Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are either accommodated in a homestay or a dormitory-style hostel. If you have a preference for one over the other, please note this in your application.
Hostel:
Located in a vibrant neighborhood of Medellín, volunteers are accommodated in a hostel which offers an unforgettable experience for both volunteers and individual guests. With easy access to key destinations via a nearby metro station, getting around is a breeze. The neighborhood is safe and lively, filled with local shops, cafes, and restaurants. Just a short walk away, you can visit the Estadio Atanasio Girardot for sports events or explore the Medellín Museum of Modern Art.
The hostel ensures a comfortable stay with friendly staff, clean facilities, and decor that reflects Colombian culture, seamlessly blending modern amenities with traditional charm—ideal for both short and long-term stays. The serene environment allows you to unwind after a day of volunteering, while the vibrant tourist area is only a 10-minute walk away, perfect for socializing and exploring local hotspots.
Amenities include a shared kitchen, outdoor dining area, and sun terrace. You’ll share a room with one other volunteer of the same gender, with bedding and towels provided, along with a private bathroom featuring hot running water.
Recreational spaces include a BBQ area, leisure/TV room, and a game room stocked with board games. Additional conveniences such as free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, tour assistance, and an airport shuttle (for a fee) enhance your stay.
Homestay:
Volunteers will be accommodated in a homestay and hosted by a local family who has been approved by our local team in Colombia. Your host family is given a fee for your support, food and board. It is exciting to stay with a host family, providing you with a unique opportunity to learn about the Colombian way of life, meet local people, try traditional food and speak the local language - especially when host families in Colombia tend to have limited English.
Living is often basic but comfortable and all homestays have electricity, hot water and western style bathrooms. Most homestays can accommodate one volunteer at a time; however, depending on availability, you may have to share a homestay, and bedroom, with one other volunteer of the same gender. For those homestays that can accommodate one volunteer at a time, you will have a double bed. If you are accommodated in a homestay that has capacity for two volunteers at a time, it’s likely you will have a single bed. Bedding is provided by your homestay.
You may be required to share a bathroom with your homestay family, depending on the size of their home.
WiFi is available in all volunteer accommodations, free of charge. If you would like to keep connected during your stay, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Colombia.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with breakfast everyday. Breakfast typically consists of Colombian arepas (arepas are known as corn cakes made out of corn dough or precooked corn flour in a flat circular shape, similar to a pancake), bread, spreads, scrambled egg and cheese, milk, coffee, aromática (a mixture of fresh herbs, fruits, and boiling water), and hot chocolate.
Lunch and dinner is not included in the program and you will need to purchase these yourself. You can expect to budget around CA$4 - CA$8 for lunch and slightly more for dinner; however, prices will vary depending on what type of establishment you choose to purchase your lunches and dinners from.
Bottled water is readily available in Colombia and volunteers should budget approximately CA$11 - CA$14 per week for two liters of water per day.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when submitting your application so we can make arrangements for you. As you will be living and volunteering abroad, you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home; however, the local team will do their best to ensure you are well taken care of.
