Description

Every year, BECA selects a team of volunteers to help staff community-run bilingual schools in impoverished communities in Honduras. The BECA team is primarily made up of recent US college graduates who are interested in a combination of grassroots NGO work, Latin America, teaching, international travel, and service. Applicants are not required to have previous teaching experience or Spanish-language fluency, but enthusiasm and a willingness to learn are musts. There is no fee to participate in our program and all training, room, and board are provided by BECA, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in New York. Please email us or access our website to apply. Applications are read on a rolling basis, so you are encouraged to apply soon. More detailed information is available below and on our website.

SITE ONE: San Jeronimo Bilingual School (SJBS) is a community-managed non-profit school that aims to change the Honduran status quo. SJBS serves 240 socioeconomically diverse students in Cofradia, Cortes.

A group of parents, the Asociacion de Padres Proeducacion, founded SJBS in 2004 and they are responsible for the on-going administration and maintenance of the school.

BECA is SJBS's U.S. non-profit partner. BECA supports SJBS by recruiting and training a qualified group of service-minded volunteer teachers. BECA's presence allows the school to keep costs very low and provide a significant number of scholarships (no fewer than 25% of the school population at any time) to students from very low income families.

SITE TWO: Santa Monica Bilingual School (SMBS) is a non-profit school in Vida Nueva with whom BECA more recently started a partnership. SMBS is in an even less-developed community than SJBS and the school is in its early years, so we are working with the community to build this school from the ground up. Our SMBS volunteers live with their SJBS peers since the two communities are only a few miles apart. This allows for an exchange of information and ideas between the two groups of teachers working in two different BECA partner schools.

With all of our partners, our model is built on partnership between Hondurans committed to high quality, progressive education and foreigners interested in a truly authentic cultural immersion. This partnership results in affordable and free bilingual education for our students and authentic cultural immersion for our volunteers.

There are no handouts in our model. Families whose children receive scholarships contribute towards their child's education through completion of a monthly service requirement. This service not only enables them to feel a sense of pride in their contribution to their child's education, it also offers opportunity to gain practical skills. Everything we do is about education.

As a result of their experiences, our volunteers return home prepared to better serve the needs of our country's rapidly growing Latino population - in the classroom and elsewhere. This experience is best suited to individuals who are comfortable with significant independence and responsibility.

Job responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

* Planning lessons and teaching all subjects except Spanish and Honduran Social Studies;
* Collaborating with the teaching team on school projects, events planning, curriculum development;
* Providing consistent communication with parents and other community members;
* Contributing to collaborative and respectful group living experience.

Highlights

Job benefits include (but are also not limited to):

* Significant ESL training on site by master teachers
* Substantial professional development support throughout the year and access to our hundreds of alumni who now work in various non-profit and for-profit fields.
* The opportunity to participate in a true international development experience;
* The opportunity to live & work with Spanish speaking colleagues & community members;
* The opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience while learning more about yourself;
* The opportunity to foster long-lasting friendships with Honduran families & other members of the volunteer team;
* The opportunity to share your experience with friends and family at home.

Qualifications

During the rigorous application process, BECA considers previous teaching experience, Spanish fluency and previous travel experience in Latin America all pluses. However, we seek individuals who, above all else, exhibit a strong commitment to their own service learning and have the desire to learn, grow and immerse themselves in community life.

Minimum Education

Bachelors

Languages

• English

Salary/Pay

Accommodation and Food are provided at no expense to the volunteer. Professional Development is also offered, including an extensive 6-week teacher training course when the team first arrives. Two-year teachers and administrators are granted a monthly stipend. In addition to accommodation and shared internet access, BECA provides an ample food budget for the volunteers. Lunch is prepared at school for the volunteers on school days. Our volunteers live between a house and several apartments (two people to each bedroom) close to the center of Cofradia and about a fifteen minute walk from the school. The house is situated in an elevated part of Cofradia and has a picturesque view of the Merendon mountains from the airy back terrace. Most of the time there is running water and a modern flush toilet. Occasionally there is no actual running water. When this happens, we use the water that is collected outside the house in a large cement trough called a "pila." This water is used to flush the toilet, shower and wash dishes and clothes. Electricity is relatively reliable, but can go out without warning for several hours at a time - especially during the rainy season. The apartments are located right in the center of town. While the apartments are newer and equipped with a high-speed internet connection, they do not have the same open-air quality as the volunteer house.

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and South African Participants.

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 10

Application Process Involves

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Resume
• Transcript
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

6 weeks

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Bilingual Education for Central America's Mission Statement

BECA (Bilingual Education for Central America), is a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. BECA promotes cultural exchange and affordable bilingual education. Our volunteer driven bilingual school model creates an environment in which Central American students learn from dedicated volunteer teachers and the volunteers learn from the community in which they are immersed.

Year Founded

2001