Affordable Volunteer Opportunities Abroad
Africa, Latin America, Asia

Terms and Conditions

Our Legal Notice

PLEASE READ THIS WEBSITE'S LEGAL INFORMATION NOTICE CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS SITE.

This contract is set up to clarify the undertakings of Volunteer Visions CRVV SA (“Volunteer Visions”) a volunteer vacation tour operator and agency whose address is:

En Frente del Antiguo Hotel Isla la Chora
Playa Samara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

And whose Costa Rican Sociedad Anonima registration number is:

3-101-488119

(also referred to as us and we), and the volunteer participating in Volunteer Visions’ project placement(s) (the “participant”).

Volunteer Visions has intended to use plain English but if there is anything the participant does not understand or wishes to have explained, the participant (also referred to he and she) should contact Volunteer Visions or should seek independent advice from a lawyer, Citizens Advice Bureau, Law Center or other agency.

By using www.volunteervisions.org (the “website”), the participant signifies that he/she has read and accepted these terms of use.

The materials in the website is provided "as is" and without warranties of any kind either expressed or implied. To the fullest extent permissible and subject and pursuant to applicable law, Volunteer Visions disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Volunteer Visions does not warrant or make any representations regarding the correctness, accuracy, reliability, or otherwise of the materials in the website or the results of their use.

Governing Law

This document shall be governed by the laws of the Costa Rica, and shall be honored in any jurisdiction where it is presented.

Binding Effect

This is a legally binding contract. By submitting an application, the participant and all persons having or claiming rights on the participant’s behalf acknowledge that the participant has read, accepted and agreed to be bound by these terms and conditions. These terms and conditions are subject to modification without the prior written notice at any time, in Volunteer Visions’ discretion. If any provision of this document is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this document shall be not affected thereby and shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law. This document may not be modified orally.

Release of Liability and Assumption of Risks

The participant is voluntarily participating in a volunteer abroad program as either a student or a volunteer with Volunteer Visions. The participant acknowledges that travel to, from and within the foreign country in which the program is located, including at the participant’s chosen volunteer site, school, accommodations and any in-country excursions, have inherent risks and dangers that the participant may be exposed to and possibly harmed by. These include, but are not limited to, personal injuries, property damage, accidents involving motor vehicles, aircraft and other forms of transportation, sickness, diseases (including food, water or insect borne diseases that are not commonly encountered at home), riots, political instability, crime, acts of terrorism, detention by government authorities or individuals, burglary, assault, encounters with dangerous wildlife and other hazards. The participant acknowledges that as a participant in the program, the participant may travel to remote rural areas and will lodge and eat with the residents in those areas. As such, the accommodations, food and sanitary conditions may be substantially below, the standard the participant is accustomed to. The participant also acknowledges that healthcare facilities, medical supplies and medical personnel on the program may be very limited and, if available at all, may be below or substantially below normally accepted standards.

The participant understands that Volunteer Visions has contracted with independent local organizations, outfitters, suppliers and vendors for the provision of certain aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, accommodations, food and excursions ("Partners"), and that Volunteer Visions does not own or operate any of these partners. While Volunteer Visions has used its best efforts to select reliable and safe partners, Volunteer Visions is not responsible for any negligent or willful act or omission of a partner or other third party, and participant hereby releases Volunteer Visions from all claims arising out of, or related to, the willful or negligent acts or omissions of these partners.

The participant represents to Volunteer Visions that, to the best of the particpant’s knowledge, the participant is in good mental and physical health. The participant is voluntarily participating in the program, with knowledge of the risks and dangers involved. The participant expressly accepts and assumes all known and unknown risks on behalf of him/her.

