Atlas Corps English Teaching Fellowship

The Atlas Corps Teaching Fellowship is an English teaching opportunity in Colombia for emerging professionals. This opportunity is a collaboration between Atlas Corps, Heart for Change, Volunteers Colombia, the Ministry of Education, and el Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA).

Through this collaboration, our mission is to facilitate the development of a prosperous Colombia where children and youth have the opportunity to receive a high-quality bilingual education. It is Colombia’s largest bilingual program. In its first year, 350 Fellows taught alongside 1,050 Colombian teachers, strengthening English education for nearly 98,000 public high school students in 33 cities. Today Fellows teach English in 38 different Colombian cities.

Atlas Corps Teaching Fellows learn leadership skills in an international context while advancing English language skills in Colombian youth. The benefits of this prestigious fellowship include a living stipend, health insurance, general and TEFL teacher training, ongoing professional development, and engagement in the global Atlas Corps network of over 500 leaders from 80+ countries!

Eligibility Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• English language skills, at native language proficiency or C1 level equivalent. We require English level proof for non-native speakers in the form of test results of an accredited English exam. We do not accept TEFL or CELTA certificates as proof of English level. Below are the qualifying scores for different widely used English tests/certifications:
  • Cambridge: C1+
  • TOEFL: 95+
  • TOEFL ITP: 627+
  • IELTS: 6.5+
• Spanish language skills, at basic level or higher (we encourage all levels of Spanish to apply)
• Interest and enthusiasm for serving in an educational environment (we will provide the methodology, you provide the inspiration and energy)
• Age range of applicants is 21 to 50

Fellow Responsibilities:

• Teach 25 hours per week of English instruction, including individual teaching, in some cases co-teaching with a local Colombian English instructor, and conversation clubs
• Participate in a two-way learning process about 15 hours per week to improve English proficiency, which may also include administrative activities, such as lesson planning, meetings with fellow teachers, paperwork, etc.
• Attend local partners training days, for which scheduling will coordinate with the placement site
• Develop reports and follow up processes as the supervisor requires
Before arrival pay a Program Deposit (normally $400 but subject to change), which will be returned upon successful completion of the candidate contract
• Applicants must pay for their own travel to and from Colombia

Benefits:

• Two-week orientation in Bogotá, Colombia
• Visa and Colombian ID
• Colombian medical insurance
• Training in pedagogy, including extensive TEFL training
• Transportation from Bogotá to your placement city
• 1,500,000 Colombian Peso (COP) monthly stipend
• 24/7 support from Regional Coordinators
• Co-teaching with experienced Colombian English teachers
• Certificate of program completion
• Bonus upon completion of the program

In addition, Atlas Corps offers concrete professional development opportunities to our English Teaching Fellows, such as access to our network of over 500 leaders from 80+ countries, live-streaming of the VIP speakers at our Global Leadership Lab, and participation in our professional development webinars.

Placement:

• Participants will work at locations throughout Colombia. Placement cities for 2017 include: Bogotá, Medellín, Armenia, Manizales, Pereira, Ibagué, Cali, Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Villavicencio, Valledupar, Bucaramanga, Buga, Pasto, Popayán, Villa de Leyva, Neiva, Palmira, Itagui, Caldas and a number of small towns.
• Applicants will learn more about specific city placements during the application process. We encourage applicants to be flexible.
Program Support:
• Volunteers Colombia and Heart for Change staff will support the participants throughout the entire program, including facilitating as needed conversations between Fellow and placement staff.
• Orientation Week includes: training on English teaching techniques and logistics related to living in Colombia (visa, identification, bank accounts, mobile phones, and more)
• Volunteers Colombia and Heart for Change staff will check in with participants regularly, and will do site visits to make sure the program is running smoothly.
Important Details:
• Per this visa, the Colombian government does NOT allow full-time employment in Colombia. Other volunteer (unpaid) activities are permitted if they do NOT affect Fellowship commitments.
• Participants are required to be covered by valid medical and travel insurance for the duration of the program. Volunteers Colombia and Heart for Change only provide Colombian insurance through the program.
• Participants are required to purchase international health insurance. Neither Volunteers Colombia nor Heart for Change will be responsible for any medical or other expenses incurred by the participant, before, during, or after the program.

Collaborating Organizations

Atlas Corps (www.atlascorps.org) — Atlas Corps, started in 2006, is an international network of nonprofit leaders and organizations that promotes innovation, cooperation, and solutions to address the world’s 21st century challenges. Our mission is to address critical social issues by developing leaders, strengthening organizations, and promoting innovation through an overseas fellowship of skilled nonprofit professionals. Profiled as a “best practice” in international exchange by the Brookings Institution and World Economic Forum, featured in the Washington Post and Forbes as a model social entrepreneurship program, and recognized as a Top 10 International Voluntary Exchange Program by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy, Atlas Corps engages leaders committed to the nonprofit sector in 6 to 18 month, professional fellowships at organizations (like Ashoka, Peace Corps, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure), to learn best practices, build organizational capacity, and return home to create a network of global changemakers. Our network of Fellows includes over 400 nonprofit leaders from 75 countries and 150 Host Organizations.
Heart for Change (www.heartforchange.org)
Ministry of National Education in Colombia (www.mineducacion.gov.co)
Volunteers COLOMBIA (www.volunteerscolombia.org)

Application Process:

1. Online Application: All applications need to be submitted online. We will not accept applications via email or mail. You will need to create a login and you can save your responses so you can return to the application at any time. The application consists of background information, a personal biography, and a transcript or certificate.
2. Review Process: Applications will be reviewed by the Selection Board—a trained group of professionals that includes representatives from Atlas Corps, Volunteers Colombia and Heart for Change. Atlas Corps and our partners in Colombia will both conduct Skype Interviews. Our partners will then make their final recommendations to Atlas Corps, and Atlas Corps will notify the selected candidates.
3. Visa Process: After being selected, candidates will receive information about how to apply for a TP-1 visa online. Volunteers Colombia and Heart for Change will provide support in obtaining this visa.

DEADLINE to be considered - January 6, 2017

Do you want to impact, inspire and educate in Latin America?
Interested in international development and increasing social mobility?
Are you ready to join a global network of inspired individuals?

Now accepting applications for Summer (June/July) 2017 opportunities!
The exact dates have not yet been finalized.
We encourage you to apply early!

IYPORTAL, we’re dedicated to helping young people succeed. We open doors for youth with a holistic approach that emphasizes life skills in combination with a mix of technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship training. As a result, young people are prepared to enter the workforce, create their own opportunities, and be agents of change in their communities.