Cricket Coaching Volunteer Project in St Lucia, Castries

Please note it is possible to come for more than a 2 week trip and most will come between a 4 and 8 week duration.

Your Cricket Coaching Placement
As a cricket coach in St Lucia you will work closely with local clubs and local charity organisations to help promote the sport on the island, as well as deliver coaching and training opportunities to kids and young adults from the poorest regions of St Lucia. You coaching placement will see you leading after school cricket coaching sessions for the local kids, as you will help local charities reach their goals of making sport available to all, and developing sport in the nation as a whole. The lack of grassroots cricket coaches in St Lucia gives international volunteers an excellent opportunity to gain some valuable experience, working with the local kids, as well as with local cricket clubs.

We have links to one of the islands top clubs, Laborie CC, who are coached by one of the island’s most experienced coaches. You will have the unique opportunity to work closely with the club, assisting the local coaches with coaching sessions, and helping with preparation for, and during, matches at the weekend. Laborie CC are privileged enough to be invited to play some of their matches at the impressive Beausejour Stadium, giving you a chance to get behind the scenes of this West Indies cricket hotspot.

Your Cricket Coaching Role
Your role as a cricket coach in St Lucia will be varied, as you will not only have the chance to work with the lively and enthusiastic kids at the local schools and in the community coaching clinics, you will gain a unique insight into life inside a West Indies cricket club. Cricket is a well established sport on the island, therefore many of the children in the local schools and communities have good basic skills and the hand-eye coordination required to develop into future cricket stars. As a coach in the school and community coaching sessions you will run drills and conditioned games to help improve technique and understanding of the rules and structures that govern the game. As the kids develop you will be able to introduce new elements of the game and work on specific skills for bowling, batting and fielding.

Your work with Laborie CC will see you working closely with more experienced cricketers, who will already have a good understanding of technique, rules and in-game tactics, so your coaching sessions can be more adventurous, working on important game-play topics such as positioning, finer techniques and decision making. Your role will be to help prepare the team for competitive weekend matches and competitions.

Summer Camps
Summer camps in St Lucia run throughout July and August, and are run in conjunction with sports charity Sacred Sports. These camps attract over 300 children across the island and are free for children aged 5 and 18yrs, offering a range of different sports. The aim is to get children off the streets and doing something positive with their long holidays off school. Volunteer sports coaches are required for cricket, football, netball and rugby.

Criminal Records Check
We require you to complete a criminal records check in order to take part in this experience. We can accept those that have been done in the last two years if you have the certificate. In the UK it can be done through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), in the USA further details can be found on Travel.State.Gov, otherwise please search for your local service provider. We may also request a reference from a reliable source. You must supply these to us before departure and also take a copy with you to present to the in-country team.

Why do we require a criminal background check?
1) Ensuring a safe environment is conducive to learning, productivity and overall positive experiences for everyone involved.

2) We implement thorough screening processes and we are committed to safety and integrity, fostering trust among participants and the local community.

3) Conducting background checks serves as a preventive measure, deterring individuals with questionable backgrounds from attempting to participate in our programme.

4) Safeguards vulnerable people from potential harm within the programme.

Gap Year and Career Break Cricket Coaching in St Lucia
St Lucia is abundant with sporting talent, and as a cricket coaching volunteer on your gap year or career break, you will have the amazing opportunity to play a key role in the development of the sport from the grass roots up to club level competition, all in a stunning Caribbean island setting!

From the below arrival dates please choose a trip with a range that means you are with us for an even amount of weeks. This helps us manage airport transfers and also helps with the management of the projects. For example, you could come for a 6 or 8 week trip but not a 5 or 7 week trip.

Start Dates 2025
31st Jan – 2 to 30 weeks
14th Feb – 2 to 28 weeks
28th Feb – 2 to 26 weeks
14th Mar – 2 to 24 weeks
28th Mar – 2 to 22 weeks
11th Apr – 2 to 20 weeks
25th Apr – 2 to 18 weeks
9th May – 2 to 16 weeks
23rd May – 2 to 14 weeks
6th Jun – 2 to 12 weeks
20th Jun – 2 to 10 weeks
4th Jul – 4 to 8 weeks
18th Jul – 4 to 6 weeks
1st Aug – 4 weeks
15th Aug – 2 weeks

Start Dates 2026
30th Jan – 2 to 30 weeks
13th Feb – 2 to 28 weeks
27th Feb – 2 to 26 weeks
13th Mar – 2 to 24 weeks
27th Mar – 2 to 22 weeks
10th Apr – 2 to 20 weeks
24th Apr – 2 to 18 weeks
8th May – 2 to 16 weeks
22nd May – 2 to 14 weeks
5th Jun – 2 to 12 weeks
19th Jun – 2 to 10 weeks
3rd Jul – 4 to 8 weeks
17th Jul – 4 to 6 weeks
31st Jul – 4 weeks
14th Aug – 2 weeks

Note 1: Dates are subject to change.

