GOECO

GoEco is a company that believes in responsible tourism and leaving the places we travel to in a better condition than when we arrived. In order to achieve this goal, GoEco partners with organizations around the world which are dedicated to providing humanitarian aid in local communities and wildlife rehabilitation and ecological conservation within local parks and reserves. GoEco sends like-minded and philanthropic volunteers to contribute to the aims of these projects and gain meaningful experiences that enrich their lives much more than typical commercial travel. To read more about how GoEco began and expanded to what we are today, take a glance through our About Us section. Is GoEco a reputable company? Yes, GoEco is a well-known volunteer tourism company. We send over 1000 volunteers to placements world-wide each year. If you have any doubts, please see our Recommended By page to read articles about GoEco which have been published on top news websites including Us News & World Report, Goodnet, The Guardian and more. Don't miss our great video clip from the Today Show! Also, check out what past volunteers had to say about their GoEco volunteer trips via our Volunteer Blog or through volunteer reviews at GoOverseas.com and GoAbroad.com. Feel free to join our Facebook Fan page and post to hear about the experiences of past volunteers. Why should I choose to volunteer through GoEco? GoEco prices are highly competitive and, are usually cheaper than trying to do it yourself. In most cases, our prices include travel health insurance. We offer excellent customer service from start to finish. We answer our phone calls and always return emails within 1 - 2 days or sooner. GoEco also has a 24 hour emergency phone number for volunteers to use if they need support while traveling. GoEco has nine years of experience and has placed more than 5000 volunteers at projects. The GoEco Placement Coordinators are knowledgeable about all of our projects and will of course help you choose the best project(s) if you are undecided. GoEco continually updates the website in an effort to ensure that all information is easily accessible and accurate. We regularly add new projects that our volunteers will find interesting. Once you register, GoEco will make sure you have all the information you need before your trip and will check in with you during your trip. That means should a problem arise, GoEco is there for you and will help find a resolution. GoEco representatives have been to each of the projects we represent in order to vet the projects. We only work with projects that value our volunteers and offer an excellent volunteering experience. Why do I have to pay to volunteer? GoEco partners with numerous admirable organizations around the world which are dedicated to supporting the needs of their local community whether it is through humanitarian aid, wildlife rehabilitation or ecological conservation efforts. Taking on volunteers to help with such efforts incurs a variety of expenses which the projects and communities themselves cannot support. Therefore, a participation fee is required from volunteers to fund these initiatives. The costs are to provide food and housing for volunteers, training, supervision and safety precautions as well as certain costs included in running the projects successfully. Most projects also include full travel health insurance coverage for the volunteer. Know that without your physical and financial help, these organizations would not have the power necessary to continue the fabulous and worthwhile work they commit themselves to. The participation fee varies depending on the location and needs of each specific program. ***please note that all prices listed on the website are in USD. Why do I have to pay a deposit? The deposit is simply to hold your placement spot at the volunteer project for the dates that you want and to continue the application process. If, for any reason, you are not accepted at a project, GoEco will refund 100% of your deposit or apply your deposit to another program of your choice, provided there is availability. Please note that the deposit amount is deducted from the total cost of your project. You may cancel your registration up to 7 days after making your deposit for a full refund minus a $30 processing fee. You must cancel in writing as stated by our Terms and Conditions. What is included in the cost of the trip? The program fee for a GoEco trip covers various things depending on the project itself. In general, most projects include the following in their cost: Accommodations for the duration of your stay Food Travel health insurance coverage unless otherwise stated Airport pickup upon arrival to the country In-country orientation and training to familiarize volunteers with their surroundings and the work they will be doing To find out exactly what is included for the project in which you are interested, read through the "What's Included" section on the project's site page. How does the registration process work? If you are interested in volunteering at one of our projects you just need to follow a few simple steps. 1. After you have decided on the project for which you would like to apply, choose one of the available dates from the drop down start date menu, along with the number of weeks you would like to volunteer. The project costs should automatically update with the information you have entered for your application on your payment link. The next step is to click the green Apply Now button and fill out the form. Then press the Submit Application button. 2. At this stage your application form will be sent automatically to a placement coordinator who will contact you and answer any questions you may have about GoEco and the project. If you do not have any questions for a placement coordinator, you may follow the on screen prompt and proceed to make your deposit online. This will automatically send your application to the operations manager who will then proceed to secure your placement. 3. Next, the GoEco Operations Manager will send you your registration receipt and will email you additional forms to fill out and email back. The on-site project coordinator will then approve your forms and your placement will be confirmed via a confirmation email. Most projects will confirm your placement within a few days of receiving your forms, but some can take up to 10 days for approval. If you are not approved for any reason, 100% of your deposit will be returned. Please note that because some of our projects require a phone interview, the application process may take up to one month to complete. How can I raise the money for my trip? Many of our past volunteers have had success with crowd fundraising websites such as FundMyTravel. This type of fundraising is a great way to not only raise the money for your trip, but also to spread awareness about your cause to your friends, family, and community. Additionally, if you are a student, many universities offer grants and scholarships for trips such as ours which have both educational and philanthropic components. Check with your university to see if you are eligible. Take a read through our Volunteer Fundraising page for tips on how to successfully raise money for your trip! Am I qualified to participate on a GoEco program? A GoEco volunteer must be at least 18 years of age*, enthusiastic about making the world a better place, independent and determined to work hard, and open-minded about new cultures and experiences. *In some cases, a minor may be allowed to participate with either supervision by the minor's parent/guardian on the project or written consent from a parent/guardian. If you have questions regarding minors participating in one of our projects, our representatives would be happy to address your individual situation and discuss the options with you. Do I need to speak the local language? You do not need to know any language other than English in order to participate in our projects except for the projects taking place in Central and South America. An important aspect of many of our volunteer projects is introducing remote communities to English-speakers and giving them a chance to learn and practice the language themselves. Therefore, your English skills are utilized and appreciated as an benefit of the project itself, regardless of the type of volunteer work you will be doing. Our projects in Central and South America, however, all require at least beginner's level Spanish. For these projects, there is often a Spanish course incorporated into the orientation to brush up on your conversation skills, as well as the option to continue taking Spanish lessons throughout the duration of your volunteer work. Will I need a visa and/or passport? In order to participate in one of our volunteer programs abroad, every participant will need both a passport issued by his/her country of citizenship as well as a tourist visa issued by the country to which he/she will be traveling. The passport should be valid until at least 3 months following the expected return home date. A visa for the country in which you choose to travel will need to be obtained by the volunteer. GoEco can give guidelines on how to do so for each particular country, however, cannot provide any actual assistance in obtaining the visa. For exact requirements needed to obtain one, visit your local consulate for the country of travel or contact the experts at CIBT. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to ensure that he/she has a valid passport and appropriate visa for travel. How far ahead of time do I need to apply? We recommend that you apply at least 4 months prior to the date you wish to travel. However, the earlier you apply, the earlier you will be able to reserve your spot on the trip and the project is less likely to fill up before you register. If you are looking to travel in fewer than 4 months, send in your application anyways and we can often accommodate in a much shorter period of time, as long as there is still availability on the project. When should I book my flights? We know that you are excited to start your volunteer project but please do not book your flights until you have received your confirmation email. Once you have that, you may go ahead and book your tickets.