EIL UK - Conversation Partner

Need an excuse to dive in the Red Sea?

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:48:06 +0000

What an opportunity!

The new Conversation Partner programme - Mentoring by the Red Sea - gives you the chance to volunteer AND spend free time in the sunshine, in the Red Sea - how cool is that!

Conversation Partner to Costa Rica

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:24:08 +0000

My experience went very well – the teaching was fine and the police, the organisation I was tutoring, were appreciative of what I was doing. In Fortuna there were many, many activities, so I was never bored. Towards the end of my 3 months I did have a problem with my host family but after contacting the local agent I was quickly moved to another family for the last 10 days of my time in Costa Rica. In the scheme of things this was a minor problem and overall it was a great experience.

David, Conversation Partner to Costa Rica.

Conversation Partner

Costa Rica

Conversation Partner

volunteering

teach English

Price Reductions for Summer 2011!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 13:01:05 +0000

Many of the Conversation Corps and Conversation Partner programme prices have been reduced for Summer 2011. Have a look at the wide range of opportunities available and take advantage of this offer before it ends!

Are you thinking about volunteering at the Eco Lodge in Jordan?

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:43:19 +0000

If you are tempted by the thought of volunteering in the desert in Jordan - teaching conversational English to the local Bedouins - have a look at this link from our partner - http://briefcasetobackpack.com/2011/01/volunteering-at-feynan-ecolodge/.

If this doesn't persuade you, I don't know what will!

All you need to do is click here for more information.

Or just to see some more of the stunning scenery and surroundings - try this.

New Programme - Conversation Partner in Eco Lodge in Jordan

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:31:14 +0000

An exciting new Conversation Partner programme has been announced in an Eco Lodge in the Jordanian desert.

Fancy a challenge?

Volunteers get the opportunity to live and tutor at an Eco Lodge in the desert in Jordan for 4 - 8 weeks. You will be helping the local staff, who are mainly Bedouins, to learn conversational English, to enable them to improve their employment prospects.

The Eco Lodge is fully solar powered, with no mains electricity. The are no mobile phones or computers, but there is the Dead Sea and Petra as included excursions.

International Volunteer Day

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:39:35 +0000

Have you been or are you a volunteer, or maybe you are considering becoming a volunteer – either way it is worth noting that Sunday December 5^th is ‘International Volunteer Day’.

In the run up to International Volunteer Day 2010 you are invited to an online ‘festival’ of volunteering organised by the United Nations Volunteer programme. The ‘festival’ will provide volunteers with the opportunity to share the stories of the work they have done with the rest of the world, around the world. To get involved in this project visit http://www.unv.org/en/news-resources/news/doc/media-release-united-nations.html

‘International Volunteer Day’ was established by the United Nations in 1985, and it is a chance to recognise the contribution of volunteers, and since the turn of the century, their role in helping to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The Millennium Development Goals were established by world leaders in 2000, and 189 nations agreed that they had the resources and political will to:

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Goal 5: Improve maternal health

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

The aim is that these eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be achieved by 2015 and volunteers around the world are crucial to achieving this aim.

At this time of year when many of us are focussing on ourselves and our families, it is easy to forget that there are millions of people in the world who may have very little to celebrate, and that perhaps we could give a ‘present’ to them which could go some small way to helping their life take a turn for the better.

By volunteering abroad, or at home, you could be helping towards creating a world where human development reaches everyone, everywhere, which is the world that the United Nations envisaged when the MDGs where formulated.

Take up your invitation, take part in the festival and let December 5^th be the day you think about volunteering.

Escape plan?

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:44:30 +0000

Yesterday, after I had scraped ice off my car to get to work, I received an email from Julie who went to a family in Spain on the Conversation Corps programme. (Conversation Corps volunteers live with a family to help them improve their conversational English.) This is what Julie had to say…..

‘I thought I'd let you know that I've been getting on fine. My family has been very welcoming, and I settled in quickly. In fact, things have been going so well that I plan to stay on beyond the two months originally agreed. It's still 20C here during the day and I'm not ready to return to icy England!

I've been travelling a little at the weekends, to Burgos in northern Spain and Lisbon, and I took four weeks of intensive Spanish lessons at the start of my trip, which helped enormously. I'm still not fluent, which is part of the reason for me wanting to stay, but I'm getting better.

Thanks again for all your help during the application process. This has been a great experience and I'm very glad I came.’

Sounds a good way to spend some time in a sunnier climate to me. Fancy giving it a go?

Be a Conversation Partner in Brazil – new programme!

