Conservation Volunteer Work in Mexico for Teenagers

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Conservation Volunteer Work in Mexico for Teenagers

Live and work with a group your age and become part of our ongoing efforts to protect endangered sea turtles

Destination

Mexico

Age

15-18 y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

During school holidays

Accommodation

Guesthouse

Service Hours

What’s included

Excursions, Socials & Fun

Excursions to famous sights and cultural exploration throughout the programme.

24/7 Support

Full supervision from arrival to departure, and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Meals

All breakfast, lunch, and dinners, and always fresh drinking water.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

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Starting at €2,455 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments
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Trip Overview

Protect endangered sea turtles

Play a crucial role in the survival of sea turtles by assisting with egg collection, monitoring nests, and hatchling releases.

Practical conservation experience

Develop your practical conservation skills as you perform tasks like cleaning tanks, maintaining the turtle nursery, and restoring vital mangroves.

Immerse in Mexico's culture

Experience the vibrance of Mexican culture through a homestay, traditional cuisine, and excursions to charming towns and beautiful beaches.

Exciting wildlife encounters

Observe diverse birdlife, feed iguanas, and watch crocodiles in the Palo Verde Estuary, and participate in beach clean-up initiatives.

Make lifelong friends

Make a lasting difference for endangered wildlife, contribute to habitat restoration, and make friends with other volunteers from around the world.

View Itinerary

What you need to know

Overview

Eager to team up with people your age to protect the environment? Can you picture yourself carefully scooping up a turtle egg from the sand and moving it to a safe nest until it hatches? Do you want to release a newborn turtle and watch it scurry over the sand and into the ocean? If you answered yes, then this is the project for you.

You’ll work with a group of teenagers, and get involved in hands-on work at our Conservation Project. You’ll also learn directly from conservation experts. Together with your group, you’ll be getting your hands dirty digging in the sand for turtle eggs, counting the animals you spot in the lagoon, and more. It’s the perfect combination of conservation work and adventure!

This trip for teenagers gives you plenty of experience, which can help you decide if a career in conservation is for you. This is also a great way to add practical experience to your CV, and it will give you interesting points to talk about in applications or interviews. You’ll also develop your personal skills, like teamwork, planning, and communication. These skills can be applied to any career you pursue.

You don’t need previous experience to join. You’ll be supervised by experts, and our staff are always available to provide guidance and advice. All you need to do is focus on working hard, learning, and having fun.

Activities

There’s a lot to be done for your group! Here are some of the activities you can get involved in:

Search for and move turtle nests to a protected area

Care for sea turtles and clean turtle tanks

Participate on beach clean-ups during the afternoons

Explore Mexico and learn more about the culture with your group

Your project will be divided into the following:

Search for and move turtle nests to a protected area

Coastal erosion is a big problem affecting turtles in Mexico. However, poachers have proven to be an even bigger problem. Once a turtle has laid eggs, poachers dig up the eggs to sell at local markets. To protect the nests, we do beach patrols everyday. When we find a nest, we move it to a safe location at the ecological centre we work with. This is a protected area, and the eggs will incubate in peace here. Once the eggs hatch, we release hatchlings into the ocean.

Care for turtles at the ecological centre

At the ecological centre, the government has given them permission to keep turtles, especially those who have been injured and cannot be released back into the wild. They need your help to look after all the turtles living here. Your group will help clean the tanks, and make sure turtles are fed and cared for. Each turtle is also weighed and measured once a month.

Community beach clean-ups

Reducing litter in our oceans is vital for keeping marine life safe. Rubbish, particularly non-biodegradable plastic, is hazardous. The sea turtles that nest here can get caught in the discarded plastic. Or, they may mistake it for food, which can hurt and even kill them.

Your group will work together to keep the beach as clean as possible. With this many hands involved, you’ll be able to remove a lot of rubbish from the environment.

Exploring Mexico

Finally, this project is also an opportunity for you to travel, learn, and grow in a safe environment with a group of volunteers your age. On the weekend, we’ll take you on a trip to a local beach resort to experience more of Mexico. Make the most of the opportunity to have some fun in the sun with your new friends!

Map & Location

¡Hola! Get ready for a fiesta of flavours, colours, and experiences in Mexico. The birthplace of chocolate and the Day of the Dead celebrations, Mexico is a captivating nation with incredible food. people, music, and more.

It also has a rich history with Mayan ruins and colonial towns to explore, and is home to the world’s smallest volcano! Our project locations in Mexico are safe and you will be welcomed into the community like one of the locals immediately.

La Peñita de Jaltemba

With golden beaches, a relaxed atmosphere, and authentic charm, La Peñita de Jaltemba offers a peaceful escape on the Nayarit coast. A three-hour drive west of Guadalajara, the village offers culture, beauty, and entertainment.

About 20,000 people call La Peñita home—and it’s easy to see why. Stunning natural views and modern conveniences make it more than comfortable, offering excellent food, drink, and entertainment options.

You will work at the nearby turtle camp and crocodile sanctuary.

Food & Accommodation

You’ll have everything you need for your seaside stay in Mexico, including a cosy bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water. Our staff will also organise your transport to and from your placement.

You’ll stay in a safe, clean, and modern house in Cuyutlan alongside other Projects Abroad participants. You’ll enjoy a spacious common area where you can eat your meals, share stories, and play games with other travellers. You may share your room with someone else of the same gender and similar age.

Enjoy stunning sandy beaches on your doorstep and get involved with the local culture. Make global connections and leave Mexico with new friends and perspectives.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Mexico Arrival Procedures page.