Social Entrepreneur Corps: FAQs

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FAQs

Programmatic
Should applicants have specific qualifications?
For how many years has Social Entrepreneur Corps been in existence?
How many participants/volunteers will be in country at one time?
How is Social Entrepreneur Corps different from other international programs?
Are you affiliated with any other organizations?
Can I speak to a recent program participant?
How do you ensure that short-term volunteers have a positive experience?
Where do participants study Spanish?
How old do I have to be?
What clothes etc should I bring with me?
Can couples apply and be accommodated?

Lodging
What are the participant accommodations?
Will my special needs be addressed?
Do participants live alone or in groups?
Are all of my meals covered?
How much does a meal cost?
Will I get sick from eating the food or drinking the water?
How far away are the accommodations from where I will be learning/working?

Transportation
What visas are required?
How do I get there?
How will participants travel while in country?

Security
What is security like? Is it safe?
What steps do you take to create a safe environment?

Money
Do you offer any scholarships?
Do you have any suggestions for looking for scholarships/raising money for my program?
How much money should I bring?

Medical
What about travel health insurance?
What vaccinations are necessary?
Do people get sick?
What will happen if I get very sick during my program?

Other
Will I have access to a telephone and the internet?
Should I bring a laptop?
Can I arrive early or stay later than the program dates?

Programmatic

Should applicants have specific qualifications?
Below we have provided guidelines for general applicant qualifications for our 2009-2010 programs. In addition to this information, please visit the specifc program page that you are interested in to learn more about the suggested applicant qualifications for that program. For all program participants a history of achievement is important. As well, given the nature of the program, an applicant’s personal qualities play a large role in determining whether or not he/she is accepted. Participants will be living and working in challenging environments and as such the “intangibles” are fundamental to participant success.

Participants in all Social Entrepreneur Corps programs should:

Recognize that they are going to have a profound impact but are not going to “change the world in a day”
Possess a positive outlook on the prospects for assisting local people to solve local problems
Be hard-working, open-minded, open-hearted, collaborative and teamwork-oriented individuals
Be individuals who take initiative and are resourceful self-starters
Take their work and responsibilities very seriously but not take themselves too seriously
Be very desirous of learning about development, relief and social entrepreneurship
Be willing and able to live for a time in a challenging developing country environment
Be willing and desirous of “getting your hands dirty”

Participants in Social Entrepreneur Corps programs NEED NOT:

Have international living experience
Have Spanish language experience (language classes are a part of the program and one’s success is not necessarily correlated to Spanish speaking skills before entering)
Have business or development experience

For how many years has Social Entrepreneur Corps been in existence?
Social Entrepreneur Corps has been in existence for over four years. The first program was held in June 2006 and the number of programmatic options and number of participants is continually growing.

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How many participants will be in country at one time?
The number of participants in country at any given time varies by program. There are never more than 9 participants for each Social Entrepreneur Corps ex-pat staff member.

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How is Social Entrepreneur Corps different from other international programs?
Social Entrepreneur Corps is different from other international programs in that it is run by the same staff that works in the field in Guatemala, Ecuador and Nicaragua, providing participants with an insider’s view of an NGO working in international development. This is a comprehensive, hands-on experience where participants have the opportunity to contribute and add value to organizations and their current work.

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Are you affiliated with any other organizations?
Social Entrepreneur Corps works directly with partner organization Community Enterprise Solutions as well as many other local counterparts. We partner with a variety of organizations throughout Guatemala, Ecuador and Nicaragua to provide experience and exposure to a wide range of organizations with different missions and priorities.

To learn more about Strategic Partnerships, please click here…

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Can I speak to a recent program participant?
Yes, please contact info@socialentrepreneurcorps.com and a staff member can put you in contact with SE Corps Alumni. As not to flood alumni with emails, we request that a potential participant submit an online application, as well as, participate in an interview session with our staff before we facilitate this communication.

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How do you ensure that participants have a positive experience?
Our staff ensures that you have a positive experience by intelligently planning their time and work. There is a great amount of short-term work done by participants that adds long term value. In addition, you will support local social entrepreneurs working with in an already established network. It is only through this unique infrastructure that you are able to “hit the ground running” and add immediate value in the field.

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Where do participants study Spanish?
You will study Spanish with our trained staff in Guatemala and with a third party providers/our staff in Ecuador and in Nicaragua.

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How old do I have to be?
We recommend that all participants have at least finished their first year of College. This is to ensure that all participants are academically prepared for the material that will be covered and discussed.

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What clothes etc should I bring with me?
Once a participant has confirmed their participation in any one of the programs he/she will receive a packet that includes reading materials as well as a list of recommended items to pack.

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Can couples apply and be accommodated?
Couples can apply and be accommodated in the program with the understanding that they will need to be flexible and understand that the staff will do everything to be accommodating, but there may be slight changes in living situations. It is very difficult to place couples that are not married in a single room with host families as it is a sensitive cultural matter. Please contact us if you have specific questions regarding living arrangements.

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Lodging

What are the participant accommodations?
Participants stay in two different types of accommodations, homes stays with local families and hotel/hostels. All home stay families have previous experience with foreigners and have been trained and certified by Social Entrepreneur Corps. All hostels are secure and in safe areas.

