Mexico volunteer programs
Volunteering in Mexico means living in the laid back coastal town of Puerto Morelos on the Yucatán Peninsula. You’ll experience exciting attractions while making a positive contribution to global sustainable development goals.
Volunteer in marine conservation
You could choose to volunteer in Mexico on programs in marine conservation.
Our marine conservation programs also offer the opportunity to begin, or further, your Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) certification. While volunteering in Mexico, you could earn your PADI Coral Reef Researcher Distinctive Speciality, PADI Open Water Diver, or PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification.
You can choose to take part in our marine conservation expedition and work towards conserving the second largest barrier reef system in the world. Working with our local partners, the projects done are instrumental in allowing us to make a sustainable impact while volunteering in Mexico. This means that GVI can make a positive impact that can last long into the future, and be maintained by the local community.
Connect with community and culture
All our programs are community-led, meaning you’ll get to work with GVI’s expert local partner organisations and community members on projects, and connect with local people in your day-to-day life.
Working and living alongside your fellow volunteers and community members makes your story distinctly unlike the typical tourist experience. Rather, choosing a volunteer program in Mexico means you make a commitment to the community. You are guided by the organisations who know the community best, and you help to meet the community’s and habitat’s needs head on. This gives your experience of the culture much more meaning, a sincere and responsible cultural immersion.
Learn about Mexico’s history
Mexico is home to more than 30 World Heritage Sites, which have been set up to preserve Mexico’s cultural heritage. Modern Mexicans have preserved many of the cultural practices of their ancestors, and each region has different cultural traditions. The culture of Mexico is as diverse as the types of terrains you’ll find here.
Develop your Spanish speaking skills
Spanish is the most commonly spoken language in Mexico, and while volunteering in Mexico you’ll get to listen to, learn and try this language. Being surrounded by the culture and language of Mexico can take your experience to a whole new level while volunteering abroad.
Join expert local partners
- GVI’s primary local partner organisation is Centro Regional de Investigacion Pesquera (CRIP), a division of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute. Your time as a volunteer in Mexico could include joining CRIP’s coral aquaculture and restoration project, which supports the conservation and sustainable support of coral reefs throughout the region.
- We also collaborate with Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, a global initiative that drives collaboration between coral researchers and conservationists worldwide. Our Mexico volunteering participants support Healthy Reefs for Healthy People as they focus on conserving the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System in Mexico specifically.
- With our partner the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas Mexico (CONANP), the government agency overseeing natural protected areas, we monitor and collect data that contributes to the ongoing support of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
- GVI Mexico also operates in partnership with other national and international partners, including Amigos de Sian Ka’an, Comunidad y biodiversidad (COBI), and University of Queensland (Coralwatch).