What is AMIGOS Project Staff?
AMIGOS project staff are the young professionals who lead our programming in the countries where we operate. In 2025, we are operating open-enrollment projects in Panama, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic.
This is more than a job; it is a leadership experience that tests you both personally and professionally. It will make you grow in ways you did not even think possible. AMIGOS project staff roles prepare you for a future in any career field, equipped with soft and hard skills.
We hope that you accept the challenge to step out of your comfort zone and join the AMIGOS family!
Differences Between Roles
All of the roles on our project staff teams are critical to the success of the projects. Each role serves a specific purpose. See the Job Descriptions for more information.
The Project Director, Associate Project Director, and Project Supervisors all form part of the project staff team. They work closely together to facilitate an enriching program for the volunteers. Project Supervisors are not part of the senior staff team. All PST members are part of the broader AMIGOS summer teams. While members are assigned to a certain project, they may be moved to a different project at any point during the cycle. We look at our team holistically and arrange the teams in a way that all teams are set up for success.
The senior staff team is comprised of two roles: Project Director and Associate Project Director. These two team members work really closely together to lead the team of supervisors. See below for the differences in the roles.
The PD leads the show. They work closely with their Direct Supervisor (DS) to implement and evaluate a meaningful project for our youth participants and local partners. The PD manages the team, mentors fellow staff members, and provides general oversight of the project. They ensure day-to-day tasks are complete and that students and staff are safe and healthy. They also manage the use of funds and ensure ethical spending. They form part of senior staff.
The PD and APD will arrive on site the same day, one week in advance of Project Supervisor arrival. Together they will spend some in person time with their Direct Supervisor (DS) doing in-person training and a handoff of the project information. They will then spend a few days traveling to the project areas to meet our partners in person and conduct host family visits and training.
Logistics: The PD start dates vary based on the project. Make sure to review the chart of dates for the projects. Prior to arrival in country, the PD will complete asynchronous training, live virtual trainings, meetings with DS, local partners, team members, and independent work time. See more in the training section for details. From start to finish of the contract period, all lodging, food, and transport for project purposes are covered by AMIGOS.
The APD is part of senior staff along with the PD. They share the responsibility of leading the team alongside the PD. On some projects, the APD will also directly mentor volunteers. This is a great entry role to serving on AMIGOS senior staff. The APD will be responsible for the overall budget reporting: ethically spending money and tracking funds, coordinating with partners and service providers, and facilitating activities.
Logistics: The APD will complete online training, both asychronous and live sessions and attend meetings. Depending on the project modality, they will support with initial planning. They arrive to the project site 10-28 days before volunteer arrival. Their lodging and food are covered for the entirety of their contract period with AMIGOS.
This Psup position is focused on two main things: mentoring/supporting volunteers and facilitating program activities. They will assist with health and safety monitoring and will directly support volunteers. Their full focus is the volunteers and ensuring they have a safe and enjoyable learning experience. They also collaborate on project evaluation and ongoing paperwork. Depending on the project structure, they may support with some logistics, planning, and facilitating training activities.
Logistics: The Psups will complete online training. They arrive to the project 5-16 days before volunteer arrival. Their lodging and food are covered for the entirety of their contract period with AMIGOS.
Traditional Programs: On a traditional model program (DR 4-week and Paraguay 6-week), the Psups will be spending 4 nights a week in rural communities with a host family and 3 nights a week in the staff house in the staff city. It is a role that requires a love of nature, hiking, and adventure, since you will be traveling from one community to another every weekday. There may be more limited access to running water, electricity, and other amenities.
Group Travel Programs: On group travel programs, staff will be with the group at all times. They will be sleeping in the same lodging site as volunteers or staying with a host family. It is a role that requires a love of group activities, nature, and socializing.
All Staff Roles (PD, APD, Psup)
You are part of a team as a member of project staff. You have your individual project team, the country team, and the broader AMIGOS team. Everyone should be working towards the success of all projects. This means that you may need to take on new or different responsibilities at different points in the summer.
