Mission Statement
Highlights: This project offers the chance to make a real difference to young people's lives as well to experience a completely different country, culture and language.
Another advantage for choosing this volunteer project is that it will refresh your outlook and when you return, boost your CV with life skills employers look for confidence, problem-solving, creativity and a sense of adventure. Plus you can give the local language ago. You will pick up some phrases and you never know it may encourage you to learn a whole new language!
Project Location is based in the town Causeni, 80km from Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.
Volunteer Accommodation
You will be staying with a friendly host family in Causeni or Chisinau. You'll have your own room and share Western style bathrooms amenities.
Programme Overview
Duration: 2 - 10 weeks
Programme Summary:
Make a positive contribution to young people's lives, by helping to teach English you can help to improve children's employment opportunities.
Other Moldova volunteer work
Arrival dates: every Saturday or Sunday (except school holidays)
Description
Description: Volunteering in Moldova is a great way to make a positive contribution to the local community. What is more, if you teach English in Moldova you also gain a great insight in to everyday Moldovan life and culture. You become one of the locals as well as making lots of friends with other volunteers. You do not need any specific skills or qualifications to teach English in Moldova, just enthusiasm and a desire to help to those less fortunate than you.
Volunteers can teach English in elementary, secondary schools and in an English Language Centre. In addition to classroom teaching, volunteers share resources, develop teaching materials with local teachers, and become involved in community and school-based projects.
Most of the schools were constructed in the Soviet era and appear similar to schools across the former Soviet empire. Facilities are basic with the main resources being a blackboard and a piece of chalk although increasingly schools have computers as well as video recorders.
Most volunteers work in a secondary school where students start to learn English at about ten years old. Your main focus as a volunteer is to teach conversational English. The local teachers will assist you with classroom preparation and lesson content. Moldovan students are enthusiastic to find out about life outside of Moldova as most haven't had the opportunity to travel. You will find yourself a popular addition to the local teaching staff.
There are typically thirty students in a class. Volunteers work mainly in language lessons although there maybe opportunities to help in other classes such as sports and music.
Qualifications: Requirements to volunteer:
You need to:
* Be adaptable and flexible, 17-45 years old
* Have a sense of humour
* Have good communication skills
* Be willing and able to listen
* Wish to learn as well as to give
* Be able to cope with limited resources
* Be able to adapt your skills to a different work situation
* Be culturally sensitive, accepting others and their differences without discrimination
Do I need to have teaching experience or gained a TEFL qualification?
No you do not have to have a TEFL or any teaching experience. As long as you can speak English, act in a professional manner and are friendly then you will get a long fine.
How old are the children that I will be teaching?
Children will be aged between 8 and 19 years.
Can I choose which age I teach?
It would depend on the needs of the school, but normally volunteers can choose what age they teach.
What is the average class size?
30 children
What about meals?
Your host family will provide you with 2 meals a day, breakfast and lunch or dinner (your choice). Just to give you an idea about the food prices in Moldova, it is estimated that a luxury budget per month is about £35-£40
