English teaching intern

location
4 - 8 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Express your creativity and feel free to find new ways of conveying educational material
  • Make use of your English skills and develop them even further
  • Explore the malawian way of living and discover new places all around Malawi
  • Experience a life changing cultural journey to Africa. Share this unique experience with people from around the world as passionate about their work as you are
  • Educate the youth in the English language and convey its importance.


Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups

About the program

Experience the rural Malawian way of life and it's laid back, friendly atmosphere while teaching children!

We offer placements among all classes of the Malawian education system, these are:
  • Primary School
  • Junior High School
  • Secondary School
Most volunteers will take placements in Primary and Junior High Schools which are based together therefore adding an extra level of flexibility to meet everyones needs. ..

About the program

We offer placements among all classes of the Malawian education system, these are:
  • Primary School
  • Junior High School
  • Secondary School
Most volunteers will take placements in Primary and Junior High Schools which are based together therefore adding an extra level of flexibility to meet everyones needs. Secondary is usually reserved for qualified individuals as once students have completed this level they are university ready.

Within the schools the basic subjects are taught regularly such as English, Maths, Science, Local Language, Religious, Sports & Moral Education. Computing is taught with the best will however usually this is from a text book as most schools don't have access to a computer or laptop. Creative arts and music again are absolutely adored by the children however due to lack of materials these are mostly read and taught from textbooks.

Why This Placement?
Schools in Malawi not only need your help to cope with the growing size of classes, lack of a 'subsitute' teacher process but also to bring a fresh approach to lessons which are traditionally very dictation focused. Practicals are not experienced until secondary school and throughout primary schools there is a distinct lack of supplies especially for anything creative arts focused which is adored by the children.
We aim to improve the standard of education in our area by not only providing additional resources of staffing to seriously understaffed and deprived communities, introduction of new and fresh ideas to lessons and their planning but also supplying additional learning materials and books otherwise unavailable.

You should not come expecting for the school to be at a stand still until a volunteer arrives, we are here to enhance and assist not to replace teaching staff. Education is an important factor of Malawian life where families circumstances allow them to pursue this so more often than not teachers will be present in their classrooms. Volunteers usually agree to a mix of teaching various classes with their teachers or headmaster. 

When you are not directly teaching or if this is not where you wish to help, you can be focusing as a teaching assistant/support role helping children that are struggling to keep up and on a one on one basis. The teaching style in our rural area is often dictation focused so it's easy for children that struggle with english to be left behind.

How Do I Get To The Placement?
Budget an additional 2 to 3 USD per day for transport costs.
We work with a number of schools within the local community and slightly further out.
Volunteers will usually take taxis back and forth to their placement site. It is very easy to take shared taxis in town and they are very reasonably priced. Most of our schools will require volunteers to pay transport between 2 and 3 USD a day. The more remote village schools are usually located down tracks and therefore cost a little bit more to reach. Our team will be able to assist volunteers group together for transport and where to find taxis etc. Volunteers are usually able to head off into the town after school easily to shop for food supplies, grab a cold drink or meet up with friends before heading home and the ease of taxis offer a really flexible experience for the volunteers.

What Will I Be Doing?
Depending on the school that you select after your introduction and what you will feel comfortable with, you may be paired up with a teacher to primarily start supporting as a teaching assistant or you may be given a class yourself depending on your experience and confidence. Although the thought of your own class may seem overwhelming at first, the sheer enthusiasm and eagerness to learn of children will be a strong push to spur you on the way. Where you feel that your teacher is a 'really good example' and you don't think you can bring anything to help, this is simply not the case. As we're sure you're aware even in developed countries there are teaching assistants and learning support departments to be able to offer an extra hand to those children that struggle especially in Ghana where it can be extremely difficuly for children to learn advanced topics in English which is their second language and a lot of them are not comfortable in using it constantly.

For the younger children basic reading, writing and creative arts lessons are usually required whereas for the older children we advise not only developing the previous skills but breathing new ideas and life into their textbooks. We have a wide range of teaching books and lesson plans within the store room of the volunteer house and we advise volunteers to make use of their free evening and weekend time to plan the following days lessons. 

A good example we seen so far Mercy Mkandawire is 14 years old, she has never been at any school, efforts have/were been made to enrol her at Chibanja primary but the school infrastructures are not disability friendly. 

She joined our classes and she happens to be the most improved learner with passion to learn. 
Support the initiative we have the passion but without resources.
Bravo to our volunteer teachers for the good work.

Who Will I Be Working With?
If the number permits we aim to group volunteers together at a particular school or project. You will work closely with a teacher and report to the Headteacher should you have any issues. A member of our team will also spend a portion of their day at the project to assist in anyway and offer any guidance should it be needed. Most volunteers strike up a strong bond with the teachers and are treat as another member of staff as if you were always there. It is not uncommon to be invited round their homes for dinner at an early stage as a way of saying thank you.