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:44:40 +0000

The successful Conversation Partner programme has been extended to include Brazil, where you could work with the staff at the national park and help them to improve their spoken English. Live with a host family and spend 15 hours a week ‘talking’, and the rest of the time is yours. http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner/brazil

If you don’t fancy Brazil why not try tutoring

- the local ‘tourist’ police in Costa Rica http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner/costa-rica

- tour guides in Ecuador http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner/ecuador

- street vendors in Ghana http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner/ghana

None of these? Visit http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner to see what other exciting opportunities are available on this interesting and unusual programme.

July newsletter published!

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:36:33 +0000

Read the latest news from EIL here.

New projects in Gloucester and Worcester.
2 new medical / health programmes added
American groups in the UK
Host family information

Get paid for stories from abroad

Mon, 17 May 2010 12:08:30 +0000

Are you working, volunteering or studying abroad for 10 weeks or more?

The Glimpse Correspondents Program is for talented writers and photographers with a passion for storytelling and a knack for finding truly unique stories. The program is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 36 who will be working, volunteering, or studying outside of their home country for at least 10 weeks.

Apply to receive a stipend, a professional editor, career training and guaranteed publication.

http://glimpse.org/correspondents/

Also available the Glimpse/HTH Worldwide Health Correspondent

http://glimpse.org/correspondents/specialized/

Deadline for applications July 15^th 2010

May Newsletter from EIL

Fri, 14 May 2010 11:41:48 +0000

The May Edition of the newsletter from EIL features articles about Safer Travel, Vodafone Grant, Volunteering in Morocco, Charitable donation, Chile Earthquake programme and new Medical and Helath programmes.

Read the newsletter .

If you would like to receive a copy of future newsletters from EIL, please contact us and let us know. info@eiluk.org

Donate yourself to charity with the help of a Vodafone grant

Tue, 04 May 2010 14:08:13 +0000

Vodafone World of Difference International 2010 to launch on 13 May
vodafone.co.uk/worldofdifference

Vodafone's World of Difference International 2010, delivered by the Vodafone Foundation, will be launching on 13 May and offers eight people the chance to make a difference by being paid to work for a UK registered charity overseas for one year.

Taking part involves the applicant completing an online application form at vodafone.co.uk/worldofdifference from 13 May

Safer Travel Partnership

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 10:02:07 +0000

EIL have joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 'Know Before You Go' Campaign Partnership.

The campaign was launched in 2001 to encourage people to prepare themselves for travelling to foreign destinations.

The main messages of the campaign are;

Get adequate travel insurance
Check the FCO's country travel advice
Visit your GP as soon as possible before travelling
Check your passport is in good condition and valid and that you have all the necessary visas
Make copies of important travel documents and / or store them online using a secure data storage site
Tell someone where you are going and leave emergency contact details with them
Take enough money and have access to emergency funds.

Be prepared, take care ou yourself and have a great time abroad!

Safer Travel

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:37:31 +0000

Anyone with a relative, friend, colleague or participant travelling overseas will live in fear of the phone call telling them ‘we have a problem…’ Whether it is reporting illness, injury, accident, crisis or act of God, nobody wants to receive that message. There is a short video on the Sara’s Wish Foundation website which tells stories of just some of the accidents that can happen overseas. Although this website and video are American and based on American Study Abroad students the message is still just as strong for anyone travelling in foreign countries.

The better prepared you can be when travelling abroad; the less likely you are to encounter problems. For travellers from the UK there is a wealth of information on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, and it is well worth taking a look at the traveller’s checklist too when planning your trip.

Everyone travelling abroad, whether for holiday, work, volunteering or a life changing experience, should have a good time. Make the most of the experience and most of all STAY SAFE.

Teach English abroad

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:42:19 +0000

Would you like to teach English Abroad?

EIL UK are working with GeoVisions to offer 2 programmes for individuals to travel aborad and teach conversational English - either to a family or to an organisation, and you do not even need to be a 'teacher'. You do need to have a good standard of spoken English and obviously you need to be interested in travelling and talking - but other than that....!

Have a look at Conversation Corps (living and working with a family) or Conversation Partner (tutoring staff at an organisation) to find out more information about where you could be travelling to in a couple of months!

http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-corps

http://eiluk.org/travel-abroad/conversation-partner

Welcome

Piers Meynell — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Welcome to EIL UK’s new website.

Though it’s still a little rough around the edges and there’s plenty more to be added over time we hope you’ll find it a useful way to learn about our programmes.

We’re also beginning to reach out and offer ways in which you can get involed online with EIL UK: be it writing a blog on this website while you’re volunteering in Ecuador, or helping to raise awareness of development education issues on the EIL UK Facebook page.

If you have any comments, or run into any problems with the website please let us know.