Youth and Sports Development Facilitator

Description

Since 1962, more than 2,100 Volunteers have worked alongside Belizean communities, supporting grassroots development and building lasting partnerships. Today, we continue that legacy – promoting peace, friendship, and shared progress with our Belizean partners.

OVERVIEW:

In 2023, Peace Corps Belize launched the *Youth Empowered by Sports (YES)* Project in partnership with the Belize National Sports Council. This initiative supports the development of youth aged 6–19 by using sports as a tool for positive change. Volunteers are placed in designated primary schools to lead sports and life skills activities, while also partnering with local organizations or sports clubs to strengthen operations and programming. Backed by strong support from communities, schools, and government, Volunteers will bring professionalism, dedication, and a commitment to Peace Corps’ Core Expectations and development approach to fuel lasting impact for Belizean youth.

GOAL:

Belizean youth empowered to live healthy lives and fulfill their potential.

OBJECTIVES:

Volunteers will work collaboratively with our partners across three objectives:

Strengthen the life skills of youth:

• Co-plan and co-facilitate youth programming that incorporates life skills development via youth sports clubs, sports camps, fun days, and/or sports clinics.

Increase the skills of youth service providers:

• Co-plan youth programs with youth service providers.

• Co-train youth service providers in the implementation of positive youth development activities and life skills.

• Co-train and guide organization members on the application of organizational development skills and knowledge (e.g., strategic planning, governance, communications, administration).

Increase the ability of parents and caregivers to support their children:

• Co-train families/caregivers/community groups on key topics to support youth development.

• Co-create strategies to increase and/or deepen families’ and/or caregivers’ positive engagement with their children.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT:

Relationship-building is central to the Peace Corps experience and Volunteers’ success in their primary assignment. Volunteers who immerse themselves in their community, speak the local language and take initiative to build strong relationships with partners and community members will thrive in Belize. Work flows naturally from a foundation of trust and strong relationships.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The YES Project requires Volunteers to actively participate in training sessions, games, and tournaments in Belize’s tropical heat and humidity. Tasks may also include moving sports equipment or furniture. Maintaining physical fitness and adapting to challenging conditions are essential for success in this role.

EXAMPLES OF CURRENT VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY:

Maya’s Experience:

Maya rises at 5:30am to prepare for the day in her small border town. Morning finds her co-facilitating a life skills session with her counterpart before organizing the afternoon sports club. They're introducing kickball as an alternative to the usual football. After school, she meets with teachers to continue developing the "Creating Coaches" training program. Walking home, she chats with neighbors in Kriol and picks up fresh tortillas. Evening brings lesson planning and a brief call to coordinate this weekend's community mural project with a local youth organization.

Carlos’ Experience:

Before the morning bell, Carlos sets up the Healthy Habits Club, where youth tend to garden plots before classes begin. At lunch, he meets with his principal to finalize plans for an upcoming sports tournament between schools. In the afternoon, Carlos meets with the village council to plan their summer sports camp. Carlos is excited about connecting the town councilors with youth and sports organizations in the nearest District Town who are interested in volunteering as coaches for the camp. He closes his day resting in his host family’s hammock under star-filled skies.

Program

PCV

Post

Belize

Required Skills

Qualified candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in a sport related field – sports management, physical education, kinesiology, etc.

• 3 years’ professional work experience in the youth development sector.

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT CITIZENSHIP:

Candidates who are dual citizens of Belize and the U.S. are not eligible to serve with Peace Corps Belize. Volunteer safety is of paramount importance and the protections of U.S. citizenship promotes Volunteer safety. If anyone holding dual U.S. and Belize citizenship were to face a legal, safety, or other emergency situation in Belize, the Peace Corps’ ability to intervene would be limited. If you hold citizenship with both the U.S. and Belize, we encourage you to look at other opportunities with Peace Corps.

Desired Skills

Competitive candidates will meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Experience educating adults on youth development topics such as: healthy lifestyles, athletic training, gender equality, youth life skills, parent engagement, or related areas.

• Experience playing or coaching soccer, basketball, volleyball, track & field, or softball professionally, at the collegiate level, or through intramural sports as an adult.

• Experience working in communities with limited resources.

• Experience using and navigating online learning platforms.

• Experience working with youth ages 10 to 14, preferably in schools clubs, summer camps or after school programs.

Language Requirement

None

Language Requirements Information

There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position.

