Lost and Found Eco Hostel
Focus: Education, Community and Permaculture.
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Project Description
If you come to Panama, make sure you do not miss the Lost and Found. We offer much more than a hostel. We are an adventure center. If you plan on visiting Bocas del Toro or Boquete you will definitely need to stop by us since we are nearly in the middle of the two.
Do not miss the opportunity of experiencing our tour options. More than 75% of our tours are only done by us. We offer hot springs, jungle hikes, night safaris, beach tours, secret waterfall, indigenous village experiences, coffee and wine tours and much more.
On site, we have a games room, a bar with happy hour, movie lounge, viewing platforms, organic coffee farm, onsite jungle trails, rescued animals, 2 kitchens, group dinners and volunteer opportunities. In other words, think Lost and Found Eco Hostel when you plan a trip of highlights, such as Boquete, Bocas del Toro, San Blas, Panama City, surfing and diving.
The Lost and Found is on more than 30 acres of rainforest and because it is one of the only pieces of titled land, the community is looking to us alone to develop tourism. Join us by being part of the team. Stay from two weeks to two years. We look forward to sharing the experience with you.
Volunteer Information
Costs & Benefits
Requirements
Contact information
Project Summary
Our volunteers contribute their creative energy and talent. But because we want to employ as many from the local community as possible, volunteers are not simply used to cut down our labor costs. All volunteers help out with customer service and greeting customers and find projects from expanding our trails, helping out with art projects or working on our organic garden. Volunteers are welcome as partners as well and develop profit sharing projects from cooking family style dinners, creating new tours for our guests and even taking on management roles.
All volunteers first come to The Lost and Found as regular paying guests for a couple of nights, relax and enjoy themselves. During the first three days the volunteers also learn more about the work exchange opportunities and the surrounding areas. They pay the regular $12 for a dorm bed and the third night is free. They are free to use the kitchen for free.
Please answer the following questions to apply and email your responses to:
info@lostandfoundlodge.com
Don’t rewrite the questions, just submit the answers.
1. Write a short paragraph telling us about you: where you are from and why you would like to come to Panama.
2. Why are you interested in becoming part of the Lost and Found Lodge team, what work or projects do you want to contribute to (Customer Relations, Project Leadership, Long term partnership)?
3. Let us know some of the things you are definitely not interested in.
4.Let us know when you are coming. Are you coming to Panama on vacation or coming specifically to volunteer? How long are you thinking about volunteering?
Lost and Found Volunteer Projects
After you have settled into the volunteer accommodations you have a few options:
1) Customer Relations: If you like meeting new people and want to extend your trip through Panama by a couple of weeks or more, this is the option for you. We need people to meet guests, give a quick tour of the facilities, and be able to be around to answer questions, help with checkouts, etc. Other responsibilities can include working in the coffee farm (machete work, pruning, picking, etc) and feeding and playing with Rocky, our kinkajou (honey bear).
2) Project Leadership: If you have special skills you’d like to put to use there are several projects at The Lost and Found that need leadership.
Whether you can develop spreadsheets on the computer or build a picnic table we could likely use your help. If you think you have something to offer, let us know, and we will see if it fits our long term vision. If it does, we would love to assist you with the materials you need to get your project off the ground. If you are interested in a project you still should volunteer with customer relations for at least 2 weeks. After this time we will have shaped out your project, and then you can contribute your volunteer shifts by proceeding with your project. But let us know in an email what you are considering contributing. Sometimes we have enough help with customer relations and volunteers can start working on their projects right away!
3) Strategic Partnership: Help us drive our business forward. Can you teach Spanish to backpackers? Yoga? Massage? Are you a chef? Or maybe you’re interested in leading bike or kayak tours? If you think you have something to offer, let us know, and we will see if it fits our long term vision. If it does, we would love to assist you with the materials you need to get your project off the ground. The Lost and Found has lots of room to grow and you can be a part of new profit sharing ventures. If you are interested in a project you still should volunteer with customer relations for at least 4 weeks. After this time we will have shaped out your project, and then you can contribute your volunteer shifts by proceeding with your project. But let us know in an email what you are considering contributing. Sometimes we have enough help with customer relations and volunteers can start working on their projects right away!
4) Management Position: Managers are generally selected from experienced long term volunteers. After a few weeks of volunteering you can meet with the current management staff and talk about the possibility of becoming profitable by helping manage the hostel.
5) Long-term Community Outreach Project Co-coordinator. If you have the ability to commit a minimum of 6 months to a local outreach program, then let us know. We have all the elements aligned within the local community for a successful volunteer program. We have housing, a classroom, and willing students. What we are missing is a coordinator and the ability to recruit volunteers internationally to pay to stay and help the local community. If you have experience with these programs and want to help start it up, let us know. We want it to be sustainable, not just 2 weeks on 2 months off. If you think you have the ability to make it sustainable and draw volunteers on a consistent basis, then we have the facilities and eager community for you to develop a program.
All volunteers first come to The Lost and Found as regular paying guests for a couple of nights, relax and enjoy themselves. During the first three days the volunteers also learn more about the work exchange opportunities and the surrounding areas. They pay the regular $12 for a dorm bed and the third night is free. They are free to use the kitchen for free.
Benefits...
1. Free transport to David when we are going
2. Half priced tours
3. Use of trails
4. Practice Spanish with the locals
5. Use The Lost and Found as a home base for travel excursions...no charge for storing your things
Please do not...
-do drugs around premises.
-drink alcohol with the Panamanian staff
-prevent other local staff from doing their work
-watch movies when a guest might want to watch a movie
Food situation...
Use of the lodge kitchen is free and we encourage volunteers to shop locally to save money and contribute to the community.
Volunteers must be over 18 years of age and a 4 week minimum commitment is required.
Lost and Found
Cloud Forest, Chiriqui, Panama
Tel: (507) 6432 8182 or (507) 6920 3036
Email: lflodge@gmail.com
Website: www.lostandfoundlodge.com
Location: Cloud Forest, Chiriqui, Panama
Average cost per day: $12
Focus: Education, Community and Permaculture
Skills needed: Volunteers must be at least 18 years old