Note 2: It is important that you arrive on published arrival dates to help with operational management and induction. In St Lucia this tends to be a Friday. There maybe an additional fee if you still require airport collection outside our normal times. Approx. GBP £60 each way.

Visa
British Nationals will not require a visa to enter St Lucia for up to 90 days. If you are travelling over 42 days (6 weeks) then you will have to provide travel details on arrival, to clear customs. All the details of the process will be explained once you have booked your trip.

For visits longer than 90 days we will arrange extensions for you.

Equipment Donation for St Lucia
We are dedicated to sustainable development. This is why part of the fee you pay goes towards buying decent equipment for beneficiary organisations in St Lucia. You will often use this equipment during your project and it is always left with the community when you leave. In some cases, an equipment donation may not be appropriate so a financial contribution is made instead.

Social Life in St Lucia
While you are volunteering abroad to make a difference it is still important to enjoy yourself and unwind. St Lucia boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, white sands and blue seas! We will often spend the days on the beach before training, and will organise events such as bbq’s or beach games. There are also a number of bars and clubs off the main beach. Then there is the weekly street party in Gros Islet where the roads are closed, speakers are rolled out and people party under the stars.

Travel and Adventure in St Lucia
With this project you get an excursion to world famous Marigot Bay, home to the set of the Dr Doolitttle film. Included is your return transport and water taxis across the bay. You can relax on a private beach or take a short rainforest walk, or get a drink in some of the best bars and restaurants on the Island.

You will be encouraged to explore St Lucia during your free time so you can sample some of its breath-taking sights and meet some of the Caribbean’s friendliest people. The capital, Castries, is home to numerous markets selling a wonder of goods and comes alive when the cruise ships dock. For bars and clubs we recommend Rodney Bay, the home of the vast majority of the hotels. This is also home to the main shopping mall. There are also the famous Piton Mountains which are located in the south of the island and are well worth a visit. You can also climb them if you are feeling ambitious. There is also the Sulphur Springs the ‘World’s only drive in volcano’! The springs are formed from water running through a volcano, which heats the water while the sulphur turns the water black. You can bathe in the water, which is reputed to make you live forever. St Lucia is home to many rainforests which can be explored in a number of ways such as on bikes, quad bikes and zip lining!

Accommodation
Accommodation is based in a shared house with dorm-style rooms and all bed linen is provided. The accommodation is a large open plan guest house, only a few minutes walk from the beach, making it the perfect base for a Caribbean adventure! There’s a large kitchen, sitting room and WIFI is available. Each bedroom has a shower and toilet and there are also laundry facilities.

Food
Breakfast is included on a help yourself basis. Lunch and dinner can be prepared in groups or individually as there is a supermarket close by.

Airport Pick-Up
We will arrange transport from the airport on arrival in St Lucia so long as it falls on the start date. Any arrival times outside this will incur an additional charge.

Training
Full project induction and local orientation given on arrival.

Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.

Donation
Part of your fee maybe used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. We also encourage you to bring any extra equipment that you are happy to give away but this will need to fall within your personal weight allowance with the airline you travel with.

Flights; Lunch or dinner, Travel insurance; Visas; Vaccinations; Spending money; In-country personal travel; Soft drinks and alcohol; Extra activities not on itinerary.

You will be met on arrival. Full details will be provided once you have booked your trip with us.

Preferred Duration
This is a 2 to 12 week trip but we’d prefer you to come for as long as possible to make the most out of the project and the relationships you will build. You can also come for longer and we’ll consider discounts for the commitment shown.

Typical Hours
Weekdays – Sessions will take place after school between 2:00pm – 4:30pm (subject to the school). Weekends – Sessions will take place in the morning from 10:00am – 12:00pm. Coaching timetable may vary depending on school schedules. You are free to travel and explore the island during the days, or just spend it on one of the great golden sand beaches. There is also a street party in Gros Islet every Friday.

Pre-requisites
No prior coaching experience or qualifications are required, but a basic understanding of the game and/or playing experience is necessary. You also need to be healthy and of reasonable fitness.

Ideal For
Gap year travel, career break travel, sports science degree students, post-graduates, coaching in St Lucia, cricket in the Caribbean, cricket coaching the West Indies, summer holidays, professional cricket coaches and any cricket player.

Suitable for ages 18 to 80

Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community.