If you’re considering a career in teaching or working with children, an overseas school placement is an ideal way to find out if it’s really for you.  Not only will you gain invaluable work experience (which looks great on your CV!), but you’ll also get to travel, discover other countries and cultures, meet new people, do things for yourself, as well as getting that feel good factor of doing something for others! 

Volunteering in a school overseas really helps develop your own self confidence and independence; living abroad and being responsible for others as well as yourself is quite a change from home & school life, where parents may cook & clean for you, teachers tell you where and when you need to be somewhere, and always having someone on hand to step in and help out!   

This is your opportunity to stand on your own two feet and prove you can go it alone, overcome obstacles, learn by your mistakes, take responsibility and really discover who you are and who you want to be, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions about your future. 

New Ventures Worldwide have great relationships with schools all around the world, from extremely comfortable boarding schools in the UK, Spain, and Australia etc, to less developed areas like Ghana where you live with host families and integrate into a very different way of life (get used to sleeping on mats on the floor and possibly sharing a hole in the ground for your “Sanitary” purposes!)  

Depending on what you’re after we have something for everyone: 

School Assistant

As a Schools Assistant you will become a trusted confidant, mentor, big brother or sister, tutor, and inspiration to many students, particularly boarders living a long way from family. Each school will have specific duties that will become your responsibility. These usually involve a combination of boarding house duties, providing support to teachers in the classroom and undertaking after-school activities such as sports coaching.  

Additionally, if you have skills or interests in a certain area – be it debating, painting, acting or juggling – use your initiative and find a way to share it with your students! 

We have fantastic School Assistant Placements in the UK, Spain, Vietnam, Ghana, Argentina, New Zealand, Poland and Australia.

Teaching in Developing Countries 

Education is the key to a prosperous future, however, many schools in developing countries are extremely under-funded and find it hard to attract talented, qualified staff meaning that teachers are often over-stretched and the quality of teaching is really low. 

As a volunteer Teacher you will draw upon your own educational background to fill this gap while mentoring and educating students and supporting fellow staff. At some placements you may be given sole responsibility for a classroom of children and be expected to teach the curriculum to varied age ranges and at others you’ll support the existing classroom teacher. 

Schools may call on volunteers to teach a wide variety of subjects, so you’ll need to be creative in the use of whatever resources are available!  

English Language Tutor

Attaining English language skills can open up huge opportunities for many people around the world. 

As an English Teacher that volunteers abroad you will get to teach and educate people from kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, universities and even other language institutes with people from all walks of life. 

While each country has its own approach to language learning, some will have a curriculum to follow while others will expect you to use your initiative. Varied levels, ages, class sizes and resources mean you’ll have to think on your feet and occasionally improvise, but you’ll never have a dull moment in the classroom. 

A rewarding and fulfilling role that will challenge you and bring you a wealth of satisfaction. 

How about developing your own language skills while you’re away?  Brush up your Spanish in Argentina and Spain, or even Polish in Poland!  You really do integrate with host families and the community and will be returning bi-lingual yourself! 

So, if you’re still undecided about your next step in life, maybe you need some time to step back from your own studies before you move on to the next level, why not do something worthwhile with your time and VOLUNTEER to TEACH OVERSEAS!   

By helping others learn, you may well teach yourself a thing or two!