Describe your services briefly.

Volunteachthailand is a Thailand-based agency which places volunteer teachers and workers at schools and institutions in 12 cities throughout Thailand.  Established in 2008, it has been the placement operator for large agencies based in the UK and Germany. But its main focus is supplying low-cost, high-quality services directly to university students and independent travelers.  Its $US 159 all inclusive program has been refined to provide optimal support and volunteer orientation at the lowest possible cost. 

Why should people have to pay for the right to volunteer? 

They shouldn't.  There are many fine free placements.  If you have the time and resources to check them out, they are the ideal option.  The key questions are:  will it be in an area that supports the kind of touring and sightseeing you want?  And do they have native English staff to orient you to teaching in Thai schools?

If not free placements, then what's the next best option?

In Thailand, schools in the public system are not permitted to charge fees to volunteer teachers.  In theory, you could walk in off the street and find a place to teach.  But in practise, most schools prefer to have the qualifications of volunteers screened by third party agencies.  They also prefer to have these third party agencies provide teaching/cultural orientation to arriving volunteers and to provide support services to them during their placement. 

 

In short, what you need is a local facilitator.  Someone to set you up at the best schools in the best locations.  Only an agency with a good track record of screening volunteers and supporting their placements, can attract the best schools as partners.

 

Your fees are low compared to some other firms.  What are they providing that you are not?

We believe, very little.  Many firms operating out of Thailand are actually based in Europe and America.  Their head offices are actually centers of their marketing activities.  As such, they have high salaries and rent.  These high operating costs are reflected in their fees.

 

Why do Thai students need to improve their English? 

Thailand is a country of 65 million inhabitants with about 10 million students attending primary and secondary schools.   English has been a core compulsory subject since 1997.  Despite this, and despite the best efforts of government, most students, regardless of age, struggle with spoken English.  Their problems have been well researched and documented by local and independent authorities.  Thai students rank near the bottom in conversational ability compared to their Asian counterparts.  A recent worldwide study, in fact, ranked Thailand 42 out of 44 countries tested. Without improvements in English ability, Thailand’s workforce will be severely disadvantaged in the advancement of the global economy. 

What's your biggest concern as a volunteer agency?

Thai students, particularly those in rural areas, are in a race against the clock.  The boat called the global economy is leaving the dock and there's a good chance the Thai workforce won't be on it.  There aren't enough native English teachers to go around.  Many volunteer agencies worsen the supply of volunteer teachers by charging fees that are beyond the reach of university students and those on a budget.  Many firms charge $500 or more for a typical two week placement.  Hard to justify in a country where a teacher with 15 years experience may earn $300 a month on which she supports her entire family. 

 

What is the time commitment for volunteer teaching?

It varies from school to school at the discretion of its Director.  Some programs require commitments of two months or more.  Volunteachthailand offers programs with a minimal commitment of 2 weeks.

 

If I came to teach what would my school look like?

Most volunteers come to teach in small schools in rural Thailand.  Those schools will typically have 100 to 150 students, ages 5 to 13, who attend Pathom (elementary) 1 to 6.  The local community might have a population of 3 to 10,000.  Large cities such as Bangkok with its 9 million residents don’t need volunteer teachers.  Big schools with big budgets cannot afford to hire full time foreign teachers.

 

Rural schools represent the ideal volunteer teaching situation.  Because the schools are small, volunteers have an opportunity to teach all levels from P1 to P6.  They are able to create closer relationships with individual students, their families and local residents.  And because most rural schools will never be able to afford full-time native English teachers, volunteers are valued by everyone in the local community.  Volunteers are welcomed into the villages in a way not possible in larger communities.

 

Where would I live?

In most cases, volunteers stay at accommodation provided by the school.  Basic, by western standards but without hot showers and often without western style plumbing.  Schools have their own cooking staff.  So volunteers are invited to dine with students and staff during the teaching week.  The provision of accommodation varies from program to program.  In ours, volunteers stay for a free, on-site, at a dedicated teachers' residence.  

 

Are meals included?

It varies from program to program.  In ours, lunch is provided by the school, free of charge, during the teaching week.

 

What would my teaching day be like?

Volunteer teachers supplement the English classes taught by Thai teachers.  Many Thai schools welcome volunteers for short periods of two or three weeks.  Some schools, though, insist on commitments of six months or more.  The role of volunteer teachers is left to the school Director of that particular school. 

