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Co-teach Cross-Cultural English Club Activities to Lyceum Students
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Activity/project background
The lyceums in Ukraine serve as vital institutions of advanced secondary education, designed to prepare students for higher studies and professional life. Their mission is not only providing rigorous academic training but also to cultivate resilience, civic responsibility, and global awareness. In the context of English education, the lyceums emphasize language as a bridge to international knowledge, collaboration, and opportunity. By fostering strong English skills, the lyceums aim to equip young Ukrainians with the confidence to share their experiences with global peers, humanitarian networks, and academic opportunities. They actively support initiatives to promote student-centered learning and interactive teaching methods, English language development through clubs, projects and communication activities, civic education and volunteerism, cultural exchange, and global awareness.
Because of the war, students have few chances to talk to native speakers or experience other cultures. Thus, four groups of lyceums are interested in collaborating with Virtual Service Pilot Participants to engage students from secondary school in weekly English clubs. Potential club participants are motivated teenagers who need a safe online space to practice English, build confidence, and learn soft skills outside of regular lessons.
All educational institutions are requesting VSPPs to work with a group of 15–20 self-reliant, motivated, and change-oriented high school students, aged 14–17. Prior to orientation, VSPPs will be assigned to one or two lyceums for their engagement. Each school group will meet with their respective VSPP once a week for a 60-minute session for 21 weeks. Virtual English club participants are eager to be immersed in engaging activities that cover topics such as art, social media, youth life, traveling, natural wonders, holidays, traditions, sports, education, and others. The VSPPs will work with local teachers to create interactive activities for the virtual English clubs. These partnerships are vital to give their students a global perspective and maintain a high-quality education, despite the challenges in Ukraine.
Two lyceums have previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. Two lyceums will be engaged in summer English clubs in June for the first time. One lyceum has not previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They all understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.
Engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:
• Co-develop learning resources that incorporate U.S. culture
• Co-design English club session plans with clear policies, procedures, resources, and outcomes designed to improve students’ fluency, confidence, and cultural understanding
• Co-teach a 60-minute virtual English club session once per week for a group of 15–20 students aged 14–17 years old
• Co-assess conducted sessions, identifying learning objectives and appropriate communicative activities for future sessions
VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be six hours per week.
Online collaboration will generally occur between 3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Ukraine time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to email, Zoom, and WhatsApp for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.
Optional additional activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.
Essential qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field
Experience: 1 year of TEFL/TESOL teaching experience in the U.S. or abroad
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually
Desired qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in education, secondary education, or related field or relevant certification: TEFL, TESOL, Cambridge, or similar
Experience:
• Virtual engagement and communication
• Co-teaching or co-facilitation for virtual classrooms
Terms and conditions of engagement
VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.
Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.
The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.
Engagement safety and security
The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.
Supervision requirements
The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.
