Tibetan Teaching Programme

An opportunity to teach English to Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala, Northern India, the centre of the Tibetan exile government and the residence of H.H. Dalai Lama.
Background
Tibetans, who grow up in the rural areas of Tibet, often have no possibility to attend school. They live too far away from schools or fees for the Chinese state schools are so high that Tibetan families very often cannot afford it.  To avoid the sad fate of an uneducated person or an analphabet, every year more than 4000 young Tibetans (aged 18 to 30) cross the Himalayas to reach India on foot. They risk their lives crossing these mountains, often more than 9000 feet high.
Programme
This programme has been set up to offer a chance of further education to young Tibetan adults. The main goal is to educate Tibetan refugees in India, in order to improve their work perspectives once they are back in Tibet. Because the Tibetan Exile Government in Dharamsala had already established educational support by setting up the Tibetan Transit School (TTS) in which newly arrived refugees are educated for five years, this programme seeks to complement this educational establishment.  A school in India was therefore started, in which carefully selected TTS-students are educated further for two years in English, Computer Skills and Chinese. These three subjects were identified as key elements for professional success once the students are back in Tibet. Every two years the school carefully chooses about 20 new students via an elaborate selection procedure. The students then live and study in the school and are fully sponsored.
80% of the 60 students, who have completed their studies at the school, have returned to their native country and all of them have found employment there.  Three of them are self employed, some are English teachers, some are tourist guides, some are translators in NGOs in Tibet and some are doing Further Education in China.
Volunteer teachers needed
This programme is open to Volunteer English Teachers who will work alongside the permanent Tibetan teachers - there will usually be two to four volunteers at a time.  Tibetan adults from 18 to 25 yrs old will be taught in small groups for the preparation of KET (Key English Test), PET (Preliminary English Test), FCE (First Certificate in English) and CAE (Certificate in Advanced English).
Requirements

• English is either your mother tongue or you are very fluent in spoken and written English
• Teaching qualifications or teaching experience are preferred
• Readiness to contribute
• 2 months minimum, but 3 months or longer is better (Under certain circumstances we can accept one month, but this is uncommon.)
• Readiness to live under simple conditions
• At least 20 years old with a flexible, mature outlook 

In return, volunteers will receive an unforgettable and special experience by living amongst the students at the school, in a "big family" environment.  The students are highly motivated to learn, so you will feel how important your contribution is. 
Dates and durations for 2011:Most volunteers join for 2 months and longer.  We have places during the following months:
1 to 31 January (2 places)1 to 28 February (3 places)
1 to 31 March (3 places)
1 to 30 April (3 places)
1 to 31 May (3 places)
1 to 30 June (3 places)
1 to 31 July (3 places)
1 to 31 August (3 places)
1 to 30 September (1 place)
1 to 31 October (1 place)
1 to 30 November (no places)
1 to 31 December (1 place)
We are flexible with dates,  you don't need to start on 1st of the month.  These dates are there just as a guideline.  You can join anytime throughout the year.
Costs:You will receive accommodation and food at the school every day, and small pocket money every month.  There is a one-off application fee of £110 for those volunteers who apply and are accepted on the programme.  You can be collected from the airport when you arrive in Delhi if you wish, or you can travel directly to school yourself.
What is not covered are your flights to India, and your own personal expenditure. In addition, it is mandatory for you to take out a medical/accident insurance coverage, which is also at your own cost.
Food and lodging:
The school provides all meals and accommodation (private room) for volunteers and the school itself is set in a picturesque area by a river and a small forest. It is an ideal opportunity for anyone who would like to live amongst a small Tibetan community, teach in India or simply give something back. The school is located near the popular tourist town of McLeod Ganj, where the residence in exile of His Holiness the Dalai Lama is situated.  If interested, the students can arrange for you to attend some of the H.H. Dalai Lama's teachings during your time there.

To Apply

If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £110.  If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully.  Upon acceptance on the programme, you will receive a pre-departure package with all detailed information on the programme, suggested items to bring etc.