Some things all project staff should be prepared for:
Training
AMIGOS training is rooted in your leadership development. Through training you will learn the functions of your role, including leadership skills you will carry throughout your career.
Four key training areas: Leadership, cultural humility, ethical service, health and safety.
Training is tailored to your role, to insure you have the information and training necessary to do your job well. It looks slightly different for each role.
This year, training will be online, asynchronous, and largely at your own pace with fixed deadlines for work products and quizzes. Payment for training is dependent on completing modules on time and completing your assigned contract period.
If you are looking to be on project staff, clear your calendars! We have four mandatory and LIVE online sessions. PDs attend one additional training for a total of 5 trainings.
All PST need to be First Aid and Emotional First Aid certified.
If you have valid and up-to-date certifications, submit them in the training process.
AMIGOS will hold an Emotional First Aid Training on May 7th. If you cannot attend for any reason, you will be expected to receive the training elsewhere.
AMIGOS will provide a stipend to complete a Physical First Aid Training prior to arrival.
See below for the specifics for each role:
Exact training hours will be confirmed in the process of the acceptance of the role.
Standards of Conduct
The AMIGOS Standards of Conduct are an integral part of building and growing leadership skills. Their primary purpose is to help keep volunteers and project staff safe. The project staff’s adherence to the Standards of Conduct is the primary way that AMIGOS works towards ensuring their health and well-being during the program and positive interactions with partners. The Standards of Conduct come from many years of experience and recommendations.
Standards of Conduct
The AMIGOS project staff will:
Professional Code of Conduct
At AMIGOS, we do our best to be professional, culturally appropriate, and respectful. As such, we follow a professional code of conduct and dress code for volunteers and project staff.
During your time as a staff member or as a volunteer, you are representing yourself, the values and mission of AMIGOS, our partner organizations, and your country. It is necessary to present yourself appropriately and professionally throughout your participation with AMIGOS. The way you present yourself is a crucial part of collaborating cross-culturally in local communities and with partner agencies, as such please follow the guidelines below that apply to all genders.
Consider the versatility of your clothing choices as packing space is limited. There is a specific packing list in the Project Information Packet (PIP). As a project staff member, you are a role model for the volunteers, you will not be allowed to wear clothing that does not meet the guidelines above.
Things You Should Know
Being a member of project staff is immensely rewarding and it is a challenging experience. It is important for you to take the following into consideration:
*Please note that non-U.S. citizen or non-U.S residents project staff may not be paid to a U.S. bank account.
Projects
All of our projects are unique, fun, and educational. Learn more about the specifics through our project pages.
Which Project Is Right for You?
All of our projects are unique, fun, educational, and interesting. We also want you to choose a project that feels right for you. First, check your date availability. We will not be approving exceptions, so check that you are available for the time frame of the position you are selecting. Next, take a look below to see some of the things project staff will be doing.
We have three overarching project structures. Reference the chart below for *.
A couple additional things to keep in mind:
We want people that are interested in going to any project. While we understand you may have preferences, it is important to accept a role on project staff knowing that your role, country, and position are subject to change at any point during your contract. You need to be interested in the being part of the project leadership team more than where the role is in Latin America.
Project Staff Calendar by Project
Check to make sure you are available for the dates that you need to be on site for each project. Only apply to projects for which you have full availability.
*Dates are subject to slight change. Please bear in mind that your travel date may change. For example, there may be circumstances in which you may arrive to country one day earlier or later than is stated on your offer letter. Make sure you are available one day before and one day after the dates listed in the chart for the projects you select.
**Projects that follow our traditional model of programming. Volunteers will be in rural communities for the majority of the trip.
***Projects with no host family component.
Benefits and Why to Join Project Staff
If you want to make a lot of money this summer, this is not the job for you. However, serving on AMIGOS project staff provides skill-building and professional development opportunities that are unparalleled in addition to some perks!
Soft skills are non-technical skills that relate to how you work. They include how you interact with colleagues, how you solve problems, and how you manage your work. (1) These are not only job skills, but life skills that will help you succeed both personally and professionally.
