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About Panama
Peace Corps Volunteers
The Peace Corps has a long history in Panama. The first Volunteers began work in 1963 and continued serving in Panama until May 1971. In February 1990, the Panamanian government asked the Peace Corps to return, and the program has continued without interruption ever since.
Panama has a complex history in which national and international actors have influenced resource management, public services, and economic policy. Certain sectors of the population are particularly impacted by the inequality of opportunities to access primary resources. In these areas, Volunteers collaborate with community members and partner agency counterparts to address community goals.
Peace Corps Volunteers in Panama work in partnership with community members to co-facilitate sustainable development in the areas of Youth in Development, Environment, and Agriculture, supporting the leadership of the people they serve through three main projects:
- Youth in Development: Youth Leadership and Development (YLD)
- Environment: Community Environmental Conservation (CEC)
- Agriculture: Sustainable Agriculture Systems (SAS)
All Volunteers in Panama support cross-sector programming priorities such as youth development, and women's empowerment. Volunteers work in coordination with strategic partners to enhance all programmatic focus areas and are supported by a committed and talented staff that continuously learn, build new skills, and create a fun, creative, and innovative environment the promotes work and life balance.
Peace Corps Response
The Peace Corps Response program in Panama provides high impact, short-term (3-12 months) support to members of organizations, institutions, NGOs, and government entities in Panama. This model of Peace Corps service directly supports host country strategic partners to fulfill goals and objectives through specialized technical assistance and strengthening capacity. Peace Corps Response amplifies the impact of the traditional two-year programs in Panama—Community Environmental Conservation, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, and Youth Leadership Development—by supporting their local stakeholders in sustainable and creative ways. As such, the Peace Corps Response model allows for opportunities for service that appeal to skilled professionals with diverse volunteering interests.
