Overview
Volunteers joining the Teaching English Volunteer Program in Kenya assist with the teaching of different subjects in Kenyan elementary and high schools. Volunteers also work in community schools and orphanage schools to teach English, mathematics, science, geography, social sciences, history, physical education, art, and music. Please note that Kenyan school holidays are in April, August and end of November - Dec. No school teaching will be available during this period. During this period volunteers will be placed in orphanage and youth programs. In this program, volunteers teach the classes on their own or assist the current staff and teachers. Volunteering in the Teaching program would give the volunteers an invaluable work experience of working overseas on a Teaching placement.
A majority of our volunteers work in primary school placements in the suburban areas of the capital city of Nairobi. Volunteers work alongside the teachers, assist them in teaching activities or also teach a class on their own.
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Participants should have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and have a passion for working with children. You should also be proactive and have the ability to take initiative All volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report prior to joining the program. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer English teachers are a precious resource and always welcome. Usually volunteers work alongside the staff English teachers, or even lead the classes in improving the pronunciation and conversational skills. Volunteers are welcome to bring in their own ideas to the classroom as well to make it more engaging and fun to study. A typical list of tasks of volunteer working for the teaching english program in Kenya includes;
- Preparing lesson plans (if possible)
- Assisting teachers in conducting classes for children.
- Helping with general work which comes up (Reception, translations)
- Preparing tests
- Helping in improving the vocabulary of the students
- Implementation of new ideas and teaching methods (if possible)
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteering Solutions provide accommodation in Nairobi at a volunteer house. The schedule for the volunteers remains as follows;
- Sunday - Arrival at the program destination
- Monday - Orientation + introduction to the placement (commute + local staff + kids +
- places to eat, etc.). An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, covering topic areas; such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behaviour, food, and other suggestion over things to do in Kenya.
- Tuesday to Fri - Volunteer work
- Breakfast - 07:30 am onwards (provided at the accommodation)
- Leave for the project - 08:00 am
- Working hours at the placement - 09:00 to 04:00 pm
- Lunch - 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm (volunteers need to manage lunch on their own)
- Dinner - 07:30 pm onwards (provided at the accommodation)
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards
Weekends - Free to explore the city, and do activities such as;
- Visit the elephant orphanage, giraffe center, Mamba village
- Visit the local markets and buy souvenirs
- Go for a safari
- For those inclined to travel further away fro fun activities, one can go biking to Hells Gate National Park in Naivasha (1.5 hours from the accommodation), climb Mt. Longonot (1.5 hours from the accommodation), or visit Thompson Falls (3 hours from the accommodation).
- One could also go to Mombasa and experience sandy beaches
- Go hiking Mt. Kenya
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
Living
Just pack your bags and land in Nairobi and get working at your volunteering placement. The rest is for us to handle, from your airport transfers, your stay, food and weekend tours, we manage and facilitate everything for you.
Airport Transfer
You will be met by our representative at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from where you are transferred to the accommodations in Nairobi itself. Volunteers who will be already in Kenya or arriving overland would need to give us their contact details so that the pickup can be arranged from a specific location.
Accommodation
Volunteer Accommodations is provided in a volunteer house or in a homestay. The volunteer house is taken care of by localhost and has all the modern amenities available to ensure a comfortable stay for the volunteers. Some of the facilities available are showers, microwave, and refrigerator in the kitchen and a lounge area for the volunteers. Rooms in the volunteer house are typical dorm style rooms with 4-8 participants of the same gender sharing a room.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by our staff in Nairobi. Areas like culture, safety, locations, transportation are covered in the Orientation. After your orientation is over, you will be introduced to your project.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 2 meals(Breakfast and Dinner) on weekdays and three meals during the weekends. Typical meals include Ugali, Chapatti, Chai (Tea), Bread and rice with vegetables and fruits. Volunteers also purchase supplies from the supermarkets and take with them packed food cooked on own to the project.
During your Free Time
Majority of the volunteers go on safari trips on the weekends. Volunteers usually take the two days or the extended three-day safari. While in Nairobi you can explore the different places of interest in the city.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Food - 2 meals a day
- Accommodation
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Airfare
- Return Trip to Airport (Can be arranged at an extra cost)
- Local Transportation
- Visas
- Vaccinations
Program Dates
| Months | 2021 | 2022 |
| January | 0317 | 0216 |
| February | 0721 | 0620 |
| March | 0721 | 06 |
| May | 0216 | 0115 |
| June | 0620 | 0519 |
| July | 04 | 03 |
| September | 0519 | 0418 |
| October | 0317 | 0216 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
As we have limited spots available in our programs and we serve on first come first basis, it is strongly recommended to apply for the program and reserve your spot in the program well in advance. You can book your spot in the program by filling an online form and pay the application fee.
Once you complete your application, your individual 'My Account' will be active in which you will receive your placement confirmation after which you can pay the program fees. You can pay the program fees later as well in installments, but 45 days before the program starts.
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the program.
Need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Keep your expectations real and humble.
The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Participants must be in good health.
For Medical /Healthcare Program, participants must be at least 18 yrs old and be a Pre-Medical, Medical, Nursing Students or Medical Professional. Participants possessing other qualifications such as CNA, midwives are also welcome to join the program. All medical program participants need to provide a copy of their certifications/ credentials along with their passport copies.
We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care in providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
Kenya is one of our popular destination among student groups and is highly recommended for family volunteering as well.
Volunteers are picked up from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, by the in-country coordinator or representative and will be transferred to the accommodation. Those who are arriving overland or are already in Kenya? will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand.
Flights and Visa
Some of the major airlines operating in Kenya are:
Kenya Airways
British Airways
Turkish Airlines
KLM Dutch Airlines
Swiss Air
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Egypt Air
Health and Safety
Volunteers are informed about the necessary safety precautions during the Orientation session as well as in the pre-departure information guide. You will have the assistance and support of the in-country coordinator in Kenya. It is strongly recommended to follow the safety rules and regulations provided by the in-country coordinator.
All travelers are required to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow Card) to show proof of yellow fever immunization.
The recommended vaccinations are as follows:
Yellow Fever
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Accommodation and Living
Volunteers are provided two meals a day. Breakfast usually comprises of toast, tea, fruits, ?and eggs. Dinner usually comprises traditional Kenyan or Western foods.
We encourage our volunteers to travel. We have designed various weekend tours which can be booked under the ‘Add-on Tours’ section in your ‘My Account’. You in-country coordinator will also help you book and organize the tours once you are in the country.
While traveling, it is recommended to follow local etiquette and customs. Female volunteers need to wear pants and/or long skirts. Dressing in Nairobi is quite liberal. However, approach it with cultural sensitivity in mind. You will be provided with a kit list in your pre-departure? booklet. As for footwear, hiking boots, old sports shoes or open-toed sandals are recommended.
For organizing weekend excursions, the in-country coordinator will help you to book the same at the best prices.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