In exchange, and in consideration for participation in the program, the participant hereby releases Volunteer Visions and its employees, agents, volunteers, officers, directors and representatives (each, a "Releasee") from any and all injuries, deaths, losses, liabilities, damages, claims, actions, suits and judgments whatsoever including costs, expenses and attorney fees (collectively, "Claims") that the participant may have now or in the future, directly or indirectly, arising from, connected with or related to his/her participation in the program, whether caused by any Releasee or some other person or cause. The participant agrees that he/she will not, at any time, directly or indirectly, on behalf of himself/herself, his/her child and his/her heirs, commence or prosecute any action, suit or other proceeding against any Releasee arising from, connected with or related to the participants participation in the program. The participant agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend each Releasee from and against any and all claims whatsoever that the Releasee may suffer arising from, connected with or related to his/her participation in the program, whether inside or outside of Costa Rica.

Further, the participant hereby grant full permission to Volunteer Visions to use any photographs, videotapes, motion pictures, website images, recordings, comments the participant makes in questionnaires or letters or any other record of the program for purposes of commercial advertising, marketing or promotional literature without the need for further consent from the participant.

Application Process

Upon receipt of your application and deposit, the participant will receive a confirmation e-mail. Then Volunteer Visions will start the process of confirming your placement. Some programs require a wait period of 1-2 weeks before placement can be confirmed.

After submitting the application form the participant will receive an invoice. The invoice should be read thoroughly. If the participant detects any errors within the invoice, Volunteer Visions should be notified immediately

Some projects, especially those that involve children, also require criminal background checks or police clearance records. We reserve the right to cancel a participant’s placement if information is found that disqualifies the participant from a certain program and if the participant is unable to supply a police clearance record at least 15 days prior to their arrival in their host country. By consenting to this contract, you are also allowing Volunteer Visions to run a criminal background check if necessary.

Upon confirmation of your volunteer placement, Volunteer Visions will e-mail the participant:

:: A confirmation letter that confirms that there is availability in the project and that a placement in the program has been reserved for the participant.

:: A volunteer document checklist which will lets the participant know which documents need to be e-mailed to Volunteer Visions prior to the participant’s departure

:: An invoice outlining the participant’s start date, end date, balance of program fee and project placement

Upon full payment, Volunteer Visions will e-mail the participant:

:: A handbook with specific information to prepare the participant for the country of his/her choice and the contact information with partner the participant will be volunteering for.

Due to the nature of volunteering and the countries we work within, Volunteer Visions reserves the right to change the participant’s project placement prior and during the participants participation in his/her project placement, should circumstances arise that are not within Volunteer Visions control. The participant also reserves the right to request a one time change with regards to the participant's project placement, start date, or project duration if the request is made 90 days prior to the first of the month that the participant is due to start his/her project after the participant has paid his/her reservation deposit. Any additional changes to the application form requested by the participant related to project placement, the length of the project placement, and/or the start date of the project placement following the submission of the reservation deposit will be billed at $75.00 per request. The participant is aware that changes to the project placement is subject to availability and is not guaranteed by Volunteer Visions.

Volunteer Visions will not provide the contact information for individuals who have participated in our program(s) in order to protect the privacy of these individuals. However, if the participant would like to communicate with an individual who has participated in our program, Volunteer Visions can send the participant’s comments to the individual and receive a response from the individual on the participant’s behalf.

Arrival and Transportation

Participants are responsible for all traveling arrangements prior to arriving at the pre-arranged pick-up point. Volunteer Visions can give help and advice on how to arrive at the arranged pick up point. Participants must notify Volunteer Visions of their arrival date, location and time by e-mailing Volunteer Visions a copy of their travel itinerary at least 10 business days prior to their arrival in the host country of their project placement.

The participant is responsible for arranging and paying for flights to and within his/her chosen country. The participant should not purchase his/her plane ticket until he/she receives a confirmation letter from Volunteer Visions with his/her specific dates in the invoice. Volunteer Visions supplies arrival pickup but the participant pays for costs of transport between host families, schools and the participant’s project(s).

Placement and length of stay

Accommodation and food (in some locations) are provided by Volunteer Visions throughout the duration of the period stated in the invoice unless stated otherwise by the website or any literature provided by Volunteer Visions. Participants are responsible for all other personal expenses during their placement.

