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Connect with the Peace Corps
If you're ready for something bigger, we have a place where you belong.
Apply to the Peace Corps
The application process begins by selecting a service model and finding an open position.
Let us help you find the right position.
If you are flexible in where you serve for the two-year Peace Corps Volunteer program, our experts can match you with a position and country based on your experience and preferences.
Serve where you’re needed mostCommunity Environmental Conservation Promoter
Environment
Job highlights
- Gain hands-on experience in environmental education and natural resource management while working directly with communities and government partners to protect ecosystems.
- Build Spanish language and project management skills by collaborating with local organizations, schools, and government agencies.
- Immerse yourself in Panama’s rich culture and uniquely biodiverse natural heritage.
Panama • North America
In partnership with: Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Education, local environmental organizations
Get answers live — every weekday at .
Apply by
July 15, 2026Know by
September 1, 2026Depart on
February 13, 2027Duration
2 years, plus 3 months trainingAbout the project
Are you passionate about protecting the planet and inspiring future generations to do the same? Communities across Panama are seeking support to promote environmental education and conservation practices.
Panama is facing severe environmental degradation driven by deforestation, poor solid waste management, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss; compounded by extreme weather events. Economic development has led to increased exploitation of natural resources and the expansion of agriculture into sensitive ecosystems, threatening the public’s health and Panama’s natural heritage. Despite Panama’s commitment to global sustainability efforts, communities need additional support to implement basic conservation practices.
As a Community Environmental Conservation Promoter, you will collaborate with community members to improve solid waste management, reforestation, and the use of eco-friendly technologies—efforts that will protect the country’s ecosystems and support national sustainable development strategies. Together, you will foster a generation committed to conservation and long-term environmental stewardship, ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Panama project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
Associate degree in any field and at least two years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
OR
Bachelor's degree in any field.
OR
High school diploma or GED and four years of full-time, post-high school work experience (from any combination of roles).
Language: Spanish
A. Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework in the past 8 years
B. Completed college-level Elementary II Spanish semester (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
C. Score between 50-62 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the past 6 years
D. Score Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from Panama
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Facilitate community environmental assessments to identify local conservation needs and develop projects that address these priorities.
Plan and facilitate environmental education clubs and camps for youth to build awareness and leadership skills.
Facilitate hands-on activities in schools such as gardens, tree planting, recycling, or waste management initiatives.
Organize and support community clean-ups and recycling events to strengthen local capacity.
Train and guide community members to establish and maintain tree nurseries and reforestation efforts.
Facilitate workshops on constructing and using fuel-efficient stoves to reduce deforestation.
Mentor youth and community groups to sustain eco-friendly practices and environmental leadership.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as English conversation clubs and team sports.
Volunteers will live in a mix of rural and semi-urban communities ranging from approximately 150 to 5,000 people. Housing will likely include simple concrete block walls with cement or tile floors and a corrugated tin roof. Communities will generally have basic utilities and infrastructure, including cell phone signal, treatable water, and electricity, although the reliability of these services may vary. Volunteers must live with a host family during their first 3-4 months of service, after which they may opt to move into independent housing.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Panama country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in Panama
Yadariselt R.
Sustainable Agriculture Extension Promoter
"This experience has been so transformative because there is so much power and joy in the collective. After 10 months at my site, I can confidently say that I have formed lifelong friendships."
See full Volunteer profile
As a Community Environmental Conservation Promoter, you will be trained to promote environmental education and facilitate community-based conservation activities. Peace Corps/Panama will teach you Spanish to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community.
After 10 weeks of training, you will move to a rural or semi-urban community where you will collaborate with schools, local organizations, and community members. You will work with the community to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on locally appropriate environmental conservation practices.
Only heterosexual couples can be accepted for this program. Each person must apply separately and qualify for a position in the same sector as their partner. Couples will live together during training but may separate occasionally for field-based activities. Couples who are selected for the same sector will live together but work with different local partners which may be in the same community or in neighboring communities (not more than 30 minutes apart). Cohabitating couples are highly encouraged to present themselves as married throughout service due to cultural expectations.
To learn more about serving as a couple in Panama, visit the country page.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Panama. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
