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26 Feb 2026
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Description
Hi! My name is Janna. I’ve been living in Canoa for more than 15 years, working in surf, yoga, stand-up paddle, and plant-based food alongside our local community.
Now I’m growing my newest project, Canoa Waves, a youth surf and ocean education initiative supporting local children, instructors, and families. We’re building something special and would love committed, positive people to join us.
What we need help with
We currently have 2 volunteer spaces available from now until May 5.
Main areas of support:
Social media & storytelling
Administrative / organizational help
Bonus: experience teaching surf, swimming, or ocean safety to children
Spanish speakers are a huge plus 🙌
Volunteer commitment
Around 20 hours per week
Minimum stay 1 month
Ideally, you can stay until May 5, like the rest of the team
We are looking for reliable, proactive, community-minded people. This is not a party stay — we are working hard for the kids and the future of surfing in Canoa.
What you receive
Private room in a surf house
Your own bathroom
You’ll live with 3 other volunteers — all surfers, friendly, and easygoing
Access to surf coaching
Board rental if you need equipment
Free lunches for staff at the local church Monday–Friday after the kids eat their free lunches.
Extra cool part- Our local surf instructors are improving their English, and we host informal English practice sessions twice a week on the big front patio. Many volunteers love being part of this exchange.
If you enjoy working with youth, the ocean, and grassroots community projects, you’ll feel at home here.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
]Travellers will work alongside local surf instructors, families, and children and experience how sport can create opportunity, confidence, and community connection. Spanish improves quickly because you are immersed every day, especially during activities with the kids and while supporting our instructors, many of whom are learning English and love the exchange.
You’ll learn how grassroots surf development works in a small coastal town and gain insight into Ecuadorian culture, traditions, and community values. Life here is simple, warm, and relationship-based.
There are many moments of sharing:
meals in town
conversations with parents
English practice sessions on our patio
beach cleanups and environmental actions
local events and celebrations
Volunteers often tell us they arrive to help, but leave having learned even more — patience, adaptability, teamwork, and a new perspective on what community really means.
If you surf, you will also deepen your understanding of ocean awareness, local conditions, and how to teach and mentor young surfers.
Most importantly, you build real friendships that last long after the project ends.
Help
We are a small but growing community surf project, so volunteers become part of real daily operations.
Typical help includes:
📱 Social Media & Communication
filming and photographing activities
creating posts, reels, and simple updates
helping us show sponsors and families what the kids are learning
🗂 Administration & Organization
assisting with registrations
organizing attendance
supporting scheduling and basic logistics
helping maintain clear communication with the team
🌊 With the Children & Instructors
helping prepare boards and equipment
supporting safety on the beach
assisting instructors during lessons
encouraging the kids and being a positive role model
If you have experience teaching surfing, swimming, or ocean safety, that is a big plus.
If you speak Spanish, that helps enormously.
🧹 Extra hands
Sometimes we also need support with general project tasks like tidying common areas, helping set up events, or preparing materials.
Important
We work with children and families, so we expect volunteers to be:
✔ responsible
✔ patient
✔ kind
✔ flexible
✔ ready to work as part of a team
This is a community program, not a vacation environment.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
Accommodation
Accommodation
Volunteers stay in a shared surf house just a short walk from the beach.
You will have:
a private bedroom
your own bathroom
reliable Wi-Fi
hot water
safe parking if you arrive with a vehicle
The house is shared with other volunteers involved in the project. Everyone is friendly, surf-oriented, and respectful of rest and work schedules.
Common areas include a large patio where we sometimes host team meetings and English practice sessions with the local instructors.
Canoa is a small, safe beach town, so everything — restaurants, markets, and the ocean — is within walking distance.
Type of accommodation
Private room in a shared house.
What else ...
What can helpers do in their free time?
Canoa is a small, beautiful surf town with a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of outdoor adventure.
When you’re not supporting the project, you can:
surf warm water waves year-round
take stand-up paddle sessions
walk or hike along miles of uncrowded beach
explore nearby caves and coastal viewpoints
visit Río Canoa farms and the local brewery
travel to the markets in San Vicente or Bahía
go horseback riding on the beach
try local food and meet friendly people from the community
On evenings when there is no early start the next day, there are sometimes places to enjoy music and dancing.
Most volunteers find their free time becomes a mix of surfing, relaxing, sunsets, and connecting with new friends.
Transport to nearby towns is easy by taxi or local bus, and many things are within walking distance.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
wifi is good and plenty of space to work online in the house and at the Bambu resturant a block away.
Space for parking camper vans
we do have indoor parking at the volunteer house and some outdoor space
Can possibly accept pets
yes it is possible, lets chat about it.
How many Workawayers can stay?
Two
My animals / pets
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