Volunteer in the Galapagos with IOI
- Ecuador
- Galapagos
About Program
Intercultural Outreach Initiative (IOI) is located on Isabela Island, in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Founded in 2006, IOI’s vision is to help establish an ecologically sustainable and socially stable local economy in the Galapagos by supporting education, conservation and social development. We have made some incredibly positive and impactful contributions to the local community and we are able to continue doing so with the help and support of volunteers that want to make a real difference.
At IOI Galapagos we have 6 different volunteer positions available:
1. Ecotourism Volunteer (Galapagos National Park)
2. Community English Education Volunteer
3. Giant Tortoise Breeding Center Volunteer
4. Turtle Nest Monitoring Volunteer
5. Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer
6. Social Media Volunteer
Video and Photos
Program Highlights
- Galapagos Islands.
- Conservation.
- Service Learning.
- Full immersion.
- Cultural knowledge.
Popular Programs

The farms of Isabela Island are starting work in greenhouses to optimize production year-round in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. The highland town of Tomás de Berlanga is about 10 miles uphill from the coastal part of town, on the side of Volcano Sierra Negra, the highlands are fertile, lush lands with rich volcanic soil - perfect for agriculture! Volunteers will learn local techniques for sustainable tropical agriculture and will help to create food sovereignty.

As the Community English Education Volunteer, you will have the opportunity to work with students, teachers, government workers, and community members. In this program you will have the choice between formal and applied teaching opportunities.

As the Ecotourism Volunteer, and according to your skills and experience, you will help the Galapagos National Park in tasks related to:
The management and monitoring of visitors and visitor sites near Puerto Villamil
Translation and design of English language visitor information
Graphic design for promotional and educational material
Running satisfaction questionnaires to visitors
Registering tourism related information and generating statistical databases from your surveys

Volunteer at the Galápagos National Park and get the chance to provide assistance at the tortoise breeding center. You will be a member of the research and zookeeping staff. Take responsibility for taking care of and measuring the shells of tortoises for their growth charts, as well as informing tourists of rules and regulations and other necessary tasks at the center, depending on individual skillset.

You will take on the role of a turtle nesting assistant and collect nesting baseline data along a beautiful five-kilometer beach twice a day. You will also ID species (green and hawksbill), determine nesting patterns, track nest sizes, and participate in a conservation effort. You'll join a team studying the nesting patterns of turtles and protecting them. The work schedule is from 6:00-8:00 a.m. (first light) and 8:00-10:00 p.m. (dark) during the January-May nesting season.