Job Discussion Forums

[Perilla]

This is a long shot, but here goes ...

A close friend mine is interested in doing some volunteer EFL/ESL tuition in Liverpool, which is where he lives. He's an arts graduate and in his 30s, with a range of working experience, but no teaching as yet.

Basically, he's interested in taking a look at TEFL but doesn't want to commit money at this stage, so would be happy to do some p/t volunteer work at a language school or similar.

Does anyone know of a school (or contact/s) in Liverpool that might be interested?

Thanks.

[scot47]

You would not drive a bus for nothing ! Why is it okay to teach for nothing ? Voluntary work is not the way to go. Reminds me of the boy painting the fence in Mark Twain's story.

[Perilla]

Not teaching ... no no no. Conversation practise, that sort of stuff ... nothing stressful ...

[HLJHLJ]

Liverpool has a very active and relatively organised volunteer scene, I'd suggest http://www.volunteercentreliverpool.org.uk as a first stop. Their website is hit and miss, but if you phone they have a huge amount of information. There's several refugee centres and networks who would likely be glad of some assistance.

More specifically there is the Missionaries of Charity, their admin centre is in Seel Street, at least it used to be. They run a soup kitchen and run English conversation classes as well. I guess it would be pretty challenging work, but if you are going to work for free, you may as well do it for the people who can't pay, rather than the ones who just don't want to.

For something a bit less hardcore, the Granby Toxteth Development Trust are always looking for volunteers, and again they run conversation classes.

Or he could just ask a Liverpool Community College if he could help out in lessons, they run EFL classes all over the city. But the staff are underpaid and overworked and usually thoroughly disillusioned with work, life and and the world in general. So it might not be a very inspiring choice.

[Perilla]

Tks HLJHLJ. Actually, I did try emailing LCC's EFL section twice, but no reply. Maybe they are too busy ... and maybe, as you say, it's not the best place to work. I don't think my bro's enthusiasm will stretch to the Missionaries of Charity, but will take a look. He's already in touch with the Volunteer Centre. Liverpool is a difficult place to find any sort of work these days - perhaps even worse than in the early 90s when I was there.

[HLJHLJ]

I know what you mean about the job situation, I also couldn't find work there in the 1990's (that was the first time I left) and it's why we've ended up in Ecuador now. Though to be fair I don't think Liverpool has been hit any worse than the rest of the North, it is bad all over at the moment.

GTDT might be a happy medium for him though
http://www.gtdt.co.uk/html/volunteering.html

It's a nice centre and very much appreciated in the area. The staff are enthusiastic too, and people go because they want to learn, not because they are obligated or desperate.

Otherwise, he could try checking the noticeboards at his local library and community centre, or even some of the big supermarkets. There may be small local charities offering free/very cheap classes who would be glad of some help.

[kotoko]

There are two language schools in Liverpool as far as I know (I was at uni there for 4 years). The first is connected to Liverpool John Moores University. It's recently opened and since it is connected with the university, you can probably gain advice from the TESOL teachers from there (many of whom have been poached to work at the school). I have no idea what the school is actually called but a quick search would give you the info.

The other one is LILA (Liverpool International Language Academy) which I worked at for a short time. The website is here http://www.liverpoolila.com/ A great and friendly place to work at, so if you send them off an email I'm sure they could help you.

[Madame J]

I'm looking to do something similar in Oxford, and have so far been simply amazed by the lack of opportunity. With the amount of immigrants in the city who are unlikely to be able to afford a course at a language centre I'd have thought plenty of community centres would welcome enquiries from those willing to teach for free, but it appears not.

[Perilla]

Thanks all for the feedback. Nothing in the way of progress to report yet though. Oxford's a funny place - plenty of highly educated, highly paid yet many poorly paid, poorly educated. Ditto, fancy historic buildings and run-down council estates.