Why Should I Volunteer Abroad?
There are hundreds of unique opportunities for individuals who are interested in living and working abroad, while giving back to the communities that support them. We know that applicants to our volunteer teaching programs are looking for something more than a paycheck. These positions give you the chance to make a difference in a part of the world that has real need.
You’ll not only be doing something incredibly rich and rewarding, but you’ll also have a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in local culture. With extensive orientation, cultural classes, and language training, you’ll be immersed in the country’s culture right away. Plus, you’ll have the unique opportunity to live with a host family. During your home-stay, you’ll share meals, culture, and experiences with your host family. There is no better way to understand a new culture than to be a part of it!
Another benefit of volunteering abroad is that these programs offer a lot more options with start dates and contract lengths than do typical ESL jobs. Most ESL contracts are for a full year. For many people, though, this simply doesn’t fit into their time-frame. You can volunteer, though, for as little as 3 months. For people juggling school and work, while trying to give something back to the community, the flexibility of a short-term volunteer teaching contract can be the perfect option.
If you’re someone who loves to help others, consider an international volunteer teaching program through Reach To Teach.
Reach To Teach currently offers two volunteer programs for our teachers.
Volunteer in Georgia, Eastern Europe
Georgia is a country at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. It’s also at the crossroads of its past and a bright future as a modern nation. The Georgian Ministry of Education has made English Education a top priority, and they need dedicated and motivated volunteers!
Our Teach in Georgia program is sponsored by the Georgia Ministry of Education. This is a full volunteer program with program benefits being offered through the Ministry of Education.
Volunteers in Georgia receive:
- Paid round trip flights
- Free housing, with meals
- A monthly stipend
- Medical Insurance
- One week of language, cultural, and educational skills classes
There is no fee to participate in this program through Reach To Teach.
Volunteer in Chile
Reach To Teach has formed a number of partnerships with economically impoverished communities that cannot afford to pay for the services we provide. Though some volunteer projects pay a stipend to volunteers, most volunteer placements generally cost money. This is because volunteers are asked to pay for their own travel expenses, while agencies such as Reach To Teach need to be reimbursed for on-site coordination. This is the only volunteer program that we offer where we need to charge a service fee.
We are working on developing a number of packages for our teachers to suit a variety of budgets. Please note that we should have other options ready for your consideration later this week.
Our standard service program fee includes:
Ground transportation: Your transportation from your arrival at the airport, as well as your transport to and from your orientation venue and placement area.
Reach To Teach Orientation: Includes pre-departure reading material as well as on-site orientation with our in-country coordinator on local culture, history, customs and language lessons.
Arranged accommodations: You will stay with a Chilean host family for the duration of your weeklong orientation program in Santiago, and receive two meals a day. Our in-country coordinator will drop you off at your placement venue in Santiago and at the end of your wekk-long teacher training course, you will be delivered to the Chilean host family that is going to look after you for the duration of your contract. Your host family will provide you with three meals a day.
A safety net: You have access to the Reach To Teach staff that provide logistical and emotional support, as well as your in-country coordinator, who will provide you with assistance in dealing with local matters. We have local consultants and translators on hand to assist our teachers when needed.
Affordability: When you calculate the difference between traveling to a country on your own and the cost of participating in a program, you might be surprised by how little the difference is. Furthermore, our main goal here at Reach To Teach is to make this program as affordable as possible to our teachers while maintaining our high degree of professional services.
Administration: The administrative costs that we incur, such as office overhead and logistical support, while getting you ready for one of the most incredible experiences of your lifetime.
Our program fee reflects the actual costs of establishing and maintaining our program in Chile.
What challenges will you face as a volunteer English teacher?
New food, smiling faces, a new culture to understand and a new country to explore–volunteer teaching can be the adventure of a lifetime! But it is no ordinary job, and it comes with a unique set of challenges.
- Language and communication barriers - You have a fantastic opportunity to learn a new language. But you will likely find yourself surrounded by people with limited ability to speak English. You will have to rely on your own language skills.
- Culture - Living with a host family gives you a unique opportunity to experience the local culture. It’s a big adjustment to make, though, and requires letting go of your previous conceptions and embracing a totally new way of life.
- Teaching with limited resources - The communities that you will be volunteering in don’t have extensive resources or education materials. You will have to rely on resourcefulness and creativity to create lesson plans and communicate with your students.
Have questions? Please feel free to get in touch with us at Info@ReachToTeachRecruiting.com. We’d love to hear from you!