Tennis 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.

Tennis in St Lucia
Over the years, tennis in St Lucia has been predominantly played in the hotels and private estates by the wealthier locals, expats and holiday makers, with opportunities for local players to pick-up the game have been relatively limited. However, due to changes in the structure of the national Tennis Association and the construction of a new state-of-the-art National Tennis Centre in Beausejour, there has been an increase in opportunities for local players, an emergence of a number of talented local stars and the establishment of senior and junior tennis competitions on the island.

The National Tennis Centre boasts six international competition standard hard courts, including a tournament-style centre court, which are all open to public use. The Tennis Association in St Lucia aims to capitalise on the interest that these Tennis Centre’s development has had within the local communities, and have decided to include grassroots tennis programmes within a range of schools and communities across the island. Through these programmes you will have the opportunity to volunteer as a tennis coach to help drive the sport forward throughout St Lucia.

Your Tennis Coaching Placement
As a tennis coach in St Lucia you would work closely with the Tennis Association to help deliver introductory and beginners coaching sessions to school groups across the island. For the majority of your placement you will be either working at the National Tennis Centre in Beausejour and visiting a range of schools to run tennis sessions for children aged 6 to 11 years old. The main focus on these sessions is to promote participation through fun and engaging sessions, introducing basic skills and techniques and emphasising the fun that can be had playing tennis. Many of the schools we work with are some of the most impoverished on the island, and coaches are therefore required to be adaptable with the facilities provided.

The Junior Tennis Initiative is a national programme that is ran from the National Tennis Centre, which focuses on uncovering and nurturing the island’s most talented young players. During these sessions you will work closely with the Tennis Association’s local coaches and senior players to deliver focused sessions to the a range of youth players, from newly discovered talent to established national players, and help them prepare for up-coming matches and tournaments.

Your Tennis Coaching Role
Your role as a tennis coach will vary from session to session, as you will need to be adaptable to the different players and facilities your are working with. At the majority of the grassroots sessions based at the local schools and community centres you will have the opportunity to take the lead in the sessions with support available from local staff. It is important for our local coaches to work closely with you so that they are able to pick up useful tips and acquire new coaching techniques to continue the programmes after you have left the placement.

Throughout your work at the National Tennis Centre you will support the more experienced coaches, but as you become accustom to the coaching styles and methods you will be given more responsibility to run the sessions.

Our tennis coaches are given the opportunity to make use of the state-of-the-art Tennis Centre facilities in Beausejour during their free time, and we can also help you arrange matches against local players if you wish to put your skills to the test!

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.

Tennis Coaching Volunteer Project in St Lucia
This tennis project is the best way to experience tennis in St Lucia on your gap year, career break or student holidays, as you play an active role in the development of the sport from grassroots up to youth competition level.

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.

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
Working hours will be weekday for approx. 3 – 4 hours per day coaching in the schools and National Tennis Centre. There may be additional weekend coaching available.

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 Tennis Project; Career Break Travel Opportunities; Post-graduate Sports Coaching; Tennis Coaching in St Lucia.

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.