Volunteer Teaching Program in Fiji, Coral Coast

• Participate in a project to teach a project on the beautiful island of Fiji!
• Help the young population in rural and urban areas
• Learn different teach methods and techniques
• Make a worthwhile contribution to the education of children
• Be part of a relaxed working environment

To book an activity with us we require you to participate for a minimum of two weeks. Therefore, you would need to book a quantity of two for this activity, unless you choose a separate activity to go with it. See the ‘Related trips…’ section for more options. We also offer a cultural immersion week, so talk to us if you would like to add this too, as it is a great way of settling in, learning cultural aspects of the country you are visiting and meeting new people.

Teaching Project in Fiji

Fiji has over 700 primary schools and 150 secondary schools spread across both the public and private sectors. Most expats send their children to private schools, with the majority selecting the international schools located in either Sigatoka or Nadi. Public schools in Fiji are open to expat enrolment but are rarely used due to somewhat erratic educational standards. Furthermore, parents are often reluctant to send students to these schools as they find the curriculum one-sided and children who regularly move in and out of school systems may find the experience limited. While public schools are theoretically mixed-race, socio-economic issues and the geographic distribution of ethnic groups mean that, in practice, the schools often comprise a single race. In many villages, there will be a small school with teachers doing their best to serve the students spread across a variety of educational levels.

Fiji is a country in much need of external help, especially with its young population. You will experience life in both the rural and urban areas, which is quite different from the average journey followed by a tourist. Most locals on Fiji can’t afford to travel and in the villages there is little chance of contact with the outside world. The teaching you deliver will enable students to form relationships with someone from another culture and the teachers can learn different teaching methods and techniques. You will mainly assist the regular school teacher, so you do not need to have any teaching background.

The children in Fiji are in desperate need of two types of teachers, those with experience and those without, we have found both can make a very significant and worthwhile contribution. The experienced teacher will find the freedom to be creative and design their own lesson plans, a refreshing change for some of our more mature participants, who tell us it takes them back to the “good old days”. Those with less or no experience will have whatever support and guidance is needed from our Teaching Centre, a relaxed environment matching the Fijian way of doing things, but with up to date teaching methods from experienced teachers.

Criminal Records Check
We require you to complete a criminal records check in order to take part in this experience. We can accept those that have been done in the last two years if you have the certificate. In the UK it can be done through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), in the USA further details can be found on Travel.State.Gov, otherwise please search for your local service provider. We may also request a reference from a reliable source. You must supply these to us before departure and also take a copy with you to present to the in-country team.

Why do we require a criminal background check?
1) Ensuring a safe environment is conducive to learning, productivity and overall positive experiences for everyone involved.

2) We implement thorough screening processes and we are committed to safety and integrity, fostering trust among participants and the local community.

3) Conducting background checks serves as a preventive measure, deterring individuals with questionable backgrounds from attempting to participate in our programme.

4) Safeguards vulnerable people from potential harm within the programme.

Start dates are every week of the year with your activities starting on a Monday. We therefore request you arrive on Sunday between 06:00 – 18:00 where we will meet you. Early or late arrivals will incur an additional charge for the transfer and/or accommodation.

Your trip will finish on the Saturday morning when you will need to vacate the accommodation.

Aims & Objectives

The objective is to teach and educate the different age group of children in different levels. The participants educate the children in different ways, as they feel fit.

Schedule
Monday to Friday

You may choose to focus on music, arts and crafts or any expertise which you already have. You will teach primary school students. As a teaching assistant, you will follow a customised timetable. You will be spending part of your day in a formal teaching setting and you will therefore have to follow the Fijian Ministry of Education’s formal dress code.

