Job Discussion Forums

[kidkanada]

Can anyone recomend some volunteer organizations in China? Im having a hell of a time sorting through information on the net so any advice or links would be apreciated. If you have volunteered before i would like to hear about it too. Thanks.

[Taishan]

I don't want to put you off volunteer work as it's a useful thing. BUT beware of where you are being sent and what institution you will work for before you go.
Avoid most of eastern China except the extreme north. Also obviously keep aweay from big cities. There are very poor rural areas that DO really need volunteers, if a volunteer organisation gives you a posting in a certain place, find out about the place for yourself by asking everyone about it on this message board. Can this place afford foreign teachers? If so they should pay and your time would be better spent somewhere that really needs it. A Chinese boss could well be making money out of your hard work.
Sometimes volunteers can find themselves in awkward situations if they get a bad posting, when they meet other foreigners earning 3000-5000RMB a month. You'll feel like you are being ripped off and so will the people already teaching in that area as you are willing to work for very much less than them or nothing, so they cannot compete with you in the job market . Some may be married and looking to settle down in that area, so may be even be a little hostile towards someone undercutting them.
Think about this, how poor is China, now with an ecomomy growing at approx 8% a year for over the last the last ten years? Would India, Bangladesh or Nepal in fact be on average far poorer? Would you do volunteer work in Thailand? As the wealth there is similar to most of East China.
Personally I think the best thing would be for you to work in an orphanage as these institutions really need help and don't have much money. Also they are very rewarding places to work (ask Rhonda Place).
Good luck, I hope you find a worthwhile posting. I'm sure someone else will put you in the right direction, with some good contacts.

[davis]

:http://www.khamaid.org/about_kham/articles/chinese.htm
The Khan Aid Foundation
This is an out fit that helps Tibetans. They are connected to a Mr. Meng who is a wealthy Chinese Christian in Sichuan. He runs the Holy Love Foundation which provides for handicapped children. He's built a school for them and provides housing, medical services,etc. His e-mail is [email protected] I think his outfit is the real deal and not like some of the ads I've seen for volunteers (such as Sichuan Ruide and others) that are recruiters trying to scam free teachers at a big profit to themselves...Please do not volunteer to teach somewhere that can afford to pay the going rate of at least 3500 per month

[arioch36]

Couldn't agree more with Taishan (working in Qufu?)

Amity seems a group that tries to go where they are needed. Volunteering in the cities, any cities, is a scam. They all can afford you, and should pay. Then you can find what interests you nearbye. Unfortunately, in my experience in henan, at least, you usuall won't be given permission just to go teach where you want, where you feel needed. The province will only let you work in the schools that can aford you.

My experience in henan, at least. Still trying to work on this.

[Roger]

I can't see any moral rationale in helping China educate its rural hinterland's neglected folks. Even if you come here to earn what is rightfully yours you are being taken for a ride. You are never going to be teaching - you will merely lend your foreign face to whatever cause they advertise.

Khamaid used to recruit heavily overseas, but my Aussie friends gave this outfit a wide berth, saying they had little trust in it. Reason? A charity must win guanxi from corrupt authorities. Khamaid is named after a former TIbetan province, now part of Sichuan. YOu are not going to be working in TIbet - that's off limits for TEFLers.

Here is the email address of a 20-year TEFL veteran based in northern China:
[email protected]

Kevin Stuart is his name. He is teaching in the boonies for fun - ask him!

[NumberOneSon]