Extensions of stay and additional fees in connection with extensions of stay can be agreed upon between Volunteer Visions and the participant during the participant’s stay. All additional project placement fees associated with the extension of a participant’s project placement will be paid directly to Volunteer Visions.

Insurance

Insurance is not included in Volunteer Vision’s project placement fees. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that their insurance covers medical costs and costs of repatriation in the event of accident or illness. The insurance must be valid from the participant’s program start date (“start date”) until the end of their project placement (“end date”) as stated in the invoice. A copy of the participant’s insurance coverage specification sheet must be scanned and e-mailed to Volunteer Visions along with travel details at least 10 business days before the project placement start date. Volunteer Visions reserves the right to reject participant from his/her project placement if the participant does not have proof of travel insurance.

All insurance must provide at minimum the following coverage:

:: $50,000 Health and Medical abroad

:: $500,000 Repatriation and emergency evacuation

Although cancellation insurance is not required, it is strongly recommended.

Accommodations, Meals and Other Inclusions and Exclusions

It is the responsibility of the participant to confirm what is included in the project cost. The eating and living facilities at the participant’s project location will be of a local standard, and may differ from what the participant is accustomed to in his/her home country. The participant may be required to share a bedroom and/or bathroom. The participant is expected to adapt to and show respect for local living conditions.

Commutes between host families, language schools and projects can vary and may be well over an hour in certain locations.

Transportation to the project site is not included in the program fee as published on the website unless it is explicitly stated on the website.

If the participant chooses to be away for a weekend or a holiday during your placement, the participant will not receive a refund for the time the participant is away from his/her project for any meals or accommodations.

At many locations, activities and excursions are provided to the participant at no additional charge. However, some activities and excursions at some locations require the participant to pay a fee to participate. Others may not fit into the participant's daily schedule because of volunteer hours and commute times. Some locations may not offer activities, excursions and social activities.

Documentation and Visa

It is the responsibility of the participant to obtain all necessary documentation to enter the country and travel to, from, and within the program. The documentation costs associated with obtaining these documents will be incurred by the participant and the participant is aware that it may take several weeks in order to obtain these documents.

A tourist visa is issued upon entry into most countries to Americans, Canadians and most European countries. The participant is responsible for checking with the local consulate that is responsible for issuing Visas to ensure that the participant does not need to obtain a visa prior to arriving in his/her host country.

If participant plans on staying for more than the length of time as permitted on participant’s visa, Volunteer Visions covenants to use our best efforts to help the participant receive a visa extension. However, Volunteer Visions cannot be held responsible for being unable to help the participant receive a visa extension.

Participants are entirely responsible for obtaining a visa for the participant’s respective host country and for the costs associated with obtaining such a visa.

The Participants Obligation to Volunteer Visions

It is understood that all participants participating in a Volunteer Visions or partner’s program will obey the laws of the host country. This forbids alcohol consumption by minors and the use of illegal drugs. The participant is expected to be courteous and respectful at all times, and abusive behavior will not be tolerated. Volunteer Visions reserves the right to expel (without refund) any participant whose behavior violates the partner’s policies or those of special program providers, tour operators, etc. Furthermore, any expenses incurred by the partner in terminating the program of a participant who violates the center's policies will be the responsibility of the participant. This includes special transport costs.

Participants should comply with any reasonable requests made by the partner.

Participants are not allowed to enter into any negotiations or other contractual arrangements during their placement.

Participants are not allowed to take on any paid or voluntary work with institutions connected with Volunteer Visions unless agreed upon between Volunteer Visions, the institution and the participant.

Participants are responsible for any damage they or their guests cause to their accommodation, project placement and equipment loaned to them during their project placement.

Participants will dress appropriately for work and interviews. Volunteer Visions has a strict but reasonable dress policy and participants are expected to behave according to locally accepted behavior.

Participants must not have any connection with illegal activities or substances including illegal drugs.

