Volunteer abroad as a language assistant

English native or native-like speakers, who are above the age of 18 and have no criminal record, can participate in the program. You need to have an interest in education, possess cross-cultural communication skills, and be genuinely interested in sharing your language and culture with young students. Being sociable, open, reliable and responsible is also a must.

To be a language assistant overseas, you should be able to communicate in your host country's language at a lower intermediate level (B1).

A minimum of 3 months' advance is required, as it can take time to complete the full process. This includes preparing an application dossier (including providing an Australian criminal history check and/or Working with Children Check), attending an interview with a WEP staff member and finalising any formalities including visa (if required) and passport. In your host country, the placement process and finalising any red tape can also take time.

Whilst you can choose which country you wish to volunteer in, you won't be able to choose a specific location within it. It will be the host school to select you as their English language assistant, based on their specific needs paired with your experience, background and interests.

Your host school will provide you with suitable accommodation, in return for your volunteer work. Whilst some boarding schools may choose to accommodate their language assistant in their boarding house or staff accommodation, many schools rely on the support of host families from the community. Regardless, you will have your own bedroom, access to shared facilities (such as bathroom, laundry, lounge area...) and you will receive three meals a day, either provided by your host family, the school canteen, or a mix of the two. Depending on availability, and especially for longer programs, you may have a change of accommodation during your stay, including two different host families sharing the hosting period (in which case the move will most likely happen halfway through your program).

As a participant, you’ll support English language learning by working alongside local teachers at an educational institution in your country of choice. Your day-to-day could include coaching language students, lesson planning, sharing Australian customs, getting involved in cultural events and more! While on occasions, you may be invited to participate in other areas of school life/other classes, you will mainly assist in English language classes. Your mission will be to bring a 'slice' of Australia into the classroom, exposing students to the English language through today's mainstream culture (with support from songs, shows, blogs, and so on). You will also spend time modelling correct pronunciation and providing personalised instruction.

Your time commitment will be approximately 18 hours per week, spread over five or six days depending on your placement school. Your timetable will be negotiated with your school coordinator and/or teachers, after your placement has been confirmed. As a general rule of thumb, participants will have the same schedule as the language teacher(s) they are shadowing. Participants may be required to assist teachers with various tasks (lesson preparation, teaching, helping students with difficulties, and so on) and may be given opportunities to provide input/contribute their own ideas for activities/class delivery.

Teacher/language assistants are there to assist local qualified language teachers and won't be expected to manage students or deliver the curriculum independently. In some situations, you may be given the opportunity to lead some activities or teach portions of a class on your own (with previous permission from the lead teacher).

Your main focus during the program should be getting involved at school and in your host community (e.g. spending some time with your host family members or newly made friends - this is how you'll get closer to the local culture and language!). However, you will also plenty of spare time to dedicate to any activities you might want to try, any study you may want to undertake, or simply to travel and discover more of your host country. Please organise any leisure activities or travel around your work schedule, and ensure to inform your host family in advance if you plan to be away for whole days at a time.

In case of difficulty, the first thing to do is to contact your coordinator on-site and inform them of the problem. If the problem persists, you should contact your host organisation and/or WEP Australia. You will also be provided with a phone number for emergencies, that is active 24/7.

Based on the program duration (1, 2 or 3 months depending on the chosen country), participants are generally able to enter their host country as a visitor, as no visa is required to volunteer through this program.

If you are planning to do any independent travelling before/after your WEP program, or to undertake any work or study periods, you will need to obtain a relevant visa (e.g. Working Holiday Visa). WEP will point you in the right direction to obtain more information, however you will be responsible for obtaining the correct visa type, depending on your own travel plans.

Participants must wait until they receive their placement information and confirmed program dates, before booking any flights. A copy of your travel itinerary must be sent to WEP, who will share it with the overseas organisation.

If you are planning to do any independent travel before or after the program, please discuss this with WEP so we can gain a better understanding of your travel dates and plans.