Discover, Plan & Go!

Reading Program: Students speak and understand English very well, but because the Cook Islands have a strong oral Maori tradition, their phonetics and reading skills lag behind. Volunteers work one-on-one with children to help them improve their language ability.

Volunteers also are needed in several libraries to clean and straighten shelves, creating card catalogs, sorting donated books, and protecting and filing archival documents. Volunteers are needed at the Takitumu Conservation Area to help local staff repair existing trails, clear fallen trees, and do light construction.

At the Are Pa Metua Senior Activity Center, volunteers interact with elders by playing cards, talking with them, and taking part in scheduled activities. Volunteer opportunities also exist in the Cook Islands' Whale Center. If you have experience with special needs, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, art, teaching, or physical therapy, you can help at the Handicapped Creative Center, a local center that provides care for adults who are physically and mentally challenged.