Info

Teach English or other subjects to children in the coastal town of Sihanoukville. The school is very friendly and the children range from 3 to 20 yrs. This area is beautiful and well situated for exploring the country.

Teach English or other subjects to children in the coastal town of Sihanoukville in Cambodia. This area of Cambodia is beautiful and well situated for exploring the country. The school is very friendly and the children range from 3 years old up to 20. You're their opportunity to learn English from a fluent English speaker, which will help them increase their opportunities for the future. You'll really make a difference on this project while at the same time having a wonderful experience in this delightful country.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
You'll teach children in a school situated in Sihanoukville, on the road between the centre of town and the beach. The school is very conveniently located about 15 minutes away from your accommodation. This is a private school and thus slightly better off than the other local schools, but it is still very basic and different to Western schools. Education in Cambodia is generally very behind at all levels from the rest of the world.

The school has approximately 1,500 pupils, ranging in age from 3 to around 20. There are 28 classrooms and all the basic but necessary facilities. Class sizes range from about 25 to 40 per class. You'll assist the local teachers and will work from the Cambodian curriculum.

The schools are very different to schools in Western countries and the children have a hunger to learn, particularly from native speakers. You'll soon find that Cambodia feels like a second home. All of the children and teachers are incredibly welcoming and friendly! Cambodian children have a cultural and moral obligation to help and provide financial support to their parents once they grow up, so they are often forced to leave home (particularly those in villages) in order to seek a better education and ultimately a way to financially support their parents. This often proves exceptionally challenging and, unfortunately, many of the children resort to easier, more drastic measures such as factory work, drug trafficking, theft, prostitution.

YOUR PLACEMENT PROVIDES FREE EDUCATION TO DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN!
In Sihanoukville, there is a local project that provides the opportunity to underprivileged children to develop skills through artistic expression and to have a safe place to play, learn and dream. The artwork that the children produce is then sold to tourists. The children they help commonly come from struggling homes, even abusive, uncaring parents, living in extremely impoverished households, lacking regular access to food, clean drinking water and medical care. The children come from the beaches in the local area, collecting cans and bottles for a money or selling bracelets and such to tourists.

Travellers has affiliated with the school and with this project. The result is that for every three volunteers who do a placement at the school, the school will provide free education to 10 children for one year. We are very pleased at having the opportunity to potentially provide free education for dozens of children who would not have access to any type of education. These opportunities will make a huge difference to their lives and the lives of their families.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
► An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into beautiful Cambodia and it's fascinating South-East Asian culture.
► The enormous satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and knowing that you made a difference to them.
► New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.
► An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market
► And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

WORKING HOURS:
There are three teaching sessions in a day and these take place in the morning (starting at 7.30), in the afternoons and in the early evenings (finishing at 7.30). The are breaks between 10.00 a.m. and 2.00 pm, and between 4.00 and 5.30 p.m. You'll generally teach up to six-and-a-half hours per day, Monday to Friday, and you can use the breaks between teaching sessions to either explore the town or prepare your lessons. However, you can do less or more, should you wish. Initially, you'll act as an assistant to the English teacher, helping take small groups and practice conversational English. Once your confidence grows and if you're good enough, you may be put in charge of the class and you may also be asked to help within other areas, such as sport or drama, if you have an interest in these.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS IN CAMBODIA:
School holidays can differ quite widely. However, at this school classes take place all year round, apart from National holidays, so you will be able to do your placement at any time through the year.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD:
You'll live an apartment very conveniently situated in Sihanoukville and you'll most likely share a room with other volunteers.

Sihanoukville is amazing! It has everything you could want as a location for your placement: Stunning beaches and a laid back town that has lots to do. It is also known as Kampong Som and is a port city in southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand, 185 kilometres southwest of Phnom Penh. You can take water taxis to the nearby islands for diving, snorkeling, and game fishing. The town centre is located on a hill roughly in the centre of the peninsula.

Sihanoukville is a spread-out tourist town for both foreigners and local people from all over the country. Three sides of the town are bordered by tropical beaches and islands. Filled with empty beaches, crowded beaches, seafood, restaurants, bars, Buddhist Temples, casinos, hotels, and more beaches. At several hundred places, English is spoken; and many French speakers are here as well.

The island of Koh Rong Samloem is off the coast of Sihanoukville and is a wonderful place to visit. It is the proverbial paradise island! The growth is lush, the sand sparkling white and the water is a tempting turquoise. The island is relatively deserted, undeveloped and untouched, but is currently being developed into Cambodia's jewel tourist destination. A stunningly beautiful bay on the island is called Waterfall Bay and stretches for several kilometres. North West Bay is probably one of the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Cambodia. The centre of the island is a jungle with thousands of coconut palms and waterfalls. The island has no firm roads as of yet and is simply sandy tracks. There are 2 bars on the island (one with a pool table) and plenty of shops where you can buy drinks, cigarettes, etc. The locals are super-friendly and very pleased and happy to have you there. This is, in fact, the only island that is fully and actively protected by the government.

FOOD:
Food is included on this project. You'll be given a food budget which will enable you to prepare meals at your accommodation or to sample the local cuisine in the many cheap cafes and restaurants.

A little about Cambodian food: Cambodian food has generally been influenced by Chinese and French cuisine, and also shares many common dishes with Thai food, although not as spicy. The staple food for Cambodians is rice. Almost every meal includes a bowl of rice, although noodles are also popular. A wide range of curries, soups and stir fried are served with rice. Typically, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four separate dishes. A meal will usually include a soup, or samlor, served alongside the main courses. Each individual dish will be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Chilli is usually left up to the individual to add themselves.

Khmer cuisine also uses many vegetables, some of which are very unusual, such as different and unusual local varieties of melon, beans and squash. Fish is the most common form of meat in Khmer cuisine, including dried salted fish known as trei ngeat. Getting to taste and know local cooking is one of the many delights of living in a foreign country.

Duration

Available all year round. Our placements are very flexible, you can choose your own start and finish dates.

Start Dates

Flexible start and finish dates you choose. Our placements are flexible and can be tailored to match your preferences. For availability please contact the office.

Costs / Benefits

Costs vary depending on length of placement, but starts at £675 for two weeks. You can participate for up to one year, subject to visa requirements.
Included is full support from the moment of booking and throughout your placement to your return home. There are support staff 24/7 in all our destinations worldwide and a 24 hour emergency international telephone line direct to the Head Office. All meals are provided, unless otherwise stated. Accommodation is provided (whether a rented house, a hotel/hostel, homestay, apartment or flat).
You’ll be met at the nearest airport on your arrival by our in-country manager who will take you to your accommodation and give you a full induction into the area. He/she will also be on call 24/7 and you’ll see them frequently.
Pre-departure you’ll receive comprehensive information about every aspect of your placement and necessary preparations, ranging from what to pack, to visa information, to what to do on your weekend travel in the country. Your safety, well being and happiness throughout your placement are our primary concerns and we will keep in touch with you throughout. International flights not included.

Requirements

No qualifications or previous experience are necessary, just a good dose of enthusiasm! Everyone is welcome on a Travellers programme, whether gap year, undergraduate, on a career break - or even retired! From 17 years old upwards, and all nationalities. This placement would suit anyone who wants to make a real difference, wants first-hand experience of a different culture and has initiative.