Summer 2027 applications are now open! Apply by 10/30 to save $500.
Search

Social Impact Accelerator

The Social Impact Accelerator is a free, bilingual program where AMIGOS alumni join a virtual cohort to launch hands-on service projects in their own communities.

Apply Now (English) Apply Now (Spanish)
Format
Virtual, Bilingual
Time Commitment
7-12 Hours per Month
Program Window
October – February
Eligibility
AMIGOS Alumni
Cost
Free
AMIGOS volunteers and local youth

About the Social
Impact Accelerator

In this action-focused program, you’ll draw on lessons from your AMIGOS experience to design and implement a service project in your community. Join a cohort of alumni from across the Americas to reflect on local challenges, brainstorm solutions, and engage with stakeholders to bring your idea to life. AMIGOS will also provide seed funding to help kick-start your project and take it to the next level!

How to Apply

The Social Impact Accelerator is open to high school students in the U.S. and Latin America who have completed an AMIGOS program, either virtually or in person.

The application will help you start thinking about the community you want to serve and the needs you hope to address, but you do not need a service project idea already decided when you apply. Spots are limited, and selection is competitive.

We are currently accepting applications for our 2026-2027 SIA cohort!

What to Expect
Runs from October to February
Volunteer cohort from across the Americas 
Bilingual Spanish/English facilitation 
Flexible schedule, approximately 7–12 hours/month
  • 2-hour virtual workshop once per month
  • Asynchronous, self-guided modules, 1-2 hours/week
  • Mentor and small group meetings, 1-2 hours/month
Application Deadline
September 16
Recognized by GoAbroad Innovation Award

The AMIGOS Social Impact Accelerator was named the 2025 GoAbroad Innovation Award Winner for Alumni Engagement! Don’t miss your chance to keep your AMIGOS journey going, join a new wave of changemakers, and apply for the SIA 2026–2027 cohort.

What to Expect

Through online modules, live workshops, mentorship, and peer collaboration, you’ll connect with a network of changemakers across the Americas. You’ll also have the opportunity to take part in the bilingual AMIGOS Week of Action, where you can kick off your project while practicing your English or Spanish.

By the end of the Social Impact Accelerator, you’ll have launched a project that creates meaningful impact in your community, and you’ll get to showcase your work at the Social Impact Summit.

A supportive cohort of like-minded leaders and innovators
Opportunities to strengthen your English or Spanish through cultural exchange and bilingual facilitation
30+ service hours earned while implementing a project that supports your local community
One-on-one mentorship from an experienced member of the AMIGOS network
Training in fundraising and resource development to help propel your project

Volunteers who complete the program will receive financial assistance toward a future AMIGOS program!

$500

Future AMIGOS Program Award

Timeline and Project Stages

The Social Impact Accelerator runs from October 2026 to late February 2027. Live workshops and key program events will take place monthly throughout the program. See the timeline below for details.

October
My Community and Its Opportunities
Workshop I: Mid-October 2026

We’ll hit the ground running in our first workshop, where you’ll meet your cohort and begin exploring your project. Together, we’ll look at how to research a social issue in your community from an asset-based perspective and start identifying ideas for a meaningful service project.

In addition to the workshop, you’ll meet with your small group for the first time and sign up for a 1:1 mentor meeting. Throughout the month, you’ll also complete Design Thinking Modules 1 and 2 to help define your community and better understand its needs.

November
Design & Project Proposal
Workshop II: Mid-November 2026

The fun continues in Workshop II, where you’ll kick things off with a game night to get the creative ideas flowing! From there, you’ll brainstorm project ideas, develop a prototype, and begin shaping a project proposal that will prepare you for implementation.

In your small group and 1:1 mentor meetings, you’ll receive feedback and support on your initial project design. During asynchronous time, you’ll complete Design Thinking Modules 3 and 4 to continue exploring ideation and prototyping.

December
Implementation and Evaluation I
Workshop III: Mid-December 2026

This is an exciting month as your project starts coming to life! In Workshop III, you’ll finalize the last-minute details so you’re ready to begin implementing your service project. You’ll also complete assignments to help you test run your project before launch and build confidence before taking action.

Throughout the month, you’ll meet with your small group and mentor to discuss the successes, challenges, and lessons from Phase I of implementation.

January
Making Adjustments, Implementing II
Workshop IV: Mid-January 2027

This phase is all about learning by doing. After months of preparation, you’ll be fully in the implementation phase and ready to keep building momentum.

In Workshop IV and throughout the month, you’ll reflect on the first part of implementation, identify opportunities for improvement, and receive feedback from mentors to help take your service project to the next level!

Example Projects

Be a changemaker in your community! Design and implement a service project that addresses the needs of a community you care about, while building on what you learned through your virtual or in-person AMIGOS experience.

A project and its implementation can take many forms. Here are a few examples:

Build a community food garden

Create a park or beach clean-up campaign 

Raise climate change awareness by having a ride to school day 

Recruit more youth poll workers for local elections

Create a hiking club to bring youth into nature

Organize a food/supply drive to support families in need in your community 

Create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion book club at your school 

Generate an art or music space in your community to bring people together 

Organize inter-school clubs and youth partnerships on aligned issues

Start a tutoring or social awareness program for younger kids

Create a fundraising campaign for an issue or organization that you care about

AMIGOS volunteers enjoying a fresh coconut

Designed for
AMIGOS Alumni

The Social Impact Accelerator is exclusively open to high school students in the U.S. and Latin America who have completed an AMIGOS program. This free, virtual program is the next step in your leadership journey, helping you turn what you learned through AMIGOS into a meaningful service project in your own community.

