Volunteer Sports Coaching in Ecuador

Work with local coaches at a community sports club and help disadvantaged youths develop their athletic skills

Destination

Ecuador

Age

16+ y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

Request Info

Starting at £1,420 for 1 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Coach various sports

Work alongside experienced coaches in the Galapagos Islands, teaching football, basketball, Zumba, and Taekwondo to young people.

Learn about sports development

Gain valuable insights into sports coaching techniques and learn how to plan engaging training sessions, especially for football.

Enjoy a rewarding experience

Help young people improve their skills, fitness, and mental health while promoting the importance of sports and exercise to local communities.

Explore island culture

Live with a host family, enjoy Ecuadorian cuisine, and experience the unique beauty and wildlife of the Galapagos Islands.

Develop real world skills

Enhance your coaching abilities, communication skills, and teamwork, gaining practical experience in an international context.

What you need to know

Overview

Are you passionate about sports and fitness? Do you enjoy working with children? Then our Sports Club Project in Ecuador is perfect for you!

We work with several community-run sports clubs. They provide free sports lessons to children, teenagers, and adults. You will focus on coaching younger children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 16 years old.

This is an excellent opportunity for you to refine your own skills and gain hands-on sports coaching experience in Ecuador. Don’t worry if you have no previous coaching experience. You will work with local staff who can help and guide you.

The local sports coaches do not speak English, so we strongly recommend learning some basic Spanish before you arrive. Contact us to learn more about the Spanish Language Course we offer in Ecuador, which can teach you basic phrases related to sports coaching.

Our sports coaching placement in Ecuador runs all year round, so you can join at any time. We encourage you to stay as long as you can in order to maximise your experience and have a bigger impact on the kids you work with.

A Day in the Life

You will start your mornings with a hearty breakfast in your host family’s home. From here, you will make use of public transport to get to your placement. On your first day, our staff will accompany you to show you the way.

Your average working hours per day vary, depending on the placement. However, you would normally work about 4-5 hours a day.

At some of our placements, you will start at 7:30 am and finish at 12:30 pm. However, others only start in the afternoon, which means you may work from 4 pm to 7 pm. For those who work in the afternoons, it’s possible to combine our coaching placement with a Care or Teaching Project to fill up your morning hours, too.

The first hour of your working day will be dedicated to meeting with the local coaches to help coordinate and plan coaching sessions. These meetings will also be a useful time to discuss team selections and match strategies.

You will get plenty of free time to explore with your fellow volunteers. Galapagos is a fascinating island with many adventures waiting to be had. If you have a whole weekend free, visit some of the national parks, take a trip to the beach, or go snorkelling.

Aims & Impact

The main aim of this project is to help disadvantaged youth learn important life skills through sports. Because sports teach children essential skills, such as teamwork, health and fitness, it can help open doors to a better life.

Sport is extremely popular in Ecuador, and there are many children wishing to participate. However, due to a lack of resources, opportunities are limited. Through our Non-school Sports Club Project, young players are given a chance to participate. We also focus on sports coaching because it teaches valuable life skills, like teamwork, and encourages regular exercise for healthy living.

We need your help to reach more children and encourage their development through sports. You can do this as long as you have a passion for fitness and sports and enjoy working with kids.

Join us in Ecuador today to help improve the lives of disadvantaged young people through sport.

Activities

You’ll work at a community-run sports club on San Cristobal Island, in the Galapagos. Here are some of the tasks you can expect to do during your placement:

Teach various sports, with a large focus on coaching football
Help local coaches come up with interesting and diverse training sessions
Learn new skills that could boost your own career

As a volunteer teaching sports in Ecuador, your work will mainly focus on the following areas:

Teach sports

The most important aspect of your time as a volunteer sports coach in Ecuador is coaching children and helping to improve their fitness and ability.

You mainly teach football, but you can also coach sports like basketball, Zumba, and Taekwondo. The Zumba classes are open to both children and adults. Adults from the local community enjoy participating in the sessions run by staff and volunteers. It would be beneficial to have basic Zumba skills, but this is not a requirement. In terms of teaching Taekwondo, there is a local Taekwondo instructor who will assist with the sessions. However, if you have some experience or training in martial arts, that would be useful.

You work with small groups that are divided by age and ability. You will find that every student is different, and they will benefit greatly from your attention to improve their performance.

Help local coaches plan training sessions

Regardless of the sport you are coaching, you will help to develop students’ basic skills and techniques. Emphasis is also put on enjoyment and participation. This is because the students attending these sports clubs have a real passion for it. Your role, therefore, will be to help make sure the fun and enthusiasm continues.

Keeping this in mind, you will help local coaches plan training sessions that are fun and interesting and encourage the students to come back regularly.

Learn new skills

Whether you have coaching experience or not, this project will offer loads of opportunity to broaden your skill set.

Firstly, you will be working alongside experienced local coaches, who will be able to advise you on improving your own techniques. Secondly, living on Galapagos is an excellent opportunity to learn Spanish or improve on your language skills if you already speak it.

Map & Location

The Galapagos Islands are a “living laboratory” and world-famous biodiversity hotspot. Located 1,000 km west of mainland Ecuador, their isolation has resulted in unique species found nowhere else on earth. A real “Bucket List” destination.

With no natural predators, the animals show almost no fear of humans. Get ready for up-close encounters with incredible creatures like Galapagos Giant Tortoises, Marine Iguanas, and Blue-footed Boobies.

San Cristobal

San Cristobal is the fifth largest and farthest east of the Galapagos Islands. Although not the biggest in terms of population, it is home to the capital of the Galapagos Province and oldest settlement on the islands, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

With a population of around 7,000 people, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno is a sleepy, tropical settlement with all of the essentials. You’re just as likely to find friendly sea lions lounging around town as you are the welcoming locals!

Food & Accommodation

Enjoy your Ecuadorian experience with a warm and welcoming local host family, carefully vetted by us. They’ll provide everything you need for a fantastic time, including a comfortable bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water, with transport to and from your placement arranged by our team.

Your home away from home will be clean, safe, and secure with fast Wi-Fi and in a convenient location. Your host family will prepare your meals and you will speak with them every day, giving you a unique glimpse into the local language, culture, and cuisine.

You will live alongside other Projects Abroad participants, possibly sharing a room with someone of the same gender and age as you. This gives you the chance to share the experience, build bonds, and relax with other travellers on your trip.

Free Time and Leisure

The Galapagos Islands, famous for the research Charles Darwin did here with its many unique animal species, is the ideal location to explore and immerse in the tranquillity of nature.

While you’re volunteering here, it’s worth checking out the beautiful beaches where seabirds circle above and sea lions laze about on the sand. You can also go snorkelling or scuba diving along the coast.

Hiking around the base of one of the many volcanoes that make up the Galapagos is spectacular and thrilling! You can also follow the Darwin trail or trek through the Punta Pitt.

There are plenty of museums and art galleries for you to learn more about the culture and history. You can also chat to locals and buy souvenirs at bustling markets.

What’s great about joining our projects is the chance to connect with other volunteers. So you can choose to explore the Galapagos independently or you can travel with the new friends you make along the way.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Ecuador Arrival Procedures page.