After-school education program for children in Yeongwol, South Korea

Volunteers are needed to support the work of a local Children Center in Yeongwol, Gangwon. The center takes care of children who are growing up in families with one parent, or grandparents. The center provide children with not only a shelter so that they are protected until their parents come back from work, but also with educational and cultural opportunities, so that they can open up a door to a new experience. Most of the children have fewer opportunities for meeting foreigners, so with the help of international volunteers, the local children can experience global awareness while volunteers can feel the warmth and kindness of a rural Korean community.

Yeongwol gun is surrounded by mountains and a long river. It is a farming and nature area. There are many working parents who don't come back home till late at night. The local youths don't have many opportunities to get involved in activities or interact with international people. This project will play an important role in bringing a taste of international culture to the local children and people. The Center was rebuilt from an old school and now it has enough facilities to care for many children after school. There is a big playground, a kitchen, classrooms and a big volunteers' room designed by a professional.

Project dates: March 27 - June 14, 2013 June 26 - August 23, 2013 September 25 - December 12, 2013

Volunteer work: Together with a Korean volunteer, the international volunteers will - Take care of children while they are in the center (assisting a hard working teacher at the center) - Prepare and run English classes (23 classes a day) Teaching English to primary school students and middle school students will be your main task. Their level of English is mostly basic except some of the middle school students. So they lack confidence and interest in English. However, they started getting interested after the first contact with international volunteers last year. If you have any special skill, you can also lead activity classes with children (music, drawing, etc.). You will work from Monday to Friday (from 2 to 9 pm mostly) with 10-30 kids (8 to 16 years old) and 1-3 teachers. Sometimes, you may be asked to join weekend activities with the kids on Saturday such as going to the cinema or to the mountains.

Free time: Feel free to visit the surrounding Gangwon area, participate in various local festivals, experience Korean mountain climbing, and visit nearby historical sites. There is a famous river named Jucheon, surrounded by mountains. If you are a nature lover, Yeongwol is the place for you!

Project requirements: • Teaching experience or interest in teaching • Ability to teach and communicate in English • Love for children • Previous volunteer experience with children (preferred but not necessary) • Interest about Korea (learning the language and culture of the local area) • Initiative, positive, out-going and open-minded personality • Age range: 19 - 40

Location: Yeongwol, Gangwon. It is 4 hours away from Seoul.

For more information, other available projects in South Korea and enrollment, please go to: www.cadip.org/volunteering-in-korea.htm

CADIP Volunteering Worldwide: www.cadip.org

Other teaching volunteer opportunities available in: Bolivia, China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Peru, Togo, Uganda, and Vietnam