Payment and Refund Policy

Participants must pay the fees outlined on the website and detailed in the participant’s invoice. Please note that the prices quoted on the website are subject to change and it is the participant’s responsibility periodically to view the website for current fees. Fees charged will be in accordance with fees quoted on the website at the time of a participant’s application.

Once a participant’s project placement has been booked and we have confirmation of payment of an application deposit of $295, we will send the participant an invoice outlining the remaining balance and the date which it is due. If the remaining balance is not paid by the due date as specified on the invoice, Volunteer Visions has the right to cancel the participant's project placement without refund.

An application deposit of US$295 shall be payable by the participant on submission of the application form. This deposit will be subtracted from the total project placement fee. Volunteer Visions incurs administrative and organizational costs in confirming and booking a participant’s project placement. Due to this and because of the narrow margins we run in order to provide the participant with an affordable placement our deposits are non-refundable if a participant cancels his/her project placement after the participant’s project placement has been booked. If a participant’s project placement is canceled or postponed by Volunteer Visions or one of our partners, the participant's deposit will be refunded.

The $295 reservation deposit is refundable in the circumstance that Volunteer Visions is unable to place the participant in any of his/her top 3 project choices or if the participant's placement is canceled.

The outstanding balance of the participant's project placement fee, which is outlined in the invoice, shall be payable 90 days prior to the first of the month of participant’s project placement start date. If payment is not made by this date, the participant's placement may be canceled, without liability on the part of Volunteer Visions.

If the participant books a project placement with a start date of less than 90 days from his/her initial application date, the total project placement fee shall be payable within 5 business days of submitting the reservation deposit.

Volunteer Visions, at its discretion, reserves the right to cancel any project placement prior to departure. If we cancel a participant’s project placement, we will refund the total amount paid to us by the participant including their application fee. Volunteer Visions will not be liable for any other refunds, costs or damages in respects to the cancellation of a participant's project placement.

Cancellation will be effective upon the date Volunteer Visions emails a confirmation of a cancellation request to the participant who requested the cancellation.

The project placement fee is refundable until 91 days before the first of the month the participant is due to start his/her project placement. This is because Volunteer Visions needs to make financial commitments on participant’s behalf prior to the project placement start date. The 91 day notification is taken from the month participant states on his/her original application form. If participant postpones his/her trip, the refund is only valid until 91 days prior to the 1st of the month participant originally intended to volunteer.

Unfortunately for this reason we can make no exceptions. All refunds will be made less the costs incurred in processing the refund such as bank charges and transaction costs.

:: Cancellation 91 days before the first of the month participant is due to start his/her project placement. If the cancellation is effective 91 days before the project placement start date, Volunteer Visions will refund the total project placement fee minus the application deposit.

:: Cancellation between 90 to 61 days before the first of the month participant is due to start his/her project placement. If the cancellation is effective between 90 and 61 days, Volunteer Visions will refund 50% of the project placement fee minus the application deposit.

:: Cancellation between 60 to 31 days before the first of the month participant is due to start his/her project placement. If the cancellation is effective between 60 days and 31 days from the project placement start date 25% of the project placement fee will be refunded minus the application deposit.

:: Cancellation between 30 days before the first of the month participant is due to start your project placement. No refunds will be given if the participant cancels his/her project placement between 30 days and the project placement start date or any time after this date.

In the event a participant decides to discontinue his/her project placement before it is due to end for any reason, there will be no refund.

Although we will do everything possible to ensure placement on your desired project, there is always the chance that the participants placement may be disrupted by an unusual event or circumstance that Volunteer Visions could not have reasonably foreseen.

Oftentimes these events are a result of weather events, civil unrest, a problem with a particular non-profit organization or other situations beyond Volunteer Visions’ control. The participant agrees that should any such event occur, Volunteer Visions’ will not be obligated to provide a refund to the participant.

Volunteer Visions is not responsible for refunding or reimbursing any flight costs or any other costs incurred that arise as a result of the participant’s placement not proceeding or being cancelled, curtailed, withdrawn or changed due to circumstances outside our control or the control of Volunteer Visions and partners. This includes changes made by airlines for canceling, changing or transferring flights, or any other events out of our control.