Apply Now (English) Apply Now (Spanish)

The AMIGOS Journey

Hear From Past Participants

“It is hard to condense what the SIA meant to me. It was an amazing opportunity for me to hone into a specific topic of interest, utilizing what I learned during my AMIGOS summer abroad.

The whole SIA staff and mentor team were so helpful throughout the entire process and were there to help me navigate through all of the steps. Through the SIA program, I was surrounded with an uplifting and supportive community that allowed me to expand my leadership skills and realize that I am capable of having a positive impact on my community.

My project helped establish job boards and career workshops around my city of Austin to assist the homeless population in finding and maintaining jobs. It was an enriching experience to meet adults from my city who are actively working to combat an issue I am passionate about. As well as interact with the people I was helping and hear their gratitude.”

Isabella S., 2024 Participant
Austin, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore Summer Programs

View All Programs

Costa Rica: La Brunca

AMIGOS Explore – High School (15-19)
Explore how local communities in southern Costa Rica practice innovation and collective leadership around conservation efforts. 
Biodiversity Community-Led Organization Rural Farming

Sessions

June 14 – July 5 3 Weeks open
July 10 – July 31 3 Weeks open

Costa Rica: Pérez Zeledón

AMIGOS Immerse – High School (15-19)
Immerse in Costa Rica through reforestation, reserve maintenance, and biodiversity while learning how local families and community groups support conservation and rural tourism.
Biodiversity Monitoring Community Connections Spanish Immersion

Sessions

June 8 – July 6 4 Weeks open
July 13 – August 10 4 Weeks open

Costa Rica: Montañas y Mar

AMIGOS Middle School – Middle School (13-14)
Our Montañas y Mar project offers opportunities to support community-based conservation, sustainable development, and cultural exchange with local communities.
Community Service Environmental Protection Spanish Practice

Sessions

June 17 – 28 12 Days open
July 2 – July 13 12 Days open
July 19 – 30 12 Days open

Costa Rica: Olas y Cerros

AMIGOS Explore – High School (15-19)
Explore Costa Rica’s farming communities and Caribbean coast through host family life, local youth collaboration, environmental protection, and sea turtle conservation.
Cultural Heritage Environmental Conservation Sea Turtle Habitat Protection

Sessions

June 23 – July 14 3 Weeks open
July 20 – August 10 3 Weeks open

Dominican Republic: Barahona

AMIGOS Immerse – High School (15-19)
Immerse in Dominican culture through community-based projects, youth leadership, sports, and meaningful connections with host families and local communities.
Cultural Immersion Game Changing Impact Youth Leadership

Sessions

June 8 – July 6 4 Weeks open
July 13 – August 10 4 Weeks open
Limited Spots Remaining

Dominican Republic: Tierra Caribe

AMIGOS Explore – High School (15-19)
Join us in the rolling hills and mountains of the Dominican Republic, where sustainable development comes to life through local action and community partnership. Work alongside residents on projects that…
Access to Portable Water Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Community

Sessions

June 16 – July 7 3 Weeks open
July 13 – August 3 3 Weeks open

Panama: El Pacifico

AMIGOS Discover – High School (15-19)
Discover Panama’s Pacific coast through sea turtle conservation, coastal stewardship, and cultural exchange while exploring how local communities protect their wildlife and natural heritage.
Cultural Connection Hands-on Conservation Wildlife Protection

Sessions

June 9 – 23 2 Weeks open
June 29 – July 13 2 Weeks open
July 19 – August 2 2 Weeks open

Panama: El Valle

AMIGOS Explore – High School (15-19)
Explore El Valle’s unique blend of biodiversity and culture while supporting local initiatives that strengthen environmental stewardship, community resilience, and opportunities for future generations.
Cross-Cultural Understanding Rural Community Service Youth Engagement

Sessions

June 18 – July 2 3 Weeks open
July 8 – 22 3 Weeks open
July 28 – August 11 3 Weeks open

Panama: Tierras Altas

AMIGOS Discover – High School (15-19)
Discover Panama’s highlands through sustainable agriculture, climate action, and community-led initiatives that celebrate local traditions and strengthen the region’s connection to the land.
Climate Action Food Justice Sustainable Food Systems

Sessions

June 17 – July 1 2 Weeks open
July 6 – 20 2 Weeks open
July 26 – August 9 2 Weeks open

Paraguay: Ruta del Mate

AMIGOS Explore – High School (15-19)
Explore how communities along Paraguay’s Mate Route preserve cultural traditions and local ecosystems through knowledge-sharing, sustainable practices, and collective action.
Community Service Conservation Guaraní Culture

Sessions

June 12 – July 8 25 Days open
July 14 – August 7 25 Days open
AMIGOS Volunteer and her host mom

Paraguay: Tierra Guarani

AMIGOS Immerse – High School (15-19)
Immerse in Paraguay’s Guaraní culture through community life, Spanish and Guaraní language practice, meaningful service, and lasting connections with host families and local youth.
Community Service Growth and Independence Guaraní Language and Culture

Sessions

June 15 – July 27 6 Weeks open
Thank You to Our Partner

The Social Impact Accelerator is underwritten by the generous support of Harvest Residential Capital*

*Formerly known as Capital Plus Financial.

As a community development financial institution (CDFI), Harvest Residential Capital provides capital to underserved markets, with a focus on expanding homeownership and supporting positive economic and social impact. This partnership between AMIGOS and Harvest Residential Capital reflects a shared commitment to strengthening communities in Texas, across the United States, and throughout the Americas.

Request Information

Request Information
Name
Name
First Name
Last Name
I am a(n)
I'm interested in
By submitting this form, you agree to receive emails, texts, and calls from Amigos de las Américas. Consent is not a condition of enrollment. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply STOP to cancel texts.