What Do We Expect From The Volunteers?
A teaching qualification or experience is not compulsory for this placement, your level of experience and confidence will gauge what level of students would best suit and will be discussed between the team and yourself on your first day introduction. The greatest traits of a volunteer are enthusiasm, empathetic and the ability to adjust to alternative cultures. You will get the most of our your trip by opening your mind to new experiences and beliefs whilst also bringing your own to the table.

We expect volunteers to visit their placements Monday - Friday, exceptions can be made for long weekends of travel etc but we hope for the children and yourselves to get the most of your placement this is kept to a minimum.

What Can You Expect From Us?
We will be on hand any time of any day to support you in your placement and trip as a whole. There will always be someone you can speak to or get a hold of should you want to discuss anything or require any guidance, from organising after school clubs to changing your placement. Our team living in the volunteer house will also be able to offer advice regarding travel plans and the local area so you will soon feel at home.

What Should I Bring?
Regarding your placement we advise bringing plenty of school materials, arts & crafts items and some ideas from teaching resource websites. These will prove invaluable throughout your placement as there is a lack of materials able to purchase in the local area. Basic pens, pencils and cheap paper are available as well as moderate priced photocopying should you wish to bring activity sheets.

What Happens During School Holidays?
During school holidays if a volunteers placement falls within these dates then we will organise a holiday school. Usually in a remote village where the children are more than willing to join in, these days usually are more focused to arts and sports from lunchtime onwards.

The school holidays usually fall three times a year; few weeks around easter, few weeks around August and a few weeks during December.






Typical day

  • 07:30am - Volunteer transport leaves the volunteer house to project sites
  • 08:00am - School starts
  • 10:30am - 11:00am - Morning Break
  • 12:30pm - 01:00pm - Lunch Break
  • 03:00pm - School closes
  • 03:30pm - Return to volunteer house
  • 03:30pm onwards - Free time
  • Please note this an example of a schedule. Times vary ...

Typical day

  • 07:30am - Volunteer transport leaves the volunteer house to project sites
  • 08:00am - School starts
  • 10:30am - 11:00am - Morning Break
  • 12:30pm - 01:00pm - Lunch Break
  • 03:00pm - School closes
  • 03:30pm - Return to volunteer house
  • 03:30pm onwards - Free time
  • Please note this an example of a schedule. Times vary on different schools and term time. After school, volunteers are free to go shopping in the local markets, return to the volunteer house or visit the local swimming pools.


Free-time activities

Karonga is located close to the northern shores of the lake, where you can go swimming, kayaking, and relax in your free time. You can also go on a cruise on the lake. We have a museum in town that shows some findings of prehistoric humans, a dinosaur and information about Malawian history and ...

Free-time activities

Karonga is located close to the northern shores of the lake, where you can go swimming, kayaking, and relax in your free time. You can also go on a cruise on the lake. We have a museum in town that shows some findings of prehistoric humans, a dinosaur and information about Malawian history and culture. For those who wish to explore another part of Malawi, you can visit Livingstonia, and go hiking in the beautiful scenery of the Nyika Plateau. You can visit different mines in the area if you are interested in mining. It is also possible to travel to Nkhata Bay for a weekend and go scuba diving in the lake there. The Vwaza Wildlife Reserve and National Park are both easily accessible from Rumphi - wildlife viewing can be done from a game viewing vehicle or on a bushwalk for the more adventurous.

Alternatively, you can stay in Karonga where you can experience village life and culture, enjoy Malawian music, dance and learn some traditional cooking. Volunteers must arrange extra activities themselves and cover the cost of travel, food and accommodation.

Also, if volunteers are interested we can go for a photo trip around and you will always find something new and different to explore.
Volunteers can fill their free time by watching TV ,reading a book, going for swimming , doing exercises at a local gym.


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Education Requirements

Math, English, science and sports at University or High school level

Criminal Background Check

required

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

Relevant work experience

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 15:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Helping Your Community Forum

The Helping Your Community Forum (HYCF) fees are calculated as follows.

A one time application fee which includes , Pre-departure support, Preparation, handbooks, Orientation day and Project support

Program fees to stay at HYCF House (including Break fast, Lunch and dinner) from Monday to Friday

Important Note; To keep it transparent we do not add any donation to our program fees (which are entirely used for your preparation , Supervision and Accommodation) but encourage you to raise some funds among your family and friends prior to your arrival or once you have arrived in Malawi. Any small or big amount is highly appreciated and you are entirely free to decide on how you want to utilize your donation within the project. By doing so you will see how much of a difference donations can make and  its a great feeling to see this first hand. We understand volunteering as a holistic approach of helping each other and learning from one another and while you will do amazing daily work as a volunteer we want you to also understand that no project can entirely survive if it was  not for financial support as well.

