Education roles for couples

We currently have one-off Education roles in Uganda and Papua New Guinea that would ideally suit couples who have education skills and experience, as the roles involve require close-working and travelling together. Take a look at the roles below that we are recruiting for, and if you feel that you and your partner have the right level of experience and skills, then please apply.

Apply today and you could be working with Secondary Teachers in Papua New Guinea

What’s the context and purpose of the role?

Papua New Guinea enjoys exceptional cultural and linguistic diversity but due to its geographic complexity, there are development challenges. Many rural areas, where the majority of its 5.3 million people live, can only be reached by air, reinforcing inequalities in access to education and health services. Papua New Guinea is currently reforming its education system with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning practices in secondary schools across the country. VSO is working with Madang Provincial Division of Education who implement national and provincial education policies to address these issues. As a `Professional Development Facilitator`, you will help to improve teaching, learning and leadership practices with Papua New Guinean teachers, and implement an effective student-centred approach to teaching. Primary and Secondary schools are taught in English.

What does the role involve?

What skills, experience and personal qualities are needed for the role?

Listening, interpreting and implementing solutions to issues faced by teachers
Working with teachers to increase their confidence and using student-centred methodology for planning, programming teaching and assessment
Working with teachers to find solutions to reform curriculum implementation issues on the ground
Working with teachers to facilitate the development of resources
Finding ways of sharing good practice within and between schools.

What skills, experience and personal qualities are needed for the role?

You’ll need to be a qualified teacher with a degree. You’ll have at least 3-5 years’ experience of teaching at secondary school level, and be able to confidently use a range of student-centred and activity-based teaching methods. You’ll also be able to demonstrate and improvise using locally available learning materials, and work professionally and confidently with a range of adults. You’ll need to be able to analyse needs, observe and give feedback, and deliver learning solutions.

You’ll have excellent interpersonal, communication and team working skills. You’ll be a self-starter, and fit enough to undertake journeys by sea, air and roads using local transport. You’ll also need patience, diplomacy, flexibility and adaptability in order to live and work in a new and diverse culture.

And the rest…

The mainland of Papua New Guinea and its associated archipelagos stretch across a distance of almost 3000km between the equator and the southwestern rim of the Pacific Ocean. Although the country only represents 1% of the world’s surface area, it is home to an estimated 5% of the world’s biodiversity. The climate is generally hot – most regions experience sunshine for the majority of the year and likewise all areas have a rainy season. Furnished accommodation will be provided with water and electricity. Internet access in available in Madang town. We’ll ask you to commit to 11 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, and our financial package includes a local living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return to your home country, we'll help you to resettle and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Apply now

Apply today and you could be working with Head Teachers in Papua New Guinea

Justin-Walker-The-Gambia-Education

What’s the context and purpose of the role?

Papua New Guinea enjoys exceptional cultural and linguistic diversity but due to its geographic complexity, there are development challenges. Many rural areas, where the majority of its 5.3 million people live, can only be reached by air, reinforcing inequalities in access to education and health services. Papua New Guinea is currently reforming its education system with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning practices in secondary schools across the country. VSO is working with Madang Provincial Division of Education who implements national and provincial education policies to address these issues. As a `Leadership and Management Change Officer’, you will help to improve teaching, learning and leadership practices with Papua New Guinean teachers, and implement an effective student-centred approach to teaching. Primary and Secondary schools are taught in English.

What does the role involve?

Training, coaching and mentoring Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers in 7-8 secondary schools and providing occasional support to all secondary head teachers and deputy head teachers. Providing support to Heads of Department, particularly around reform curriculum implementation
Providing support to Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers by identifying needs, generating options and implementing solutions to address issues affecting the work of the school
Supporting the implementation of school learning improvements and delivery of quality teaching and learning
Liaise, share and encourage the sharing of good practice within and between secondary schools
Support teachers in specific subject areas to develop new student-centred teaching resource materials.

This role is ideal for a volunteering partner couple, as you’ll be working closely with the Professional Development Facilitator role that is also a volunteer role with VSO.

What skills, experience and personal qualities are needed for the role?

You’ll have a degree and a teaching qualification as well as being qualified in educational management. You’ll also need at least three years’ experience as a Head Teacher, Deputy Head or Senior Manager in a secondary school. You’ll need to work flexibly and confidently with a wide range of adults and be able to plan effectively. You’ll have the ability to analyse needs working alongside teachers and staff, and design, deliver and evaluate learning solutions such as supervision, coaching and mentoring, observation and feedback.

Apply now

Apply today and you could be a Maths Tutor in Uganda

Brenda-Vanesa-and-Happy-Tanzania-Education

What’s the context and purpose of the role?

Ten per cent of Uganda’s population, approximately 2.8 million people, have a disability, and are amongst the most vulnerable in society. Women and girls are particularly disadvantaged and discriminated against. Many people with disabilities feel inferior within their communities, and children are often denied education or social support of any kind. In education services delivery, technical skills in key disability areas are very limited, and teachers find it challenging to respond to the needs of children with disabilities. VSO is working with local and national institutions to improve the access and quality of education for these marginalised children of the community. VSO is improving the levels of basic and specialist education to meet the needs of children with disabilities, and, based at Kabale Primary Teachers College, this role will focus on addressing the inadequacies in the delivery of education services to disadvantaged children in Uganda. In primary schools, children are taught in English.

