Volunteer English Teaching in Surf Town Itacaré, Brazil

Our English program is one of the most important we have. Tourism is the main economic sector in Itacaré so by offering free classes to children and teenagers coming from mainly low-income neighborhoods, we significantly increase their chances of finding better jobs with higher salaries.

While wealthier families are able to send their kids to private English schools, children from the underprivileged communities in Itacaré would not have this opportunity were it not for the free English program we have been running for the past 3 years. Therefore, our English program goes beyond just teaching another language; it is a tool of empowerment that changes lives and helps promote social justice.

Our English Program aligns with two of the 17 goals that the United Nations has adopted on its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We always incorporate arts into our curriculum and activities, as they help develop critical and creative thinking. They also enhance performance in non-arts academic subjects such as mathematics, science, reading, and writing; and strengthen students’ academic motivation, self-confidence, and ability to communicate and co-operate effectively.

We have two positions available within our English department: English Program Coordinator (EPC) and English Teacher Volunteer (ETV).

English Program Coordinator (EPC) will be responsible for further developing our curriculum, developing new lesson plans, incorporating fun and interactive activities, and teaching classes to students with a variety of learning skills. In addition, the English Coordinator is also in charge of managing the entire English program, as well as supervising and supporting any other English Teacher Volunteer (ETV) that may also be collaborating with us. The coordinator is also expected to continuously improve upon the structure, goals, and outcomes of the program, which means that this position offers a great deal of freedom to incorporate new, fun, and innovative ways of teaching.

English Teacher Volunteers (ETV) receive support from the English Program Coordinator (EPC) and/or from an ETIV staff member (Director or Operations Manager) if a coordinator is not available at the time. While we welcome anyone interested in helping us with the English classes, we do prefer volunteers who have teaching certificates and/or previous teaching experience.