Call for applications: English Teaching Volunteer in Colombia
Organization:
Nukanti Foundation
Position: English Teaching Volunteer
Worksite: Colombia, Risaralda Department
Type: Volunteer position (food, accommodation and internal travel costs will be covered)
Length of project: 13 months (includes three months of vacation in July, December and January)
Dates of project: April 1
st, 2014 – April 30
th, 2015 (shorter terms will also be considered)
Supervisor: Colombia Director
Founded in 2008, the Nukanti Foundation is an independent non-profit
organization dedicated to leveraging sports and the arts as tools for
engaging, educating, and empowering youth. Our programs offer skills
development in critical thinking, conflict resolution, problem solving,
personal wellness, cross-cultural communication, community building, and
social entrepreneurship.
The 2013 recipient of Beyond Sport’s Sport for Conflict Resolution
and a finalist for Peace and Sport’s 2013 NGO of the Year award, Nukanti
operates chapters in Brazil, Colombia, Morocco, UK, and USA. We serve
youth in communities working to address the social impacts of
long-standing conflict, poverty, and human-rights violations.
Nukanti is looking for 24 volunteers that are willing to make a
difference supporting an English education project in rural Colombia
between April 2014 and April 2015. The local government of Risaralda
will cover the costs of food, accommodation and internal work-related
travels.
In this role, the volunteers will act as representatives of the
Nukanti Foundation and the local government of Risaralda. The selected
volunteers will represent the organization, so they will be expected to
conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. The volunteers
will be expected to respect and comply with local laws and customs as
well as the Nukanti Foundation’s policies, procedures, and values at all
times and at all in-country venues.
Position Description:
The selected volunteers will have the opportunity to acquire
hands-on, on-the-ground experience in the education sector with one of
the most dynamic and impactful organizations operating today.
- The volunteers will work with students and teachers in the rural
areas of Colombia’s central Risaralda Department – assisting in classes
and after-school activities in order to improve the English language
skills of both students and local English teachers.
- The volunteers will be involved in revising English teaching curricula in cooperation with local education authorities.
- This way the volunteers will contribute to the project’s overall
objective of enhancing local youth’s prospects of higher education and
future employment in order for them to overcome typical socio-economic
restrictions of rural Colombia.
Learning Objectives:
Engaging in this project, the volunteers will receive a broad
learning experience that will enable them to develop a range of
abilities critical to working in the sectors of Education and
Development Cooperation:
- For volunteers considering a professional career in
education/teaching this position offers an excellent chance to gain
practical work experience abroad in a challenging but inspiring
environment.
- Working with an international organization like Nukanti Foundation,
the volunteers will learn how to interact in a multicultural and
multilingual context, while improving their social skills and knowledge
of foreign languages – crucial for working in non-government
organizations, nonprofits, civil society institutions, and international
positions in the public and private sectors.
- In addition, the volunteers will have the privilege of gaining an
insight into Colombia’s fascinating culture and meet the country’s
warm-hearted people.
Candidate Attributes:
- All volunteers are required to be English native speakers.
- Previous experiences in volunteer work abroad and/or education/teaching are beneficial but not necessarily required.
- Basic Spanish is beneficial but not necessarily required. It will
make it easier for the volunteers to integrate in the local community.
Living Conditions:
The Risaralda department is part of Colombia’s beautiful Coffee
Region, offering a pleasant climate and rich nature while being located
in between the country’s cultural and economic centers -- the capital of
Bogota and the second largest city of Medellin.
Colombia is working to resolve a long-standing civil conflict between
the established government and the guerrilla rebel forces known for
committing or funding extreme acts of violence. Despite this conflict,
security has improved recently: the two sides are negotiating a peace
treaty to end of violence and instability. Travel throughout the country
is most easily done by bus or plane. Since the cost of living is low by
US and European standards, it is possible to live comfortably on a low
budget.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
The selected volunteers are responsible for covering all costs associated with:
- International travel (to and from Colombia).
- Visa requirements.
- Personal medical and life insurance.
- Vacation travel and entertainment expenses.
Project Details:
For the duration of the project, the volunteers will receive:
- Accommodation with a host family.
- Coverage of the costs of food and of internal travels they have to undertake while on the job.
- The organization will not cover the costs of food, accommodation and
travels during the vacation months of July, December and January.
Application Process:
Please submit (in English) – by February 28, 2014 – your curriculum
vitae and a letter (not to exceed 750 words) explaining why you want to
be part of this project, how you can add value to it and how this will
help advance your goals in terms of professional and personal
development. Please also provide the names and contact details for at
least one non-personal reference.
Please submit these materials via email – with the subject heading
“Volunteer submission: English teacher in Colombia’s Coffee Region” to:
info@nukantifoundation.org
You can also submit questions about this opportunity to the email provided above.
