Apply by
January 1, 2025
Know by
March 1, 2025
Depart on
July 12, 2025
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
Project description
Overview Of The Project
The Community Economic Development (CED) project seeks to sustain economic growth and improve the standard of living for families and communities. Peace Corps CED Volunteers (hereafter, Volunteers) are assigned to work throughout the country with community development organizations in rural communities where small-scale business activities, such as rural tourism, agribusiness, or community-based services drive the local economy. All CED activities will have a particular emphasis on working with women and youth.
Project Objectives
- Strengthen the capacity of community organizations to contribute to local economic development.
- Empower individuals, especially women and youth, to create and access economic opportunities.
Project Focus And Approach
The primary focus is on capacity building through a unique one-on-one relationship with local development associations, as well as current and potential entrepreneurs. The Volunteer will conduct community assessments and engage in monitoring and evaluation activities throughout service. The working environment will include formal settings, including high schools, and informal settings, such as communal meeting spaces, entrepreneur’s homes, or places of business. Collaboration includes, but is not limited to :
- Strengthening management of community organizations and businesses.
- Guide project design, planning, marketing, bookkeeping, etc.
- Support individuals in adopting entrepreneurial behaviors.
- Improving individuals’ skills to achieve economic security.
Digital Literacy
Volunteers will also focus on bridging the digital gap by building capacities in digital literacy to better position community members to achieve future economic growth goals. Staff will train Volunteers and provide them with curriculum materials and other resources so they can offer digital literacy courses to community members.
Expectations For Volunteers
- Be a highly-motivated, self-starter prepared to work full-time within an un-structured environment across formal and informal settings.
- Overcome challenges, including geographic, environmental, climatic, cultural, and socio-economic factors, to integrate fully into rural, under-resourced community.
- Adapt to Peace Corps and Costa Rican norms and procedures during trainings, meetings, recreational activities, and daily life in our communities of service.
Ben’s Experience
EXAMPLES OF CURRENT VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENTS:
- Ben works in a rural community focused on agribusiness. Each morning, he walks 30 minutes to the high school where he supports the Talleres Socioproductivos Program, helping 7th-11th graders develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and business. Three half-days per week, Ben enjoys giving hands-on support to a teacher developing a school garden where students grow and sell vegetables. After the school day, Ben works with the manager of a local cheese factory, teaching her basic computer skills for bookkeeping and marketing, and helps improve organizational skills. Finally, Ben works twice a week with local women's groups to facilitate entrepreneurial activities, offering training in leadership, empowerment, and business skills.
Jackie’s Experience
- Jackie works in a very remote, rural community of about 150 people. Here, she devotes the majority of her time developing a rural tourism business with the community. She teaches business skills and guides them in applying for grants to build lodging for tourists visiting a nearby National Park. This work is in the afternoons and weekends, as many participants come from outside the area. Her work also focuses on helping the community transition from informal work activities, such as illegal gold digging, to more formal and sustainable employment, such as learning how to run a tour guide business. Separately, Jackie loves going daily to the local school where she supports children with their English and physical education classes.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any business discipline
- 5 years professional experience in business management
Desired Skills
Competitive candidates will have experience in one or more of the following criteria :
Managing And Supporting Community Organizations
- Strategic planning, development, design, management;
- Participatory community assessment tools;
- Leading committees or community projects;
- Proposal writing, fundraising, feasibility studies.
Entrepreneurship, Social Business, Or Small Business
- Owner, operator, manager;
- Mentor, trainer, facilitator;
- Business simulations or competitions.
Mentoring Or Teaching In Schools, Clubs, Or Youth Groups
- Focused on youth and women;
- Focused on entrepreneurship, leadership, empowerment, business skills or related.
Digital Literacy
- Knowledge and experience teaching across a variety of digital tools;
- Microsoft Office, social media platforms, basic web design, related tools;
- Excel spreadsheets for basic bookkeeping, cost and pricing, and inventory control.
Required Language Skills
Candidates must meet one or more of the language requirements below in order to be considered for this position.
- Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework within the past 8 years
- Completed minimum 2 semesters of Spanish college‐level coursework within the past 6 years
- Native/fluent speaker of Spanish
Candidates Who Do Not Meet The Language Proficiency Levels Above Can Take The Language Placement Exams To Demonstrate Their Level Of Proficiency. Competitive Applicants Typically Attain a Score Of 50 On The Spanish College Level Examination Program CLEP Exam Or a Score Of Novice‐High On The American Council On The Teaching Of Foreign Languages (ACTFL OPI). LANGUAGE EXPECTATIONS
Volunteers are expected to communicate exclusively in Spanish. Once at their assigned community, Volunteers will need advanced Spanish skills for conducting meetings, interviews, trainings, assessments, and reporting. They are expected to actively participate in their language learning journey until they reach an advanced proficiency level.
