Belgium
Volunteer 15 hours each week in exchange for free room and board in Belgium! Weekends are normally free to experience the culture by traveling. Conversation Corps volunteers are placed all over the country.
The programme has a focus on cultural exchange and host families are not only excited to learn English but also love to share the characteristics of their country, culture and cuisine.
Why choose Belgium? By train you will be 1 hour from Amsterdam. You will be 90 minutes from Paris. 2 hours from Cologne and from London. Each weekend you can experience a major European city and a new country. The location is perfect for people who love to travel.
Overview
The need
People with English as their first language to volunteer 15 hours a week helping your host family with Conversational English. That's it. Many Belgian families want to learn English or get better at speaking English through conversation. They are willing to provide a private room and 3 home-cooked, healthy meals each day.
The Benefits
- Travel for less. You put in a couple of hours each day literally talking, and the rest of your time is spent traveling and experiencing the Belgian culture.
- Do you want to learn French or Dutch or brush up on your language skills? If available near your placement, assistance is provided in identifying suitable language lessons.
- Exclusive materials written by us will give you "a bag of tricks". Plus your free subscription to the ESL Lounge provide many items to help you with your conversations
- Tip the advantage to you by enhancing your C.V. by volunteering with the Conversation Corps. Job: "Private Language Tutor." References: Global. It just doesn't get any better than that.
- You "meet" your family in advance through email and phone calls. Each family is interviewed and carefully screened by in-country staff.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Sharing your language with the host family for at least 15 hours a week. Your schedule can be arranged with your host family in advance or upon arrival.
- Using our teaching materials, your free subscription to the online ESL Lounge along with your creativity, provide creative, fun and informative language sessions.
- Keep your room tidy and clean and respect the host family's rules and habits.
- Manage your own personal expenses (telephone bills, clothing, entertainment and spending money)
- Be available to help the children with their English homework.
- Set up your tutoring schedule in advance, before you arrive in Belgium, with your host family. They are expecting to take the lead from you.
Programme details
Project details
- Length: 1 to 3 months in increments of 1 month.
- Locations: Cities and towns all around Belgium.
- Orientation: A formal orientation is not given. If there is a local coordinator in your area, you will be able to have an orientation by that person. Otherwise, you can call our office in Belgium for orientation and for assistance locally.
- Accommodation: Private room with the host family and 3 healthy meals a day. When you are traveling on your own, you will need to provide your own meals.
- Working hours: Up to 15 hours each week, determined by the family.
- Availability: Flexible. Actual arrival date is coordinated between you and your host family.
Requirements
- Fluent English i.e. you should have English as your first language.
- 18 years old and over.
- Good health.
- A good basic education e.g. Secondary School and above.
| Duration | Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 month | US$ 1310 |
| 2 months | US$ 1465 |
| 3 months | US$ 1610 |
If available near your placement, assistance is provided in identifying suitable language lessons. The cost of language classes is not included in your programme fee
Please note, due to fluctuations in the exchange rate, prices are given in US$.
What You Get For Your Programme Fee
- Personalised Volunteer Placement through our Partner in Belgium, including all the coordination, in-person visits and communication necessary with the local organization.
- A comfortable, safe place to live in Belgium, including three meals per day.
- An experienced U.S. based Programme Manager who will serve as your coordinator and liaison with our in-country staff in Belgium.
- In-country basic language assistance.
- Professional, locally-based staff to provide orientation, supervision and guidance throughout your stay.
- Extensive medical, accident and dental insurance along with emergency evacuation insurance.
- Important documents, including in-depth pre-departure packs, orientation information, and all in-country informational materials.
- A 24-hour free phone emergency hotline in the U.S.
- Our own text book, A Tutor's Guide--Teaching English To Families and Children.
- Premium online membership at the ESL-Lounge.
What is not included in the cost of the programme
- Flights.
- Personal spending money.
- Local transport.
- Airport transfers (Your host family may pick you up depending on your arrival day. Otherwise, we will have precise instructions on how to arrive at your host family.)
- Visa costs.
Application process
Once we receive all documents (host family letter, photos, etc.) we will need 2 full months to find a suitable family. Please allow for this in your travel plans.
Stories
Photos and Videos
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More info
Contact us
Most of the information about our programmes should be on our website. However if you wish to contact us for further information there are a range of ways you can get in touch with us:
| By post: |
EIL 287 Worcester Road Malvern Worcs WR14 1AB |
| By phone: | 01684 562577 |
| By fax: | 01684 562212 |
| By e-mail: | info@eiluk.org |
Alternatively please use the form below.