 

Volunteers typically teach 4, one hour classes per day, five days a week.  The teaching culture here requires volunteers to wear business attire (as opposed to casual clothing) in the classroom and to consume alcohol and tobacco in minimal amounts during the teaching week. 

 

What are the fees charged by volunteer teaching agencies?

Charging fees to volunteers in government schools is not allowed.  And because Thai schools are well equipped, including computer equipment, donations are not solicited nor expected.  So any fees charged to volunteers is from the placement agency itself.  There is a wide range of volunteer placement agencies operating in Thailand. 

 

At one end are the free placements which in principle are the ideal situation.  However, most provide only a single choice of location.  And many are not staffed with native English teachers who can orient the volunteer to teaching to Thai students.

 

At the other end are the large, corporate placement agencies based in the west.  Most provide placements in many countries in addition to Thailand.  A survey of the sites ranked highest on the search engine Google shows that the majority are headquartered in Europe and the U. S.  Most of these firms charge fees in excess of $US 500 for a two week placement.  These fees reflect the high operating costs of maintaining large marketing operations in their home countries.  It is estimated that the majority of volunteer fees collected by these international operations is not used for support services in Thailand.

 

In between are the lower cost, locally based organizations.  Many of these provide several choices in location.  They emphasize teaching and cultural orientation delivered by native English staff who have teaching experience in Thailand. 

Volunteachthailand is one of these lower-cost, locally based organizations.

 

Please provide details or your program

VolunteachThailand maintains a network of more than 12 partner schools thoughout Thailand.  These schools have been hand selected from a long list of applicants.  About one in 10 schools reviewed are accepted.  All have been members for several years.  In that partnership we agree to screen applicants and to provide qualified volunteers.  In return the partner schools agree to provide accommodation and lunch for the volunteer during the teaching week.  They also provide to support our volunteers according to specific written criteria.

 

We will make all arrangements for you to volunteer as a teacher or construction worker at one of more than 12 partner schools in our network throughout Thailand.  Prior to volunteering you will receive a face to face orientation on teaching and cultural requirements.  During your placement you will receive 24/7 telephone and email support.

You will stay for free at a dedicated teachers' residence on site at the school  You will receive lunch during the teaching week prepared by school staff.  And we will support you 24/7 by phone, email or, in some loctions, in person. 

 

What is it that you believe distinguishes your organization from other agencies?

Our placement co-ordinator was born in Thailand but spent half of her life in the west.  So she understands both the demands and expectations of both cultures.  This is important because our role is to act as facilitators between the needs of the schools and the needs and expectations of volunteers.  She interviews the staff of schools to satisfy herself that they will do the best for our volunteers.  It is not enough just to want volunteers.  Schools must demonstrate their full support for the program 24/7.

 

Secondly, the staff member responsible for teacher orientation is a westerner who has taught at all levels of the Thai system from primary through to post graduate university.  As head of English at a Bangkok college, he was responsible for student intake and the assessment of English ability.

His experience has led him to an effective strategy to teach basic English in programs as short as two weeks. 

 

When I arrive in Thailand, how do I get to my placement?

You have a choice.  If you arrive before noon local time, you can make your own way to the placement, usually by bus.  We will provide detailed instructions.  Or, at your option, we will meet your flight and bring you to the volunteer house in Bangkok.  There you can stay overnight and we’ll assist you in getting to your placement the next day.  The fee for the airport pickup/overnight stay is 1500 THB ($US30).

 

What’s a reasonable budget to live on while I’m teaching?

If accommodation and lunch are provided (such as in our program), 100 THB per day should be ample.  That’s about $US 3.  Weekend touring, of course, would be extra.  Know that transportation is reasonably priced in Thailand.  First class busfare from the extreme north to the south would be about 1500 THB ($US 50).

 

Why should anyone have to pay a fee just to volunteer in a school?

Ideally, volunteers shouldn’t have to pay a fee just to donate their time. 

 

If you support free volunteering, why do you charge a fee?

We recognize that even free volunteer placements have their shortcomings.  For one thing, they are not always available in the prime touring locations:  Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Chumphon.  Volunteachthailand offers low cost, supported placements in all these locations.  In order to maintain this program network there are costs involved.  The minimal fees charged by Volunteachthailand exist to simply cover the costs of operation.

 

How did Volunteachthailand get started?