Participants are solely responsible for all transportation to agreed pick-up point in host destination country, including airfare, taxes, charges, expenses or penalties that might result from any cancellation of the participant’s project placement, whether it is cancelled or altered by the participant or Volunteer Visions.

Participants should make sure that they understand our cancellation policy before applying to any of our project placements. If participant does not fully understand this cancellation policy please contact Volunteer Visions.

Volunteer Visions cannot make any exceptions to our cancellation policy and we strongly recommend that participants purchase cancellation insurance.

Any refunds payable by Volunteer Visions will be made to participant within ninety (90) days from confirmation of cancellation. All refunds will be subject to charges incurred in returning funds back to the participant’s account.

Complaint Procedure

In the event that a participant wishes to complain about their placement or the services provided by Volunteer Visions, its partner organizations, and/or affiliates, the participant must notify the in-country volunteer coordinator immediately in order to give them a chance to rectify the situation. In the event that the participant cannot obtain satisfaction from the volunteer coordinator, the participant should submit a formal written complaint to the project coordinator and Volunteer Visions immediately by email (apply@volunteervisions.org) and/or U.S.-based fax (1-330-249-2176). The Volunteer Visions team will do its best to resolve the problem as soon as possible. No complaint will be considered unless the above procedure is followed.

Request for Accommodation Change

The participant reserves the right to request an accommodation change. The granting of the accommodation change request is at Volunteer Visions’ discretion.

Upon granting an accommodation change request, the participant must pay a lump sum fee for the duration that they will be occupying their new accommodation at the rate of $100/week. In the case that the participant has been neglected, harassed, or physically harmed by a homestay family member, whose house the participant is staying in, the fee will be waived. This fee will be billed by Volunteer Visions electronically to the participant, and must be paid in full before the change can be fulfilled.

Termination of Project Placement

The participant reserves the right to terminate his/her project placement at anytime during their placement. Volunteer Visions will not refund the project placement fee upon the participant’s voluntary take of leave.

Volunteer Visions reserves the right to exclude any participants who violate and fail to fulfill any of the above mentioned terms and conditions as stated in the contract.

Email Communication

Emails from Volunteer Visions’ staff contain information intended solely for the participant, which is confidential or private in nature. If the participant not the intended recipient, he/she may not peruse, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or any file attached to this message. Any such unauthorized use, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If the participant has received an email from Volunteer Visions in error, he/she should notify the sender immediately by e-mail and thereafter delete the original message from his/her machine. Furthermore, the information contained in the email, and any attachments thereto, is for information purposes only and may contain the personal views and opinions of the author, which are not necessarily the views and opinions of Volunteer Visions. Volunteer Visions therefore does not accept liability for any claims, loss or damages of whatsoever nature, arising as a result of the reliance on such information by anyone. Whilst all reasonable steps are taken to ensure the accuracy and integrity of information transmitted electronically and to preserve the confidentiality thereof, Volunteer Visions accepts no liability or responsibility whatsoever if information or data is, for whatsoever reason, incorrect, corrupted or does not reach its intended destination.

Privacy Policy

Information on Volunteer Visions’ application forms and extra details forms online is collected solely for internal use within Volunteer Visions and its partners. The participant’s e-mail and other details may be passed onto other volunteers who are in the same group as the participant, so that the participant can make contact before he/she meets other volunteers who are in the same group; if the participant would prefer that this did not happen, please let Volunteer Visions know.

Volunteer Visions gathers certain statistical information about visitors to our website, including IP addresses, browser type, ISP, referring/exit pages, operating system, date/time stamp, and clickstream data. We use this information, which does not identify individual users, to analyze trends, to administer the site, to track users' movements around the site and to gather demographic information about our user base as a whole. This data is collected solely for internal use within Volunteer Visions

Online payments are processed through a secure third party site, and Volunteer Visions does not receive sensitive information such as credit card information.