What does the role involve?

Training student teachers in mathematics, working closely with the Head of Maths and department to agree on a priorities and work plans
Helping to set up a resource centre
Helping with library services, identifying suitable reading materials and assisting students with reading skills
Handling teacher training for four hours a week in the areas of primary education and early childhood education methods of teaching in primary schools
Working with tutors in updating their methodology
Producing instructional material
Helping to supervise student teachers during or on their school practice.

This role is ideal for a volunteering partner couple, as you’ll be working closely with the Special Needs Tutor role that is also a volunteer role with VSO.

What skills, experience and personal qualities are needed for the role?

You’ll be a qualified teacher with a degree in education with a special focus on maths. You’ll have a solid background and practical experience in teacher training, with knowledge of education service delivery systems, teacher support and supervision. Skills in counselling and career guidance would be advantageous.

You’ll need to have excellent problem solving abilities, especially in situations of scarce and minimal resources, and you’ll be results-orientated. You’ll enjoy working with a wide range of people and have excellent interpersonal qualities and team building skills. You will need to be organised and you’ll also need patience, diplomacy, flexibility and adaptability in order to live and work in a new and diverse culture.

And the rest…

Landlocked Uganda lies across the Equator, bordering Tanzania, Sudan, Congo, Kenya and Rwanda. It’s a naturally fertile country with 25% of its area covered in rivers, lakes and swamps. Uganda’s climate is pleasant and comfortable. You’ll be based in Kabale, which is in the south west of Uganda and has great diversity of topography, including bamboo forests and Afro alpine shrubs. Sir Winston Churchill described it as the “Switzerland of Africa”. The scenery is dramatic with very steep slopes, and the climate is cool, ranging from 17.5 degrees centigrade to 10 degrees centigrade at night.

The Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mugahinga Gollira National Park information office is in Kabale, where you can also buy tourist maps, postcards and handcrafts. At Lake Bunyonyi, you can camp, ride motorboats, canoe and fish.

We’ll ask you to commit to 24 months to make a sustainable contribution to our development goals. In return, we’ll give you comprehensive financial, personal and professional support. We'll provide you with extensive training before your placement, a living allowance, return flights, accommodation, insurance and more. When you return home, we'll help you to resettle, and many of our returned volunteers stay involved with us long after their placement ends.

Apply now

Apply today and you could be a Special Education Needs Tutor in Uganda

What’s the context and purpose of the role?

Ten per cent of Uganda’s population, approximately 2.8 million people, have a disability, and are amongst the most vulnerable in society. Women and girls are particularly disadvantaged and discriminated against. Many people with disabilities feel inferior within their communities, and children are often denied education or social support of any kind. In education services delivery, technical skills in key disability areas are very limited, and teachers find it challenging to respond to the needs of children with disabilities. There are very few primary teachers who receive technical support and have special training, skills and interest in handling pupils with special education need. Despite efforts to address this, the supply of Special Education Needs teachers and trainers is still low compared to what is needed. This means that, in most instances, pupils with Special Education Needs have limited access to good quality education. VSO is working with local and national institutions to improve the access and quality of education for these marginalised children in the community. VSO is also improving the levels of basic and specialist education to meet the needs of children with disabilities, and this role, based at Kabale Primary Teachers College, will focus on addressing the inadequacies in the delivery of education services to disadvantaged children in Uganda. In primary schools, children are taught in English.

What does the role involve?

Training student teachers in identifying, assessing and handling pupils with Special Education needs
Assisting in-service teachers in improving teaching capacity and methods.
Devising creative teaching materials and training teachers in producing local teaching aids and materials.
Finding ways of sharing best practice and collaborating with key educational institutions, departments and organisations.

This role is ideal for a volunteering partner couple, as you’ll be working closely with the Maths Tutor role that is also a volunteer role with VSO.

What skills and experience do you need?

You’ll be a qualified teacher with a degree in education with a special focus on Special Needs education. You’ll have a solid background and practical experience in teacher training. Knowledge and experience in producing materials and developing learning and course modules are advantageous. Knowledge of education service delivery systems and skills in counselling and career guidance are also desirable.

You’ll need to have excellent problem solving abilities, especially in situations of scarce and minimal resource. You’ll enjoy working with a wide range of people and have excellent interpersonal qualities and team building skills. You will need to be organised and you’ll also need patience, diplomacy, flexibility and adaptability in order to live and work in a new and diverse culture.

And the rest…

Landlocked Uganda lies across the Equator, bordering Tanzania, Sudan, Congo, Kenya and Rwanda. It’s a naturally fertile country with 25% of its area covered in rivers, lakes and swamps. Uganda’s climate is pleasant and comfortable. You’ll be based in Kabale, which is in the south west of Uganda and has great diversity of topography, landscape and vegetation, including bamboo forests and Afro alpine shrubs. Sir Winston Churchill described it as the “Switzerland of Africa”. The scenery is dramatic with very steep slopes, and the climate is cool, ranging from 17.5 degrees centigrade to 10 degrees centigrade at night.

Apply now

Interested in volunteering? Register your interest in volunteering now.

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