The principals of the organization were involved in education Bangkok.  One was the head of the international department of one of its largest private high school.  The other was head of English at a Bangkok college and an English tutor for post graduate students at Kasestart University.  In the beginning they placed volunteers for a large U. K. volunteer agency.  They now act as local placement coordinators for a large agency based in Germany in addition to handling their own clientele.

 

If the students don’t speak English and I don’t speak Thai, how will I communicate with them?

Thai students understand English much better than they can speak it.  They have a good vocabulary.  If you speak slowly and clearly.  You will be understood. 

 

I have read on the internet that teachers in Thailand must adhere to a dress code.  I think I should be able to wear what is comfortable for me.  Since I am here only temporarily.

Then you might be more comfortable volunteering elsewhere.  The teaching profession here is arguably more respected here than in the west.  They are role models in the truest sense.  They act and dress accordingly.  Volunteer teachers are expected to do the same.

 

I have facial piercings and body jewelry.  My partner and boyfriend has long hair and tattoos.   Are these acceptable in a Thai school?

A.  No. 

 

I have no experience as a teacher nor as a volunteer.  But this is something I’ve always wanted to do.  How do I know I will like it?

There are no guarantees.  But take some comfort in these numbers.  From the 3,000 people we’ve placed we’d guess that about 100 walked away disappointed.  Half of those felt they didn’t connect with the kids.  The other half couldn’t adjust to life in rural Thailand as much as they thought they could.  The necessary ingredient is patience.  If you are short on this.  You may want to rethink your plans.   

 

Do I need to prepare to teach or can I just make it up as I go along?

No one will expect you to transform yourself into a professional teacher overnight.  But you do need to have some idea of what children can do and a teaching strategy based on that.  Coming this far to hold up flash cards, sing songs or play hang-man for several hours a day, is a waste of their time.  And yours.  Yes, you will have taught in a Thai school.  Will you have made a difference?  Likely not.  But teaching very basic communication, albeit in broken English, can be very rewarding for you as a volunteer.

 

Can you give me a sample of the teaching strategy and methods you provide to volunteers?

Whether 6 years old or 16, most Thai students can’t carry on any conversation beyond saying their name.  Nevertheless, they do possess a relatively good English vocabulary.  The language of music, movies, books such as the Harry Potter series, western artifacts such as English football is well known to them. 

 

Your goal, as a volunteer teacher, is to unlock that vocabulary using a simple system of speaking.  This method of speaking could best be described as broke, ungrammatical English.  But it will be communicating in English.  And that’s the best place to begin.  Speaking in correct grammatical English will come later, if necessary. 

 

Example.  If your youngest learners can learn to say, “I boy.  You girl.  I student.  You teacher.”  That would be a major accomplishment.  For most students this is beyond their current capability.  Then later, the same student can add to this:  “ I sitting.  I talking.  I handsome or I beautiful.  I learning.”  Then finally, we add the use of three simple verbs:  “is, has, can.  So at the end, the student can speak about anything in very simplistic ways.  But though simple, it is orders of magnitude more than most Thai students can manage at the moment. 

The best news is that this system can be taught in a matter of weeks.  Not months or years.  Weeks. 

The bottom line is without a teaching strategy you will have little chance of making a permanent difference in your students.  And you will have come a very long way for experiences you may remember which will have little impact on your students. 

 

Is there cultural etiquette that I must know as a volunteer?

Yes.  Absolutely.  If you show respect to Thai culture by first showing you understand it, you will go a long way in being accepted.  The more you are accepted the more you will gain from the experience.

 

Where are the best places to teach in Thailand?

Small, rural schools in the north of Thailand.  Chiang Rai is our personal favorite.  The communities are small and welcoming.  Volunteers enjoy near celebrity status.  For many students, volunteer teachers are the only westerners they will ever meet.

 

I am not a strict vegetarian, but I do not eat meat.  Will this be a problem for me in Thailand or at the school?

Not a problem anywhere.  We’ve had many volunteers who share this preference. 

 

When are the school breaks in Thailand?

In March and September.  Some placement firms set up English camps during school breaks and offer participation to volunteers.  We offer such placements. 

 

What’s the best time of the year to volunteer?

If you’re not bothered by summertime heat or if you’re heading for a southern beach, you can come during the summer high season.  But our personal choice would be before the fall and late spring when the weather is cooler yet dry.  If you plan to come during the winter monsoon, we suggest you locate in the highlands of the north such as Chiang Rai.  Higher ground offers more protection against flooding.