Airport Pickup at Lilongwe International Airport

We can arrange for one of our partnered drivers to collect you from the airport and bring you directly to the volunteer house although fuel, airport parking and toll fees must be covered by yourself - payable in US dollars on the day.


After you have booked and confirmed your placement, please book your flights to arrive at either Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.


Accommodation

Volunteers will be hosted by the Chief Executive Officer in their family home. This is a great opportunity to experience the unique culture of Malawi and to interact and make friends with a local family. You will have your own room and private space for sleeping or relaxing, the house is self contained with single bed,. we will do our best to ensure that you are comfortable and well looked after during your stay.

We have a house with 5 rooms its a fenced house and  security is tight, we have dogs, Nice vegetation,Easy access to town. We stay near the lake Malawi.Good comfortable rooms, We provide good meals.

Please let us know if you have any dietary requirement before arriving. Vegetarian, Vegan and other diets can be catered for. If volunteers require any other  snacks beside the three main meals these can easily be purchased in the local market.

There is also a kitchen with fridge for our Volunteers, an oven, bathrooms, a common room equipped with comfortable sofas, numerous tables and benches out side.

Food & Beverages

Food(Break fast, Lunch and Dinner) is prepared by the family from Monday to Sunday at the HYCF house. The break fast includes tea/coffee, white bread, Chips, Rice, Porridge, and cake for break fast. For lunch and dinner we generraly eat rice or Nsima (a local dish made from maze flour) with some vegetables, beans, meat or fish. Some times fruits or salad will also be served. This is a staple food and hope you will learn to love it!!!

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Lilongwe International Airport (LLW) in Lilongwe. We assist you to find cheap flights to Malawi. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Malawi provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Malawi you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Malawi. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

Volunteers start to work after one or two days upon arrival. We first give time to volunteers to relax after a long flight we understand they get extremely tired.

Details on arrival.
I come and welcome volunteers at the Lilongwe International Airport. From Lilongwe we can get a bus to Karonga, which is usually an overnight journey. 

If coming from Tanzania, you will need to cross the border and take either a bus or local shared car to Karonga. One of HYCF members can meet you at the bus station or we can provide you with the location of our office where you can meet us upon arrival in Karonga.We are always available via phone and Whatsapp for any queries.

The following day we begin orientation meeting and planning ahead.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 547€
8 weeks (max. stay) 1,094€
Average fees 136€/week

Program fees

136€ per week 4 - 8 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 8 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Helping Your Community Forum during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Helping Your Community Forum

Excellent 4.8 rating (32 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2019

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

David

Spoken languages: English

About the project

The project is assisting women, children and youth in most vulnerable situations.

Meet your organization

WHO WE ARE

Volunteer in Malawi with HYCF– a local organization that works with international volunteers with programs based in karonga & Mzuzu HYCF provides safe, trusted and affordable programs, with a range of volunteer projects in Malawi , including Childcare • English Teaching & Medical opportunities and also Law & Legal internships.


Our projects in Malawi run across the year and participants can join us from 2-24 weeks. Volunteers in Malawi are provided with an extensive pre-departure support service, airport pick-up, orientation, breakfast and dinner, accommodation and local support.

We strive to work with communities to foster change and through the generosity of donors and our wonderful team of volunteers, we are doing just that!

To achieve a sustainable community development in Karonga, Malawi, Helping Your Community Forum is working in five thematic areas:

1) Women and Youth Empowerment:

Training in income generation activities and encouragement to take part in decision making processes. Sexual and reproductive health Rights 

In order to contribute to the girl’s empowerment, the organization chose to focus on education. Many girls are not informed on how to handle their monthly period properly and miss school because they feel uncomfortable. Or they drop out after getting pregnant. This leaves them with a worse education than the male students are able to receive, limiting their future prospects. To avoid that, the organization takes responsibility by implementing sex education courses in secondary schools to raise awareness and provide accurate information to the students

2) Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Tree planting activities, promotion and construction of improved firewood cooking stoves, briquette fabrication from rice husks, promotion of organic farming techniques and raising awareness about environmental issues.

3) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Training of villagers in hygienic issues, waste collection activities, facilitation of the construction of public toilets and awareness raising about the importance of a clean and hygienic environment.

4) HIV/AIDS and nutrition: 

Training and awareness raising on HIV/AIDS prevention and the importance of healthy nutrition.

5) Good Governance and Education:

Facilitation of access to schools for underprivileged girls and boys, managing pen-pal schemes to improve communication, cultural awareness and language skills. Also improving the transparency of governmental activities for the local communities.