Program Activities

• Planning lessons
• Doing crafts
• Computer classes
• Conversation
• English language teaching
• Level exams
• Dynamic activities

This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Additional Requirements

We have a dress code for teaching which is formal tops with sleeves, collar and skirts below the knees for the females and a shirt and formal sulu (Traditional wear for Fijian males)/long pants for males. Participant above 16 and below 18 are required to present a parental consent letter and participants below 16 are required to be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

Additional Equipment

• Personal Medicines
• Tidy clean clothes for formal occasions

Location

Coral Coast is the coastline connecting Suva and Sigatoka stretching over a large area along the Southeast coast of Fiji. The location is perfect, sitting along a beautiful stretch of coastline, and has the best beaches on the island with a chilled out atmosphere. The area lives up to its reputation as a spot for adrenaline junkies, offering a wide variety of activities to get your heart racing, from surfing and shark feeding to four-wheel-drive tours. For a more laid-back experience try a round of golf on the championship course, or enjoy a spot of fishing. Offering lush rainforests, rivers and waterfalls at your back door and a beach looking across to Beqa Island which is world-famous for fire walking.

Accommodation & Food
About the Accommodation

Participants will stay at our beachfront centre which is located in the Sigatoka area, yet it can vary depending on the project you are enrolled with. The accommodation is dorm style with a private bathroom. There are refrigerators at the accommodation for the participant’s convenience. The house has a garden as well as a volleyball court.

Available Room Types

* Three meals per day during weekdays and two per day on weekends and public holidays
** Water, tea, coffee and milk
*** At an additional fee

Food Arrangements

We serve breakfast and dinner at a normal time during the weekend. Breakfast is western style and lunch and dinner are typical Fijian style.

Facilities

• ATM’s: There are many ATM’s near the Centre which is about a 5 to 10 minutes from the house
• The local supermarket is a 5-minute walk from the centre
• Personal SIM card for your mobile: You can buy at the local shop
• The closest City is Nadi about one and a half ride by car/bus from our Centre
• The closest town is Sigatoka town which is 10 mins away
• About 10 mins to Medical Centre

Mandatory Orientation Day

On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Schedule

• Welcome, introduction to Fiji and projects, House rules, Code of Conduct and handling of documents
• Sigatoka City Tour
• Kava Ceremony – The Traditional Fijian Welcome Ceremony

Activities & Events

No scheduled activities outside the program.

Sights & Surroundings

• Sigatoka sand dunes
• Kila Eco Adventure Park: enjoy high rope course, a leap of faith and a giant swing
• Scuba and snorkelling
• Tavuni Hill Fort
• Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course
• Sigatoka Market
• Arts Village at Pacific Harbour: Enjoy the footbridges, the water-lily ponds, the pathways, the Fijian bure and experience how life was in the olden days which is one and hour drive

Transportation

From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.

Accommodation

Participants will stay at our beachfront centre which is located in the Sigatoka area. Accommodation is dorm style with a private bathroom. Shared rooms (4-6 people per room); Basic but comfortable; Communal areas for socialising and relaxation designed with an authentic Fijian style; garden; volleyball court; internet access in communal areas.

Food

3 meals a day are provided on weekdays, and then 2 meals per day on weekends; breakfast is western style and lunch and dinner are typical Fijian style.

Airport Transfer

Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you are arriving early/late. Accommodation surcharges apply for those arriving on Saturday. From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.

Training

A full orientation and project induction takes place. You will also receive full training relevant to your volunteer role.

Support

Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.

Donation

Part of your fee is used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. If you wish to bring further donation, please make sure that this is in the form of equipment and not monetary donations.

• Flights
• Travel Insurance
• Visas; Vaccinations
• Spending money
• In country travel
• Laundry service
• Extra activities not on itinerary
• Departure transfer

Preferred Duration

There is no preferred duration but we believe that the longer you can stay the more you will experience and benefit.

Pre-requisites

No prior experience or qualifications are required, but an interest in teaching and/or working with children, and a desire to help others through education is required. It is important that you can speak English. All participants require a CRB check to take part in the project activities and will need to provide insurance and a copy of their passport.

Ideal for

Teaching Volunteer Holidays and Placements in Fiji; Community Work and Activity Breaks in Fiji; Volunteer Gap Years and Career Breaks in Oceania; and Student Summer Holidays on the Coral Coast, Fiji.

Suitable for ages 18 to 80

Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community.