Language Skills Additional Information

LANGUAGE TRAINING:

Belize boasts a rich intercultural and linguistic environment. Volunteers will undergo training in the language that is predominantly spoken in their work site. While English is the official language, Peace Corps Belize trains Volunteers in either Kriol or Spanish which are spoken at the community level and in day-to-day engagements. Prior proficiency in Kriol or Spanish is advantageous but not required.

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING:

Volunteers must be flexible and ready to learn whichever language is spoken in their assigned community. Language proficiency assessments are conducted during Pre-Service Training (PST) and at specific intervals during service. Learning the local language is vital for integration, personal safety, and fulfilling work assignments.

Living Conditions

HOUSING: Volunteers live with host families during the 11-weeks of Pre-Service Training (PST) and the first six months after arrival at their worksite. Volunteers may remain with a host family for the duration of their service or choose independent living. Host families can be a highlight of service, helping with cultural exchange, integration, language, and contributing to safety and security. However, adapting to cultural norms requires an open mind, patience, flexibility, and a commitment to connecting across differences.

CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS: Volunteers often find themselves in the minority. Belize maintains conservative values around same-sex relationships. Volunteers must exercise discretion when addressing same-sex or bisexual relationships and the societal roles of men and women. PST equips volunteers with skills to navigate these challenges.

DIET: During PST, Volunteers are expected to adapt to meals provided by their host families (with accommodations for medical restrictions as needed). Typical meals include rice, beans, chicken, tortillas, eggs, and soups. Adhering to special diets (such as vegetarian) will be challenging—especially during PST when the focus is on integration and adaptation to local foods and customs. After PST, Volunteers may cook their own meals or arrange meal-sharing with their host families, which provides more flexibility for special diets.

APPEARANCE: Maintaining personal grooming and professional attire is essential. Volunteers must adhere to personal appearance guidelines, which typically entails uniforms or business casual dress in professional environments. Extensive tattoos, including facial tattoos, are not customary among professionals in Belize.

TRANSPORTATION: Travel is primarily by walking, bicycling, or public bus or taxis to conduct activities such as shopping, banking, internet, etc. Volunteers are not allowed to drive automobiles during service, nor drive or ride on a motorcycle.

COMMUNICATIONS: Belize boasts strong cell phone coverage; however, in remote inland areas it may be limited or nonexistent. Volunteers are encouraged to bring an unlocked smartphone, though one can be provided. A local SIM with calls, text, and limited data is issued for official use. Volunteers who wish to maintain their U.S. SIM card and plan may find smartphones with dual SIM capability.

SEASONS: Temperatures in Belize range from the low 70s to low 100s, with humidity around 90%. The rainy season (June – December) brings cooler, wetter weather, while the dry season (January – May) is hotter and dustier. Recently, more extreme weather – heavy rains, heat waves, flooding and drought – has blurred seasonal patterns. Volunteers work outdoors year-round and will need strategies to manage heat, rain and humidity.

CULTURAL ENRICHMENT: Volunteers will engage with a unique combination of culture, experiences, values and assumptions inherent to every person—gaining valuable insights into Belize’s rich intercultural environment.

Beyond its rich culture, Belize offers lush forests and pristine coastlines. While volunteers may explore these landscapes, their focus is community integration and project goals. Outside of work, they'll connect with host families, youth, NGOs and local leaders, deepening their impact and cultural understanding through meaningful mutual exchange.

Primary Sector

Youth in Development

TEFL certificate program

No

Apply By

01-Oct-2025

Know By

01-Dec-2025

Start Date

03-May-2026

Assignment Length (months)

24

Positions Available

4

Accepts Couples

Yes

Couples Comments

Belize is happy to receive couples and will try to identify sufficient work opportunities within the same community for both Volunteers. This cohort offers one job sector: Youth Development.

NOTE: Each applicant must apply separately and qualify for this program.

Couples can expect similar living conditions for them as for single Volunteers. They will live with the same host family during the three months of Pre-Serving Training; however, they may have language classes in different groups depending on language levels. They will then live with the same family for the first six months in their assigned community. If suitable housing is available later, they may request independent living.

NOTE: While couples will be living together, they may be assigned to work at different institutions in the same or neighboring communities.

The Peace Corps works to foster safe and productive assignments for same-sex couples, and same-sex couples are not placed in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. Because of this, same-sex couples’ placements are more limited than heterosexual couple placements. During the application process, recruiters and placement officers work closely with same-sex couple applicants to understand current placement opportunities.

Accepting Applications?

No

Request Type

164 Youth Development

Post to LinkedIn?

No