VISION

Our Organization's vision is to achieve a society that is at least 75% free of social and climate problems through a sustainable environment, social, and education by 2030.
                                 
MISSION
Our Organization's main mission is to bridge the gap in inequalities and address the vulnerability in the underserved communities of Malawi.

We try to empower women and girls, and men and boys through capacity building, tackling gender discrimination and violence, and supporting more equitable economic and social opportunities for the marginalized people.

OUR TEAM
HYCF consists of a team of eight HYCF secretaries, many having a background of community development and project management studies, as well as 20 women organized in a women’s group and 17 youngsters organized in a youth group which was set up in mid 2020. All of them are working on volunteer basis. Since early 2019 HYCF has hosted 22 international volunteers that were supporting in the field and brought new ideas in from which nine volunteers are still assisting HYCF through advices, providing of networks and processing of ongoing projects.
                 
HOW WE WORK 

At Helping You Community Forum(HYCF), we take a collaborative approach to our work and believe that those who live in the area are best able to assess needs and create solutions for the community.

We do not impose what we think should be solutions from the top-down, but rather work with community members from the ground up.

Our commitment to collaboration allows us to maximize impact and assist in the development of Karonga in a responsible and positive way.

All our projects have community ownership, which is demonstrated in two ways:

First, communities are enlisted to identify their needs and solutions, which becomes the basis of our work. We participate in the regular village needs assessment meetings attended by Village Headmen (chiefs), local village development committees, women’s groups, civil society leaders, and other community members. It is from these meetings that the concept, planning, and implementation stages of any of our projects begin. Furthermore, all work is vetted by community stakeholders. 

Second, communities contribute to the running of each project. Our approach emphasizes the personal responsibility and accountability of all partners involved.

This grassroots model for development utilizes local knowledge and ensures that we work in collaboration with traditional leaders and other like-minded players respecting cultural values and traditions. This process is assisted by the community liaison officer, who ensures that we stay fully engaged with everything taking place in the villages and vice versa.

We have expanded our programming, but maintain our focus on a relatively small geographic area of Mwenilondo in Karonga, Malawi. Remaining a local organization has a number of benefits. We have developed a strong rapport with stakeholders in the area, which helps us to run our many projects effectively. Working on the ground also allows us to have close and ongoing monitoring of all projects, and we pride ourselves on being able to adapt projects where necessary and learn through evaluation. This approach also ensures that all money donated is used in the most cost-effective way, as we have minimal overhead costs.

As a development organization, it is important to us that our initiatives are in-line with those of broader development strategies, both in the national and international context. These strategies include the Karonga District Development Plan, Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III, and the United Nation’s Standard Development Goals. Each of these strategies includes specific actions for women and girls empowerment. By aligning our programs with the initiatives in these development strategies, we ensure that our programs are following the best fit for the development of Malawi.
 

32 reviews · rating4.8

Roberta Nardin rating5

2024 at English teaching intern

I did this volunteer experience with a friend. We arrived to Malawi with high expectations about the experience and we are glad to say that all our expectations were met and achieved. We were able to understand and immerse ourselves in the local culture and with the local people. The hostage house ...
Jacob Sadler rating5

2024 at Law & Advocate Intern

My name is Jacob, and I had the privilege of volunteering as a law intern with HYCF in Malawi. The experience was nothing short of amazing, both in terms of professional growth and personal enrichment. Working with HYCF allowed me to gain invaluable insights into legal practices in Malawi while ...
Mickeness Bandaah rating5

2024 at Law & Advocate Intern

A Rewarding Law & Advocacy Internship in Malawi with HYCF. I recently completed a law and advocacy internship with Helping Your Community Forum (HYCF) in Mzuzu, Malawi, and it was an incredible experience that exceeded my expectations. From the moment I arrived at Lilongwe Airport, I was warmly ...
David Namagowa rating5

2024 at Law & Advocate Intern

I had the privilege of volunteering in Mzuzu, Malawi through the Helping Your Community Forum (HYCF) and it was an incredible experience! I was warmly welcomed by David, the CEO of HYCF, who not only showed me around Malawi but also introduced me to the local culture and community. David's ...
Calora Albore rating5

2024 at Social Impact Intern

Breaking Barriers: Loans for Women with HIV in Malawi. My time in Malawi with HYCF was incredible. Coming from Argentina, I was eager to make a real difference, and I was able to do just that by raising funds and helping implement a project with workshops alongside this amazing local NGO. It was a ...
Philip Petit rating5

2023 at Photography intern

I recently had the privilege of volunteering as a photographer with Helping Your Community Forum (Hycf) in Malawi, and it was an experience that will stay with me forever. From the moment I arrived at Lilongwe Airport, I was warmly welcomed by David, who hosted me throughout my stay. The drive to ...

Location

Africa > Eastern Africa > Malawi > Karonga

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