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Will my special needs be addressed?
All special needs should be communicated with staff before arrival so that in-country staff can address any special needs.

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Do participants live alone or in groups?
One to two participant stays with each home-stay family. When participants stay in hostels, they generally stay in a room with one to two other participants of the same gender.

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Are all of my meals covered?
Please see the information for your specific program.

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How much does a meal cost?
Meals can cost anywhere from $2 to $10 based on personal tastes and choices. Simple set menus cost around $2 to $4 and usually consist of rice, tortillas, chicken and beans. There are also more restaurants with foreign fare that serve plates running from $4 to $20. There is a wide variety of options and something for everyone in terms of food and restaurants in the areas where participants spend their time.

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Will I get sick from eating the food or drinking the water?
The water that flows out of the faucets in Guatemala, Ecuador and Nicaragua is not safe to drink. Pure water is readily accessible. Visitors have to be careful when choosing restaurants and street food, but upon arrival all participants take part in an orientation session where we go through all the do's and don’ts of eating and drinking while in country.

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How far away are the accommodations from where I will be learning/working?
The distance from lodging to work sites varies from site to site. In all countries, during our foundation building segment, our headquarters sites (where participants spend the first part of their trip) are a 30 minute bus ride maximum from home stay accomodations. During the field segments of the program distances will vary based upon the desired outcomes of the initiative and the opportunity at hand.

Transportation

What visas are required?
There are no visas required. Upon entry participants will get a stamp in their passport which is valid for a 90 day stay. After 90 days the person must renew their visa in the capital or leave the country and re-enter.

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How do I get there?
All participants should arrive at the designated arrival destination. A staff member will be waiting upon arrival to take the participant to the headquarters site where the program begins.

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How will participants travel while in country?
While traveling from site to site, participants travel in private shuttle buses or “luxury buses”. While working in a site, participants use public transportation, which generally consists of shuttle buses and school buses.

Participants will be required to walk while participating in certain field activities and will have the opportunity to hike while on off days. If you are concerned about the amount of walking to be included (if you suffer from Asthma for example), please contact us.

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Security

What steps do you take to create a safe environment?
Our staff goes to great lengths to ensure the safety of all volunteers. During the first part of all programs all volunteers participate in an orientation that includes a section on safety. Our staff discusses safety and security issues in interactive and clear ways so that all volunteers can make smart decisions about their own personal safety. The majority of the violence that Latin America is known for takes place in its larger cities and capitals for example, in Guatemala, Guatemala City tends to have the highest crime rates. Except for arrival and departure at the airport, which are in secure areas, participants spend no time in the capitals or large cities. All homestay families are trusted and have previous experience hosting foreigners and all hostels and hotels are in secure areas. All inter-site travel takes place on a shuttle bus or luxury bus. There is at the least one staff member for every 9 participants and there is always an on-duty staff member in every site to ensure the safety of the group and help in any emergency situation. We also have very well defined safety procedures that mimic those of the Peace Corps.

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Money

Do you offer any scholarships?
We unfortunately cannot offer any scholarships, but there are many partner universities that do offer scholarships to their students for participation in our programs.

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Do you have any suggestions for looking for scholarships/raising money for my program?
We recommend discussing scholarship options with your University’s study abroad center. Some past participants have been able to secure grants and scholarships in order to finance their participation in a program.

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How much money should I bring?
There are ATMs located in each of the sites where participants will be located. Travelers checks are easily changed in banks located throughout the country. We will address specific monetary requirements in the post application process. At most during our eight week program we recommend that participants bring $400 to $450.

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Medical

What about travel health insurance?
Health Insurance is not included in the program fee and it is required that all participants are covered by health insurance during their time in country. Proof of insurance will be requested and should be provided before departing for your program. If your regular plan does not cover foreign countries there are a variety of companies who provide short-term travel insurance. We will provide you with names of insurance carriers.

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What vaccinations are necessary?
There are no vaccinations required by Social Entrepreneur Corps, however, ALL participants are advised to visit their doctor to determine if any vaccinations or medications are necessary/recommended as each individual has a different medical and vaccine history.

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Do people get sick?
People do get sick during their time. This is unfortunately unavoidable given the change in environment. This is generally an upset stomach and mild traveler’s diarrhea. Most illnesses that occur are stomach problems and are easily treatable.

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What will happen if I get very sick during my program?
All staff members are trained in what steps to take if someone falls ill or has an emergency. We have identified a trusted medical center in each site where participants will be spending their time. The appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that any sick participants will be well cared for.

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Other

Will I have access to a telephone and the internet?
All participants receive a cell phone for use throughout their time in the program. Internet is readily available at all sites.

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Should I bring a laptop?
Some participants have found it helpful to have a laptop during their time but it is not a requisite. Laptops, Ipods and other gadgets are popular among participants BUT ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF Social Entrepreneur Corps. Participants should bring these items at their own risk.

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Can I arrive early or stay later than the program dates?
Many participants choose to arrive early or stay later than their program dates to travel through Guatemala, Ecuador and Nicaragua or neighboring countries. Although this is outside of the scope of liability and responsibility of Social Entrepreneur Corps, staff members are more than happy to help with any suggestions, reservations or travel arrangements. Costs for pre arrival or a later stay are the responsibility of the participant.