Work and Travel in Grenada

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN GRENADA FOR TRAVELLERS

Grenada is a Caribbean nation most commonly associated with great hordes of package holiday tourists and cruise ships. But travel in Grenada and you will see that it’s so much more than that. You can see the real side of Grenada.

How do you do it?

Work and travel in Grenada gives you a chance to see this Caribbean island on a budget whilst you make a difference. It’s an opportunity to meet real people and see something no cruise ship tourist will ever see.

Here’s our travel guide to Grenada, where you’ll find out what you can do there and when you should visit.
1. Work in an Orphanage in Grenada

Grenada, like many Caribbean islands, has a high level of poverty. The fruits of the tourism industry don’t get through to the locals, so you can work in an orphanage and help children there.

You don’t need to have any qualifications in childcare to take advantage of these volunteering opportunities in Grenada. All you need is to be charismatic and be able to work with children.

Most of your duties will involve playing games with them and helping them with any homework they have.

2. Work with Special Needs Children in Grenada

Special needs children don’t have a lot of facilities that cater specifically to them. If you want to make a difference as you travel in Grenada you can help them in special homes. Again, there are no qualifications necessary as all you have to do is help care for them.

You could be involved in activities like drawing, soccer, card games, or just reading to them. You never know what you might be doing, but you’ll be making a real difference by picking up this project.

3. Marine Conservation in Grenada

Work in Grenada is more than just being on land. You can also take to the seas by helping to protect the marine turtles, which are currently facing extinction.

Your job will be to monitor the turtles and to aid scientists with their research. As well as that, you will be participating in patrolling known turtle nesting sites to ensure that illegal poachers aren’t interfering with the annual breeding.

It’s an exciting venture that can provide you with first-hand experience of these majestic creatures.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR GRENADA

To take advantage of the volunteering opportunities in Grenada you need to know about the visa requirements. Thankfully, like most Caribbean islands, travel in Grenada is easy because the visa policy allows most people in without a visa.

UK citizens are especially lucky, since citizens from here can stay for up to six months without a visa.

North America, the rest of Europe, South Africa, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand are able to stay for three months without obtaining a visa. For more info click here.

Chinese citizens, however, are only able to stay for a single month before they have to get a visa. It’s not always easy to find an embassy of Grenada, so make sure you do your research in advance. Many volunteer projects will be able to provide visa support if you happen to come from a country where you need a visa, or you’re looking to work and travel in Grenada long-term.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN GRENADA

SPRING WORK

Spring in Grenada is the back end of the high season. It’s a good season to visit because there are few people here at this time of year and the weather is still pleasant. However, there is not a great deal to do when it comes to seasonal volunteering opportunities in Grenada.

We recommend sticking to the more urban areas and either working with the elderly or working with young people. It’s an easy way to enjoy the island when it’s at its least active.

SUMMER JOBS

Summer is another fine season to visit the island. It’s still low season and you won’t have to worry about lots of tourists in the country. However, there are no specific seasonal options for work in Grenada. We recommend you look back at the ‘Spring’ section for some more information on some of the things you can do.

AUTUMN

We recommend that you avoid visiting Grenada during autumn. The reason for this is that this is the hurricane season and the island has been devastated in the past. Hurricane Ivan in 2004 destroyed the island and took many lives with it.

Besides, there are no specific seasonal skills required.

WINTER

The winter season is the best season to work and travel in Grenada. For a start, this is the time when you can involve yourself in turtle conservation. These projects take place in the winter because this is when the turtles naturally migrate to the island.

Another option for winter is to volunteer in the travel industry. Many seasonal guesthouses are only open at this time of year and they always need volunteers to help with the influx of work. You’ll usually receive free accommodation and free food as part of the deal.

You can work in the mainstream tourism industry, but you always need prior experience and you should apply months in advance to secure this work in Grenada.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN GRENADA

Grenada is a former British colony. As such, there’s no real language barrier you have to worry about. Grenada is an easy island to begin your Caribbean adventure on as crime rates are low and it doesn’t get the same crowds that places like Jamaica and Cuba do.

However, you should be mindful of the sort of work you’re doing. This is still a poor island away from the resorts. Don’t participate in work that could be done by a local, particularly if you get to the point where you earn something other than free accommodation.

But other than that this is an island where the locals are friendly and welcoming towards foreigners, so you have nothing to worry about.

Are you going to work and travel in Grenada this year?