Hard skills are objective, quantifiable skills gained through training, school, or work experiences. Hard skills are often usually something that can be taught or learned.
While being on project staff may not be your typical job, it will provide you with lifelong skills, an amazing community of people, and the chance to visit new places.
*Exceptions apply.
(1) https://www.thebalancemoney.com/what-are-soft-skills-2060852
Hiring Timeline
We are hiring on a rolling basis this year. All dates are tentative and subject to slightly change.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible for first choice of spots.
The earlier you apply the better—spots will fill up! We are hiring for all roles. The early you apply to be a Project Supervisor, the more likely you will get a role.
What Are Project Staff Doing Now?
Mateo Rojas, Peru ’14, Costa Rica ’19
After graduating from UC Santa Barbara in 2019, I returned to Amigos de las Américas as a Project Supervisor for the project in Palmares, Costa Rica. I guided eight volunteers staying in four rural host communities through a program similar to the one I participated in in 2014, and I supported these volunteers by working with community leaders to identify and mobilize resources within the community. It was extremely fulfilling for me to mentor these volunteers through the program and demonstrate the importance of living within a culture and speaking with the people when organizing a project.
During my time as a Project Supervisor, I practiced constructive problem-solving skills within the framework of asset-based community development while holding a leadership position in an organization that collaborates with locals to create lasting and tangible change. Anecdotes from San Rafael de Platanares, a town I worked with, confirmed my trust in this approach. A community member shared that a previous sewage tunnel project that AMIGOS volunteers had co-facilitated allowed their children to walk back home from school without having to submerge their feet in a flooded road on rainy days. The volunteers and host family I worked with in San Rafael that summer were also overjoyed to see their rain gutter project work seamlessly and prevent the house flooding that had previously occurred on their street.
My experiences in Costa Rica and Peru built on my studies and influenced me more profoundly than my coursework ever could. Through this learning process, I have integrated a few philosophies that lay the foundation for my professional goals.
Maren Walsh, Panama ‘15, Dominican Republic ‘16, Dominican Republic ‘18
I was a volunteer in Azuero, Panamá in 2015, and San Juan, Dominican Republic in 2016. I returned to the Dominican Republic in 2018 as a supervisor. When I was a supervisor in the Dominican Republic, my communities were quite close to the community I had lived in as a volunteer two years before. It just so happened that many of the new people I was meeting were good friends with people from my old host community. Once, I was eating dinner with an old man who was “best friends” with another old man I knew but hadn’t seen in years. I didn’t know if he remembered me or not. We called him up on the phone to say hello. Not only did he remember me, but he had heard through the grapevine that I was in the Dominican Republic and wanted to know why I hadn’t come to visit him yet.
AMIGOS fundamentally altered my academic and professional goals. Because of this program, I am an International Studies major focusing on Latin America. I took a semester off before starting college to travel in Colombia and Chile. This semester I am studying in Cuba, and next semester I will be studying in Argentina. I hope to work internationally after graduating. I would never have done these things if I hadn’t been an AMIGOS volunteer.
Keylor Aguilar, Costa Rica ’22
Fui Coordinador de Proyecto en Costa Rica: Montañas y Mar. Mi rol consistía en liderar actividades y talleres para las y los voluntarios, estar pendiente de su salud y seguridad y, además, apoyar en la coordinación de diferentes aspectos del proyecto. Es muy interesante porque pude tener contacto con diferentes lideres comunitarios y organizaciones locales. Es increíble que AMIGOS nos de esta oportunidad a jóvenes como yo. La conexión que generé con los participantes es lo que más me gustó, porque aprendí mucho de mi mismo.
El entrenamiento fue super importante, sobre todo la parte de salud mental y primeros auxilios psicológicos, porque fue fundamental para entender mejor como se sentían los participantes y brindarles el apoyo que necesitaban en ese momento. También, fue muy útil el módulo sobre manejo de grupos porque, me brindó herramientas y conocimiento para identificar el comportamiento general del grupo y crear espacios de aprendizaje divertidos.
