Dream Corps 2011 Summer Volunteer Program

Program
Dream Corps is recruiting about 65 international volunteers to participate in its 2011 Summer Volunteer Program in rural schools (township elementary or middle schools) and villages of China. Volunteers will take part in activities that include:

• Establishing and developing libraries: decorations, cataloging books, electronic cataloging system set-ups, and library policy making.

• Reading programs: “Library Month”, “Reading Aloud”, “Science and Reading”, English Reading, and crafts.

• Understanding and learning from locals: communicating with the local teachers, home visits, community research, and promoting reading in the community.

The program consists of 4 days of training in Beijing, 3 weeks of volunteer work on assigned volunteer sites, and 3 days concluding forum in Beijing.

Qualification for Volunteers

• Interested in international development, rural education, and the non-profit sector in China.

• Respectful of local rural customs, habits and culture and to humbly listen to the views of local teachers, leaders and parents.

• Participate positively in all activities, and immerse in the local environment.

• Is able to adapt to rural accommodations, environment and eating conditions.

• Is able to communicate and work effectively and respectfully with people from different cultural backgrounds. Team-oriented and tolerant of diversity.

• Responsible, well-organized and creative.

• Willing to promote the importance of reading to the locals through various activities.

• Experience as a volunteer and with community service.

• Ability to speak mandarin Chinese is mandatory.

Please read the summer program schedule and make sure you are able to participate in the entire program. Attendance in the entire program is absolutely required.

Additional Qualification for Team Leaders
• Strong ability to manage, organize, plan, and access resources.

• Very responsible.

• Experience leading teams and promoting teamwork. Ability to identify talents of team members and to resolve conflicts. Must be able to lead a team to accomplish a goal.

• Experience communicating with people from different cultures, backgrounds, and ages.

Application Process

• STEP 1: Complete online application at http://www.dreamcorps.org

There is no application fee.

a. Application form

b. Personal Statement (see guidelines for details)

c. Resume or CV
 

• STEP 2: Interview

Qualified applicants will be interviewed over the phone or in person, depending on location, availability and preference. The length of the interview is about one hour.

a. Phone interview via Skype

b. In person. Six locations: Beijing; New York City; Philadelphia; Charlottesville, Virginia; Toronto; Montreal. Space is limited in each location. Additional candidates will be interviewed by Skype.
 

• STEP 3: Notification of Decision

o February 14-February 25: Those selected for an interview will be notified.

o February 20-March 20: Interviews will be scheduled by email by the interviewers and interviews will be held.

o March 21: First group of accepted volunteers notified.

o March 25: Deadline for first group to confirm participation.

o March 26: Second group of accepted volunteers notified.

o March 30: Deadline for second group to confirm participation.

Important Dates

• Jan 23: Online application opens

• February 20: Online application officially closes

• April 9-30: Online training (4 sessions, about 2 hours per session)

• May 19: Volunteer registration in Beijing, program begins; Team leader training in Beijing

• May 20-23: Volunteer and librarian training in Beijing

• May 24: Volunteers departing for sites

• May 25-June 17: Working at sites

• June 20: Return to Beijing

• June 21: Team reports in Beijing

• June 22-23: Concluding forum in Beijing

Personal Statement Guidelines

Please keep your statement between 500 words in Chinese or English. As a general guideline, please cover the following:

1. Why do you want to volunteer with Dream Corps and what do you want to accomplish through your volunteer work?

2. List your previous social work or volunteer experience. Please include dates, locations, activities, and your roles.

3. Have you traveled or lived in rural China? for how long? If not, have you traveled or lived internationally? for how long? If so, please describe briefly (locations, dates and activities).

4. Have you had any experience working with children or teachers? If so, please describe briefly (subjects, target audience and formats)

5. What do you believe are the value of books and reading to the lives of rural children in China?

6. For Team leaders: Have you had experience working as a team leader? Share your experience, what you learned, and challenges that you faced.

7. Do you hope to conduct a personal or academic research project during your possible stay in China with Dream Corps? If so, please describe briefly.

Expense
Volunteers pay their own airfare to Beijing. All volunteers pay a 2000 RMB (300 USD) fee at the beginning of the volunteer training in Beijing. The fee covers the cost of accommodations and lunch during training and the concluding forum, transportation to and from the program sites, lodging at the sites, travel health insurance, training handouts and a T-shirt. Volunteers should also bring some money for other meals during training and forum and for other personal expenses.

2011 Sites Information

The following communities and schools are the sites for 2011. Some changes are possible. Applicants can indicate preferences, but preferences cannot always be honored. During the online training more information about the sites will be provided.

Established sites:

• Laochangying Village, Peiying Township, Dengzhou, Henan

• Tenglou Experimental Elementary School (only 6th grade students), Tenglou Village, Peiying Township, Dengzhou, Henan

• Nanguang Middle School, Nanguang Township, Yibin, Sichuan

• Huju Elementary School, Huju Township, Chaling, Zhuzhou, Hunan

• Huju Middle School, Huju Township, Chaling, Zhuzhou, Hunan

New sites:

• Liumangang Elementary School, Liumangang Village, Xinghuaying Township, Jinming District, Kaifeng, Henan

• Jiudian Elementary School, Jinan Township, Jingzhou District, Jingzhou, Hubei

• Yutai Middle School, Jinan Township, Jingzhou District, Jingzhou, Hubei

• Yuanyi Elementary School, Peicheng District, Mianyang, Sichuan

• Hengfeng Central Elementary School, Hengfeng Township, Gongxian, Yibin, Sichuan

• Shilipu Hui Elementary School, Liuhu Township, Kongdong District, Pingliang, Gansu

Additional Information

If you have any more questions regarding our program, please visit Dream Corps 2011 Summer Volunteer Program FAQ at http://www.dreamcorps.org/svp2011faq.html

If you have any questions regarding the application and volunteer selection process, please contact the Recruitment Committee at volunteer@dreamcorps.org