing or other items that you might not need anymore are also welcome. http://www.bibva.com/