Great Activities for Great Causes

BeachCorps volunteer vacations are different because we work with our nonprofit partner causes to design the best array of project activities that serve their needs.  Most volunteer vacations choose activities to please a tourist and put an excessive focus on manual labor that often robs locals of needed jobs.  Instead, BeachCorps volunteer activities focus on people-to-people engagement and allow the nonprofit cause to change the activity if necessary.  You might teach English or paint a building or help pick up trash and recycling, or you might play baseball, cook and serve a meal for a hundred people, put on a bicultural show, or even go ziplining with kids who are being rewarded for their contributions to their schools and in the communities. 

Our nonprofits will do everything they can to keep the planned activity, but if they have to change the activity to better serve the cause (like rain on a baseball day!) don’t worry! You’re still guaranteed to learn about a great cause, learn and share from people-to-people engagement, and participate in an activity that supports the cause–plus 100% off all your BeachCorps fees on your next volunteer vacation!

English Teaching

Our English projects allow you to spend 1-5 days or more as a teaching assistant working under a trained Dominican English teacher.  Your native English alongside many volunteers can be a real gift to a local student or adult, as learning English opens doors in underserved communities and can lead to better jobs and futures.  A typical day of approximately 5-6 hours of volunteering includes learning about the cause and engaging in fun people-to-people engagement and activities that teach English.  Plus the beneficiaries of our English program “pay it forward” by volunteering in their schools and communities!
Our English programs all include testing at the beginning and the end of an extended period to verify impact. In the beginning, with programs of only 7 weeks, we don’t expect major impact right away. But if the programs prove popular and can be extended wait to see REAL results in improved scores!
CLICK FOR ENGLISH PROGRAMS

Recycling and Anti-Littering Programs

Our main partner in promoting recycling and anti-littering is FECOTUR.  However, many BeachCorps programs (like our Interact program) will include recycling and anti-littering programs, as pollution and especially plastics pollution are a major problem in developing countries like the Dominican Republic.  Over time, by working with great nonprofits and educating children and adults (especially the children) we can change a culture of littering and waste to a culture of cleanliness and recycling.  In addition, many programs will include recycling and anti-littering activities to promote empowerment and ensure that beneficiaries are “paying it forward” in their own communities.  We also promote recycling and empowerment with our “Dynamic Donor” program that allow you to effectively donate used items and school supplies.

CLICK FOR FREE DYNAMIC DONOR PROGRAM!

Animal Protection

Our animal protection efforts are focused on two great nonprofits, Dogs and Cats of the Dominican Republic (which focuses on the North Coast) and Rescatame, which focuses on the region of Punta Cana. Both organizations help underserved communities attend to their basic needs so that the communities can tend to the needs of animals, which in turn makes for kinder, safer communities. They succeed through the commitment and compassion of their volunteers, donors, and supporters. ​
Both organizations work to educate Dominican and Haitian pet owners, expats, and tourists; provide supplies and other support for underserved communities to attend their needs; provide basic medical support which includes parasite treatments; and spay-neutering programs, among other activities.
CLICK FOR DOGS AND CATS OF THE DR
CLICK FOR RESCATAME PROGRAMS

Sports

Sports are a wonderful way to bring together people of different cultures.  BeachCorps sports programs will focus primarily on the Dominican love of baseball.  Our baseball programs will be a great way to engage in people-to-people engagement and learn about how Dominicans love and play the game.  In addition, we will have the possibility of “Beachball,” the BeachCorps version of baseball that allows folks who may not have the physical capability to swing a bat to “take a swing” with a question that is not in their native language and weighted by difficulty.  Other sports will include basketball (another great love of Dominicans) and soccer, a sport that is growing in popularity thanks to the growing Haitian presence in the Dominican Republic.  To find a sports focused program, just use our Peek Pro checkout process and look for the baseball or other sports bundle!  Or call/email us and we’ll help you. 

Cultural Events

Cultural events are a wonderful way to promote people-to-people engagement–as long as the culture goes in both directions!  BeachCorps cultural events will allow foreigners to learn about Dominicans, and Dominicans to learn about foreigners, creating better educated, more understanding global citizens.  Events will range from a musical you prepare for a group to promote a great cause to supporting wonderful events like the Punta Cana Carnival!  To find a cultural program, just use our Peek Pro checkout process and look for the cultural bundle activity!  Or call/email us and we’ll help you. 

Cooking and Culinary Events

Cooking meals for others is a great way for people to get to know each other.  Any cause can be supported by cooking and sharing a meal, particularly in communities where food is often in short supply.  Your BeachCorps cooking trip will allow you to see how local meals like sancocho stew are prepared and how Dominicans think about their food.  You might also get a chance to share a recipe or tradition from your country! Plus all trips have safe, pre-packaged lunches if you don’t want to take the risk of eating the local food!  To find a cooking or culinary program, just use our Peek Pro checkout process and look for the cooking/culinary bundle activity!  Or call/email us and we’ll help you. 

Light Construction and Manual Labor

Working and sweating together is another great way for people to get to know each other.  But many “voluntourism” vacations overemphasize manual labor activities and end up displacing local jobs and hurting local businesses.  In contrast, BeachCorps sees manual labor activities, if done right, as another great potential way to help a great cause.  There is no shortage of manual labor in developing countries, but there is a shortage of funding for great causes.  So your donation combined with your sweat equity can make a big difference as long as you are hiring local expert workers and the beneficiaries are contributing, too!  To find a light construction or work program, just use our Peek Pro checkout process and look for the Sweat Equity bundle!  Or call/email us and we’ll help you.