Teach English in Public Schools in Chile, Fee-Free!

The English Opens Doors Program in Chile

Project Description

The English Opens Doors Program (EODP) is supported by the Chilean Ministry of Education and the UN Development Programme. EODP works to improve English-language education throughout the Chilean public school system by providing teacher training, instructional materials, language competitions, English immersion camps, and study abroad scholarships for university students.

The National Volunteer Center of the EODP recruits native English speakers to come to Chile and work as teaching assistants in Chilean classrooms. Volunteers teach and encourage the study of English while living with Chilean host families and interacting with members of the local community. With this year, we are now up to 1,639 volunteers in our program's history.

What do volunteers do?

Volunteers teach alongside a Chilean head teacher in public schools. Volunteers are placed all throughout Chile, and work with students ranging from 5th grade (10-11 years old) to 12th grade (17-18 years old). The volunteer's main responsibilities are:

• Motivate students to learn English.
• Help students improve their speaking and listening skills.
• Share own culture with students, thus broadening their worldview.
• Spend 25 hours a week in the classroom, and another 10 hours each week leading an extracurricular activity. Each volunteer has the flexibility to determine what specific extracurricular activity they'd like to lead with their students.
• Participate in English Camps, Debates, Public Speaking and Spelling Bee competitions, and other initiatives of the English Opens Doors Program.

Each EODP volunteer is expected to:

• Act as an ambassador for their home country and for the Chilean Ministry of Education. As such, to be responsible for their personal conduct and behavior as well as their level of professionalism at all times.
• Be proactive in exercising their judgment in regards to their personal health, safety and well-being.
• Regard their students, colleagues, host family and fellow volunteers with an attitude of mutual learning, cooperation and respect.

Applicants must:

• Be a native or near-native English speaker.
• Have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited university and be between 21 and 35 years old.
• Be mentally and physically capable of teaching children.
• Have experience living or travelling in another country.
• Have an interest in Chilean culture and living in a developing country.
• Be highly committed, responsible, and flexible.
• Have access to sufficient funds in order to cover personal expenditures throughout the duration of the program.

Volunteers receive:

• TEFL training
• Spanish course online
• A program completion bonus of CLP 60,000 (approximately $120) per month served.
• Accommodations and meals with a host family.
• Health insurance (in-country)
• Pre-departure information and support.
• Airport transfers to designated accommodations upon arrival for volunteers who arrive on official program start dates.
• Assistance obtaining a Chilean I.D. card.
• Round-trip transportation from Santiago to the regional placement site.

Important: EODP does not charge volunteers a fee for participation.

Additional Information

We are currently looking for qualified individuals who might be interested in coming to Chile to participate in one of our Volunteer Service Initiatives in 2013. For more information about this volunteer opportunity, please visit our website atwww.centrodevoluntarios.cl.

Feel free to contact us at voluntarios@mineduc.cl should you have any questions. We sincerely appreciate your time, consideration, and support.

We are currently recruiting for the following program dates:

Six Month Service (SMS) June 3, 2013 - November 30, 2013 -- Application deadline February 11, 2013

Volunteer Service 4 (VS4) June 17, 2012 - November 30, 2013 -- Application deadline February 25, 2013

Volunteer Service 5 (VS5) July 29, 2013 - November 30, 2013 -- Application deadline March 25, 2013

Location

Chile

Contact

Website: www.centrodevoluntarios.cl

Email: voluntarios@mineduc.cl