WIREDGOV

To ensure thousands of children across many of the developing countries VSO work in have access to quality education, VSO needs qualified primary school teachers with at least two years’ experience, to volunteer their time and expertise in countries such as Malawi, Nepal and Nigeria. By sharing skills with local teachers, VSO volunteers will ensure the continued provision of quality child-centred education.

Primary school teachers who apply in time for the May deadline could be on placement by September, providing invaluable in-service teacher training. Good quality teacher training ensures a sustainable legacy left by volunteers for these hard hit communities. Volunteers will work with a cluster of schools and serving teachers, most of whom will have had minimal teacher training. Volunteers are expected to observe teachers, run workshops, help teachers develop educational materials using local resources and in general focus on helping teachers use participatory, child-centred teaching methods to meet basic educational needs.

VSO also relies on a diverse wealth of knowledge and experience from senior educationalists and school leaders, with many rewarding roles for senior management now available. This very experience led volunteers Deb Jordan and David Spinney to develop the Higher Diploma Programme to improve the skills of all teacher trainers in Ethiopia; a country where 47% of children don’t go to school. Six years on, around 3,500 teacher trainers have undertaken the programme to the ultimate benefit of over one million children, all because of two VSO volunteers.

This key experience in both primary and educational management can lead to rewarding and lasting relationships with local education colleagues and allow volunteers to see first hand the impact of their placement and time overseas.

VSO’s education volunteers are committed to supporting 2000’s Millennium Development Goal that all children of primary school age should have access to quality education by 2015.

VSO provides volunteers with flights, accommodation, and an allowance to cover basic costs. UK public sector professionals volunteering for between six months and two years are entitled to claim pension contributions providing they return to the public sector for a minimum of six months on their return to the UK.

Editor's notes

• VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. Since 1958 over 42, 000 volunteers have worked in over 120 countries. Today there are over 1600 international volunteers working in 44 countries around the world.
• VSO is currently recruiting primary school teachers for: Cameroon, China, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Thailand. For placements in Cameroon and Rwanda, volunteers will be required to speak French.
• VSO recruits volunteers from a wide range of professional backgrounds. The strongest need is for experienced managers, professionals with experience of working in primary education, and doctors and midwives. VSO can use financial professionals where they have strong planning or management expertise. VSO needs to raise £10million each year in the UK in order to continue its vital work: working through volunteers to fight poverty in some of the world's poorest communities.
• For further information please contact Rachel Trayner at VSO on rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk or 020 8780 7265. Out of hours call 07500 918478.
• The Press Office can also provide:
  • Interviews with serving and former VSO primary education volunteers.
  • Interviews with VSO staff members who can provide information on VSO, and insight into the role of volunteering in international development.
  • Recent photos and footage of VSO volunteers in action.