Teach in Cambodia

Volunteers are needed to work as English language teachers in a school project which provides affordable conversational English language courses for Cambodian students. The aim of this project is to raise funds to support a local Cambodian NGO working to improve the situation of rural communities throughout the country (water, sanitation, agricultural and local community projects). Students attending the classes pay a small fee, and these funds are channelled back to the NGO.

Your volunteer experience begins when we meet you on arrival, usually at Phnom Penh Airport. A 10-day relaxed orientation period will be followed by 11 weeks of teaching, including a one-week break which will generally coincide with a Cambodian festival. For the benefit of the school and the students, we accept volunteers for three months and on our specific group starting dates only. Volunteers will teach conversational English courses designed to create an informal learning environment with small groups (maximum of 14 students) and fun topics.

Project Details

2012 and 2013 Dates - 3 months:

May 30 to August 26 2012
August 29 to November 25 2012
December 5 2012 to March 3 2013
March 6 to June 2 2013
June 5 to September 1 2013
September 4 to November 31 2013

Requirements:

18 years and older
Cultural sensitivity and respect
Fluent spoken English (all nationalities welcome)

Teaching experience and/or qualifications are an advantage, but are not required. All volunteers receive two days of teaching orientation, to help them get started.

Teaching

Courses are part-time and each group of students takes a one-hour class each day from Monday to Friday for 10 weeks.
You may also teach one-to-one conversational tutoring classes, depending on the schedule.
Students range from 13 to about 40 years of age, but are typically existing secondary school and university students.
All students and teachers have books, from which to learn and teach - support and lessons plans are provided by the school and support teachers, which makes it easier for volunteers.
You will teach up to five hours per day from Monday to Friday. Most volunteers also spend time preparing their classes.
You will most likely teach from 6:00am to 8:00am, then have a break during the day before teaching two hours between 4:00pm and 8:00pm. These hours reflect that students like to study English before and after going to work or high school/university.
All students have at least a basic understanding of English, but all lack practice in speaking and listening with foreigners.

Food and Accommodation
If you choose to live in the volunteer house, you will share a bedroom with an ensuite with one other volunteer in a house with up to 14 volunteers. The volunteer house is about ten minutes walk from the school and we have bicycles to use to get around. There are fans but no air conditioning. There are no hot showers in the house. Bedrooms are lockable and secure.

All meals - breakfast, a cooked lunch and dinner (both usually rice) are prepared by our Cambodian cook. Vegetarian food is simply the standard meal served without the meat.

There is an internet connection to a desktop computer shared with your housemates at the house. You can also make reasonably priced overseas calls at an internet café which is about two minutes walk from the house.

Another option is to live and eat independently in separate accommodation - if this option would interest you, we can offer some advice, but you have to arrange this yourself. For more details, you can email: Victoria.McNeil@workingabroad.com

Safety and Security
We have friendly staff experienced in supporting international volunteers and we will ensure you are living and working in a safe and secure environment. Western advisers are available if needed.

Cost
The total cost to join this programme for 3 months is £725. This covers your rental for the full 3 months in the volunteer house, all meals (except on school holidays), in addition to the costs of house maintenance charges, all training and orientation, organised 1 week trip, plus project backup and support. In addition, some of the monies go towards the Cambodian NGO that the school is supporting to improve the welfare of rural communities in the country. If you choose to live and eat independently, then you would just have to pay the £150 deposit/application fee, and make your own food/lodging arrangements.

What is not covered:
You need to pay for your airfare, medical/accident insurance, Business (E) visa (about US$100 total), travel and personal expenses.

Visa
You need to get a Business (E) visa (not a Tourist (T) visa as they can't be extended for the required three months) on arrival using a letter provided by us. Visas are easy to get, and further information will be given after your application is confirmed.

About Cambodia
Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the northwest, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. It lies completely within the tropics, and has a coastline of 435 km and extensive mangrove stands. The dominant features of the Cambodian landscape are the large Sap (Great Lake) and the Bassac River Systems and the Mekong River, which crosses the country from North to South. The capital is Phnom Penh, located on the banks of the Mekong River. The city was once known as the ‘Pearl of Asia’. The total population of Cambodia is 15 million, with a 74% literacy rate. 90% of the population are Buddhist. During the Angkor period (9th – 14th century) Cambodia’s achievements in art, architecture, music and dance flourished and influenced many of its neighbours such as Thailand and Laos. During this time, many iconic temples were built such as Bayon and Angkor Wat. Cambodia has a wealth of traditional and international festivals. Much of the predominantly rural populace congregate in the capital to join in the celebrations and watch the fireworks displays which accompany the festivals. You can read more about Cambodia under: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cambodia or http://wikitravel.org/en/Cambodia

Interesting Feedback from Ex-Volunteers

Rod Bourke: "My time as a volunteer at the school was one of the most rewarding, enjoyable and interesting experiences of my life. I have done similar things in other parts of the world but Cambodia was by far the outstanding. It is an excellent in-ditement of the organisation that many of the volunteers do more than one semester, staying on or returning at later date. As with myself many also maintain an active association with the school even after we have volunteered.

They are a very professional group of young Cambodian... A big plus is the one of the family atmosphere that seems to be a part of the overall operation. Their Volunteer Coordinator is an excellent example of how the role should be carried out. From the time you are met at the airport to the day you depart nothing is overlooked. Social functions, travel bookings, visas, health and well being, getting clothing made etc all with a smile nothing is too much trouble. The volunteer house is well run, comfortable and far less expensive than living independently... Click here to read more....

Amy Alison: "Having quit my job, given up my flat and heading to my first third world country, I was rather nervous as I made my way to Phnom Penh for a 12 week volunteer stint. From the moment I was introduced to the school and staff however, I knew that this 12 weeks was going to be an experience I would never forget.

Rickety street carts offering delectable donuts, banana fritters and hot waffles (all washed down with a sugar cane juice of course); children bursting at the seems to spend their pocket money on crispy crickets, spiders and snake kebabs; a forever growing abundance of tuktuks, speedy motos and their happy drivers ready to transport you anywhere, anytime; manicured green spaces filled with khmer elders moving and grooving to 80’s aerobics tracks; teenage boys skilfully knocking a football around; streets and schools overflowing with children in uniform, possessing a thirst for education; colourful markets supplying every essential need on every possible corner; the aroma of fresh sweet coffee wafting out from the hundreds of Khmer owned cafes and coffee shops….Phnom Penh is alive and addictive!....My time spent in Cambodia opened my eyes to a world I had never been privy too. My time spent there gave me the opportunity to do this. Click here to read more...

To Apply

If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £150. In addition, we require you to email us a recent photo as well as your CV/resume (Victoria.McNeil@workingabroad.com) . If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully. However for those who are accepted, the final amount (£540) needs to be paid two months before departure. Once you are confirmed on the project, you will receive pre-departure information with all details on your project, when to arrive, contact details of the school, visa details, Code of Conduct document to sign etc.