Tutor Children of Immigrants to Minnesota!

  United States

Midwest

Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: year round

Description: Tutor child and adult learners in the Heartland! This refugee assistance program focuses on the needs of three increasingly diverse rural communities that have become microcosms of the world at large: Austin, Pelican Rapids, and Worthington, Minnesota. These small communities have experienced an explosive growth of immigrant populations over the last decade, which has created new challenges for what were previously towns of almost exclusively European ancestry. Tax-deductible service program fee $595-$795 for one week.

Pelican Rapids, MN: Under the direction of the school district, Global Volunteers conducts a weeklong nglish language "summer camp" in August where refugee kids read, write and speak English so they are a step ahead when they go back to school in September. This is an enjoyable and fun-filled week of games, stories, contests, and arts and crafts -- all in English.

Worthington, MN: Today more than 25 different languages and dialects are spoken among the students of the Worthington school district. Volunteers work side-by-side with Worthington educators and residents who provide conversational English practice for immigrant children and their families.

Austin, MN: Volunteers teach day or evening conversational English classes to adults of all ages at the local community college. Under the direction of community leaders, we also conduct an August English language "summer camp" where elementary students sharpen their English skills before returning to school in the fall.

Highlights: By teaching conversational English and nurturing warm, fun-loving children, you can help enhance immigrant students' and adults' ability to speak the English language.When children of immigrants and refugees learn English, their classroom performance as well as their future educational opportunities and employment prospects improve dramatically. Further, they and their families can better communicate effectively with their neighbors, easing their integration into the community. All this contributes to greater understanding, and results in the barriers of distrust, discrimination, and misunderstanding crumbling.

Even if you've never formally taught in a classroom, you can be a valuable resource to eager young students and adult learners. All that's required is a flexible attitude and a desire to serve!

Qualifications: Everyone can provide an important service, even if you have no formal teaching experience. This volunteer opportunity is open to any English speaker who enjoys working with children and has a special interest in helping refugee families. If you are open-minded, culturally curious, and enthusiastic, you are an important resource to these communities. Volunteers must be willing to serve as a member of a team and take direction from local leaders.

Cost in US$: $595 - $795

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: USA volunteers are culturally curious and open-minded people looking to contribute to a community development project and to improve their understanding of different ways of life, and the social struggles in developing communities. They are all ages, from various ethnic backgrounds, and of all different professions, such as educators, students, laborers, medical professionals, full-time parents, computer professionals, artists, lawyers and the like.

Age Range: minor with parent through age 90

This Program is open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to United States Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 15

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Global Volunteers's Mission Statement: "Adventures in Service". Founded to help advance peace, racial reconciliation, and mutual international understanding between peoples of diverse cultures through short-term volunteer service on long-term community development programs. We maintain partnerships with local leaders and indigenous host organizations worldwide and mobilize up to 300 teams of volunteers annually to work alongside local people on work projects central to their advancement. We also raise funds to support our international and domestic partners and to provide child sponsorships for educational, social and medical assistance. Global Volunteers is in special consultative status with the United Nations.

Year Founded: 1984