Surf community project in surf town Canoa, Ecuador

Infos

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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.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Bénévolat

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage

  Bricolage et construction

  S’occuper des animaux

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Accueil / tourisme

  Entretien général

  Aide informatique/internet
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  ]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.

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  Aide

  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.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Espagnol: Courant

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  Hébergement

  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.

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  Autres infos...

  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.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  wifi is good and plenty of space to work online in the house and at the Bambu resturant a block away.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  we do have indoor parking at the volunteer house and some outdoor space

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  Possibilité d'accueillir les animaux

  yes it is possible, lets chat about it.

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Mes animaux

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