Costa Rica
Local development associations, public schools
Bachelor's degree in any business discipline.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of experience in business management.
All candidates who meet the required skills are encouraged to apply. Additional skills that may make you a more competitive candidate include:
• Community organizing experience, specifically in forming or managing community groups, strategic planning, participatory community assessment tools, leading projects, project design and management, proposal writing, or fundraising.
•Experience with entrepreneurship, social business, small business, or business simulations/competitions.
•Experience serving as a mentor or teacher for youth, covering entrepreneurship; leadership and empowerment, employability, vocational, and/or business skills.
For the first 4 months, Volunteers will live in a private room within a host family’s house. The Volunteer may then move to independent housing, such as a small building or apartment, if it’s available within five kilometers of the primary work site. The Volunteer will walk, bike, or use public buses to commute.
(PCV) Spanish 1
Community Economic Development
Yes
Costa Rica
24
Yes
PCV
No
Conduct organizational assessments and develop business plans.
Plan and train on project design and management practices.
Train and guide individuals or organizations on business planning, marketing, digital literacy, financial management and product design.
Facilitate business skills workshops and business simulations.
Support the development of new business ideas.
Work with youth at schools to promote entrepreneurial behaviors.
Promote community engagement and active participation in economic opportunities.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as facilitating English conversation clubs or leading a recycling initiative.
As a Small Business Development Specialist, you will be trained on best practices for project design and management, managing and operating small businesses, as well as managing digital technologies. Peace Corps/Costa Rica will teach you Spanish to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community.
After 11 weeks of training, you will move to a rural or semi-rural community where you will collaborate with local organizations or public schools. You will work with the community to assess the needs and develop solutions based on a work plan aligned with their expressed needs and priorities.
Gain international experience in supporting entrepreneurs to bring innovative business ideas to life.
Develop expertise in project design and management as well as digital technologies.
Strengthen Spanish language skills in an immersive, intercultural environment.
Only heterosexual couples can be accepted for this program.
Each person must apply separately and must qualify for a position in either the same or a different sector than their partner.
Couples will live together during training but may separate occasionally for field-based activities.
Couples who are selected for the same sector will live together but work with different local partners, which may be in the same community or in neighboring communities (not more than 30 minutes apart)., Cohabitating couples are highly encouraged to present themselves as married throughout service due to cultural expectations.
No
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in Education, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Youth Development. Through their Peace Corps experiences, Volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.