Language Preparation
Peace Corps/Costa Rica encourages applicants to actively study Spanish before departure, preparing them for both their service and the brief, but intensive, language training in Costa Rica. Trainees are expected to attain at least Intermediate-High language proficiency by the end of the 12-week Pre-Service Training period to qualify as Peace Corps Volunteers.
Staff assesses language proficiency at multiple points during training and creates individualized learning plans to support progress towards reaching an Intermediate-High level. Achieving this proficiency level may be challenging for those with lower levels of Spanish, making pre-arrival language learning and enhancement activities highly recommended.
Living conditions
Housing
Volunteers are required to live with a host family for at least nine months, including three months during Pre-Service Training (PST) and at least six months in their community. If suitable housing is available later, they may request independent living. Many communities don’t offer independent living, so Volunteers may live with a host family throughout their service.
Although living with a family brings challenges (less privacy, new diet, noise, etc.), the homestay experience offers rewards like integration, safety considerations, increased language skills, building trust and friendships, cultural sharing, and a unique understanding of the Costa Rican culture. Applicants must think about the commitment to live and integrate with a Costa Rican family, particularly one with limited resources. They must be willing to follow cultural norms and respect family dynamics.
Peace Corps Staff arrange and inspect housing with respected families in the assigned communities. Most host-family homes have indoor bathrooms and showers but do not have hot water.
Professional Appearance
Most Costa Ricans take pride in being well-groomed, even on informal occasions. Volunteers must follow the example of Costa Ricans in their communities (e.g., clean and ironed clothes, polished shoes, and groomed hair). Working with schools and other professionals requires consistently demonstrating a professional attitude and appearance. Dress in the workplace is business casual and includes knee-length skirts/dresses, pressed pants, blouses, collared shirts, or short sleeve polos. Flip-flops, sport sandals, shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, crop tops, and other athleisure wear should only be worn in the home, during recreation, but never at work. Revealing attire or the lack of proper undergarments is never acceptable for Peace Corps service.
Culture And Diversity
While the Peace Corps/Costa Rica (PC/CR) office welcomes the diversity of its Volunteers, the culture and beliefs in some communities may produce stigma and discrimination. Volunteers must be mindful of cultural norms and use their judgment on how best to approach diversity issues. Volunteers of a U.S. racial, ethnic, or national minority or whose religious or spiritual beliefs differ from most of their community may experience curiosity or unwanted attention. Many Volunteers have been able to turn these encounters into learning experiences, to share values, and to deepen understanding of the U.S.
Community
Communities vary in size and geography, from remote rural to semi-rural towns, all with limited public transportation. Most regions enjoy a warm and humid climate, offering a unique environment to explore. The landscape includes diverse, mountainous terrain and rustic unpaved roads. All regions experience a heavy rainy season. Volunteers should be prepared for tropical living and coexistence with a variety of insects and animals. Training will help Volunteers navigate the unique tropical flora and fauna.
Nearly all communities are accessible to the capital San José within two to eight hours by public transportation. The closest urban center may be as little as 1 hour away by public transportation. Buses are available from all communities several days a week. They are both inexpensive and relatively dependable.
Communications
All Volunteers must have a cell phone connected to local phone service. Both pre-paid and post-paid services are available. Peace Corps does not purchase phones for Volunteers. Most use an "unlocked" cell phone brought from the U.S., while others purchase cell phones in Costa Rica. Most host families hold a cell phone and/or a landline. Internet service is not available in all communities, and access to Wi-Fi may be limited.
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in Costa Rica: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Medical considerations
Before you apply, please review medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
Couples information
Costa Rica is happy to receive couples and will identify sufficient work opportunities within the same community for both Volunteers. This cohort will include two programs: Community Economic Development and Youth In Development. We offer couples the choice of applying for the same program or one in each program.
PLEASE NOTE: Each applicant must apply separately and qualify for their respective program.
Couples can expect similar living conditions for them as for single Volunteers. They will live with the same host family during the three months of Pre-Serving Training; however, they may have Spanish classes in different groups depending on language levels. They will then live with the same family for the first six months in their assigned community. If suitable housing is available later, they may request independent living. Many communities don’t offer independent living, so Volunteers, including couples, should prepare themselves to live with a host family throughout their service.
PLEASE NOTE: While couples will be working in the same community, they may be assigned to work at different institutions.
The Peace Corps works to foster safe and productive assignments for same-sex couples, and same-sex couples are not placed in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. Because of this, same-sex couple placements are more limited than heterosexual couple placements. During the application process Recruiters and Placement Officers work closely with same-sex couple applicants to understand current placement opportunities. For more information please visit: https://www.peacecorps.gov/faqs/lgbtq/.