Lo primero que le diría a alguien que está dudando si aplicar o no es que…apliquen! Lo segundo, que tengan flexibilidad. Creo que es lo mas importante en AMIGOS, porque hoy estas acá pero mañana puedes estar en otro lado o, te toca coordinar algo nuevo o tienes que asumir otro rol. Entonces yo les diría que apliquen. Y si AMIGOS les selecciona, es porque saben que las personas están preparadas. Es una experiencia inolvidable!
Testimonials
This summer was definitely challenging but also super rewarding. I think I grew a lot both professionally and personally, and while it was difficult at times, I am really happy that I got to have this experience.
This summer has been one of the biggest learning experiences I’ve had in my life. It was amazing to implement such a great program. The experience was both challenging and fulfilling and taught me about the life and professional skills I had and [those that] I gained.
Fué una gran experiencia para mí, llena de aventuras y aprendizajes. En general lo describo como un proceso de crecimiento y desarrollo profesional, en el cual pude aprender muchísimo de varios campos, sentirme mas confiado y seguro personalmente.
Fulfilling. The work was hard but wonderful.
My experience working with AMIGOS was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for growth.
It was an amazing but challenging experience. It definitely pushed me out of all my comfort zones, but I feel great of being able to achieved many goals. I learned a lot from others and from myself. Life changing!
Fue una experiencia increíble que sumó mucho en mi vida personal, y espero poder ser parte de AMIGOS en algún otro proyecto o de alguna manera. Es super retadora y llena de dificultades, pero hay mucho soporte detrás y eso hace que todo sea más fácil.
AMIGOS taught me a lot about myself, my perception, and my leadership. It opened me to a new country, where I had to look inward for comfort and outward to my team for support. It exposed me to young leaders who had differences in perspective, opinions, and experience. It taught me what it really meant to be a mentor.
AMIGOS has helped me to feel more confident in my ability to connect with others and work in various challenging settings. I was pushed outside of my comfort zone with the work that I needed to do, as I wasn’t used to being responsible for so much paperwork and logistics. But I learned valuable skills and how to stay organized, which involves journaling out my responsibilities. I have also realized how much I love living in another culture and experiencing another way of life, and I hope to continue to do so in the future.
Aprendí muchísimo de mí mismo, y de las habilidades que tengo para resolver problemas. Me di cuenta de mi potencial y de lo que soy capaz de hacer.
AMIGOS has made me a better communicator, decision-maker, and teammate. AMIGOS has taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to and that I am capable of taking on huge responsibilities. It has also taught me that if you believe in others, the capacity in the others is pretty huge too!
Living this experience changed me in many aspects and ways, at personal and professional levels. At a personal level, it was challenging and touching for me seeing myself on this role, when a participant of AMIGOS YA Program, I dreamt a lot about being a staff member, and now that we are done, I am proud of having had a successful experience on the role. Also on the professional level, it made me realize that I enjoy a lot doing this kind of job, so now I feel more focused on what I want to do in the near future.
En gran área, siento que AMIGOS me hizo crecer muchísimo, mas de lo que pensaba. Me hizo tener otra perspectiva, otra mentalidad. Pude aumentar mi confianza y seguridad en el momento de realizar distintas cosas.
Through my experience with AMIGOS, the biggest thing I gained is the unwavering belief that I am ready for anything now. The immersive cultural exposure, the challenges I faced while living in a different community, and the opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills have all contributed to this newfound confidence. AMIGOS has instilled in me the ability to adapt, connect, and engage with diverse situations and people, empowering me to approach any future endeavor with a sense of readiness and capability.
I think AMIGOS serves as my most professional title at this point in my post-college career. I will draw on my experience across a wide variety of skills (interpersonal skills, budgeting skills, Spanish skills, youth mentorship and education skills, time management skills) and responsibilities (making decisions about budget, being in charge of myself and others’ health and safety, holding ourselves accountable to standards of conduct and AMIGOS protocol). I think almost anywhere I apply for work I can reference this experience in some way that will add to my application.
