Brief Description:

TYPE OF ASSIGNMENT: Right of Return
PARTNER: Sponsor A Mind Build A Life
POSITION ID: 2019-007
LOCATION: Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka
DURATION: 2 - 3 Months
EXPECTED DEPARTURE DATE: July 2019 (TBD)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 31, 2019

comdu.it is a growing global network of diaspora changemakers committed to the sustainable development of the traditional Tamil homelands in Sri Lanka. Since 2016, we have been committed to helping shift diaspora engagement from charity to sustainability, from aid to economic development, and from sending remittance to building a knowledge economy instead.

Program Description

The Right of Return program stream provides post-secondary students and recent graduates with the opportunity to discover, connect, and explore their heritage and history in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Applicants will be placed in children’s homes, vocational schools, and other appropriate institutions to volunteer their skills and time to help build capacity of local communities in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

Partner Description

Sponsor a Mind Build A Life (SAMBAL) focuses on providing charitable assistance to children who are disadvantaged due to war, poverty, natural disasters, and other calamities. The organization focuses on improving computer and language literacy for children and youth by providing them with high quality STEM education and equal access to technological resources. For more information, please visit www.sambalnow.com.

Roles and Responsibilities

-Plan and deliver lessons, training, or activities for middle school children towards joint learning objectives, in a creative and culturally sensitive way.
-Conduct ongoing assessment of student growth and progress, and modify instructional methods to meet the needs of individual students
-Conduct one-on-one or group instructions as needed
-Must be able to work collaboratively with local partner, students and translators for effective delivery of lessons.
-Maintain a system for accurate and complete record-keeping, grading, and reporting for all student activities, achievement, and attendance as required by the Project Manager.
-Ensure that lessons are geared towards achieving appropriate outcomes that are beneficial to the children.
-Develop and participate in STEM projects, chess games, and other mind stimulating games with students.
-Ensure a safe and effective learning environment.
-Use expertise to help the project coordinators and partners to develop and coordinate the project.
-Perform other related tasks as assigned by the Project Manager or Executive Director.

Qualifications

-Currently in or recently completed undergraduate degree or diploma in English or related disciplines.
-Excellent presentation, interpersonal, analytical, and oral and written communication skills.
-Full fluency in English and conversational proficiency in Tamil.
-Strong personal initiative, resourcefulness and capacity to be self-motivated and also work as part of a team.
-Must be driven to improve the lives of marginalized people, and work with them to do so, in a way that is led by them, for them, and is sustainable and achieves their objectives.
-Must be committed to equality, and by extension, open to learning about resilience, diversity and solidarity from the vulnerable communities they are working with.
-Must be able to lead by example by being open minded, humble and embrace opportunities to grow personally.

Preferred but not mandatory qualifications

-Currently in or recently completed graduate degree or postgraduate diploma in English or related disciplines.
-International teaching qualifications (TESOL, TEFL, CELTA).
-Formal experience teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language.
-Work experience in vocational institutions, post-secondary institutions, or international organizations.

Volunteer Benefits and Support

-Up to fifty per cent (50%) of all costs subsidized for successful applicants with demonstrated financial need.
-Guidance with booking flights, obtaining visa, accommodations, etc.
-Participation in pre-departure training where you will have the opportunity to learn about our work, gain practical skills for living and working in a lower middle-income country, and meet other volunteers.
-In-country orientation upon arrival.
-Potential tour and briefing of the Northern and Eastern provinces.
-Support and guidance prior to departure and while on assignment in Sri Lanka.
-Return debriefing after completion of assignment, including counselling support.
-The opportunity of a lifetime to provide meaningful assistance to war-impacted communities in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

Eligibility Requirements

-Applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, Germany, or host country between the ages of 18 – 30. Older applicants are also welcome.
-Departure date is contingent upon the timely completion of all administrative requirements (e.g. visa process, medical clearance, vulnerable sector checks, travel documentation).
-Those applicants with demonstrated financial need must raise at least fifty percent (50%) of their placement costs (travel, meals, health insurance, accommodations). Other applicants must raise funds to cover 100% costs of their placement.
-Please read our updated FAQs (https://comdu.it/faq/) before applying!

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