Volunteer and gap year schools assistant placements
Secondary school students appreciate the friendship and support of others close to their own age. As a Schools Assistant you will become a trusted confidant, mentor, big brother or sister, tutor, and inspiration to many students, particularly boarders living a long way from family. Each school will have specific duties that will become your responsibility. These usually involve a combination of boarding house duties, providing support to teachers in the classroom and undertaking after-school activities such as sports coaching. Additionally, if you have skills or interests in a certain area – be it debating, painting, acting or juggling – use your initiative and find a way to share it with your students!
Available in:
Argentina
School’s Assistant
Our Teaching Assistant volunteers work in a range of welcoming schools throughout Argentina. As an assistant, you will work alongside local teachers, helping students with a number of duties inside the classroom. Assistants work with kindergarten, primary or secondary school children, often helping students to improve their English language skills. By talking to children in English, you will help them put into practice the skills they have already learnt in class, while introducing them to a real-life example of your culture!
As well as helping with the children’s academic progress, you will also become an active member of staff, helping with playground supervision and accompanying students on trips and excursions. These are placements where you will also have the flexibility to bring some of your own personality to your role. The children are often very excited to have a Lattitude volunteer in their school, and any after school clubs or activities you decide to set up are likely to be a big hit!
Overview
Placement duration:
Departure months:
Minimum age:
Food included:
Accommodation:
Pocket money:
4 months
Mar & Aug
18
Yes
Yes
No
Australia
School’s Assistant
As a Teaching Assistant in one of our traditional boarding school placements in Australia, you will help with a range of duties and activities. Most of our Teaching Assistant placements are in boarding schools, so part of your job will involve looking after students in their boarding houses. During school hours your duties can include tutoring pupils on a one-to-one basis, helping with PE lessons and getting involved in extracurricular activities depending on your skills and interests. School life varies week on week, and you may also be asked to accompany groups on school trips and excursions such as swimming, surfing, snorkelling and overnight bushwalks! Sometimes your hosts might need you to help with more general maintenance duties, such as administration, cleaning and even chopping wood… so you’ll definitely have enough going on to keep you busy!
These placements suit volunteers with a variety of interests. It may be sports, music, drama, arts and crafts or whatever. Host schools love volunteers that are enthusiastic about their interests and get stuck in with school life!
School’s Assistant (Indigenous)
Alongside our traditional Teaching Assistant placements in Australia, we also offer volunteering opportunities in boarding schools that cater for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. Lattitude volunteers who work in these Indigenous communities get the opportunity to see a side to Australia that is a world away from the stereotypes of Australian society!
The main difference between these placements and their more traditional counterparts is that for students, English may be their 2nd or even 3rd language. Subjects on offer will therefore be similar to traditional schools, but there will be an increased focus on improving literacy and numeracy skills. These schools also often aim to incorporate Aboriginal beliefs and traditions into daily life. Aside from teaching duties, as a volunteer you will also be kept busy with boarding duties and organising extracurricular activities!
Overview
Placement duration:
Departure months:
Minimum age:
Food included:
Accommodation:
Pocket money:
5 or 11 months
Jan & July
18
Yes
Yes
Yes
Canada
School’s Assistant
Our Schools Assistant volunteers in Canada work in day and boarding schools in, for example, Winnipeg and Tsawwassen. Your core duties will involve helping permanent staff in the classroom, which can mean helping to cater to different learning abilities or taking lessons when teachers are away. As well as helping with academic tutoring, our host schools aim to make the most of the skills of individual volunteers. So if you enjoy sports or music you will be put to good use in PE lessons or after schools clubs as well as participating in outdoor education activities and field trips.
If you are placed in one of our host boarding schools, you will also play an important role in supervising boarding houses. Given that pupils will often be living far from home, you will become an important presence and role model for children within the school!
Overview
Placement duration:
Departure months:
Minimum age:
Food included:
Accommodation:
Pocket money:
12 months
Jan,Mar,Jun,Sep
17
Yes
Yes
Yes
New Zealand
School’s Assistant
Lattitude Schools Assistants in New Zealand have varied roles in our host schools around the country. You will either be placed in a day or boarding school, and will mainly be responsible for providing classroom assistance to permanent staff. This could mean providing one-on-one learning support to students or helping teachers to prepare and lead lessons. Aside from these teaching duties, you will also help in other areas of school life.
If you are placed in a boarding school, for example, your role will involve helping out in the boarding house during the evenings and, in some cases, at weekends. Students living far from home enjoy activities organised by Lattitude volunteers, and your presence will provide a role model for younger students. In day schools, you will also have the opportunity to take part in activities outside the classroom, such as after-school sports clubs and school trips.
Overview
Placement duration:
Departure months:
Minimum age:
Food included:
Accommodation:
Pocket money:
5,11 months
Jan & July
17
Yes
Yes
Yes
Poland
School Assistant
Our School Assistants in Poland could be working in one of many hosts including a public kindergarten in Nadarzyn, in the suburbs of Warsaw. A normal nursery during term time, this school also opens its doors to children during the summer; a service greatly appreciated by local parents. Working with groups of no more than 20 children, you will help to care for young learners between the ages of two and six.
Alongside qualified members of staff, you will help to organise and run activities both indoors and out as well as teaching three classes of English per week. This placement is ideal for volunteers who would like to gain experience of working with nursery children while living and working in one of Eastern Europe’s most fascinating countries!
Overview
Placement duration:
Departure month:
Minimum age:
Food included:
Accommodation:
Pocket money:
4-5 months
Jan-Feb / Sep
17
Yes
Yes
No
