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| Is working and volunteering too strenuous? |
| Yes! I work way too many hours to then help for free! |
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| No! Once I clock out for the day, I have adequate free time that I could use for volunteering if I chose to do so. |
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| Total Votes : 3 |
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reaisan
Joined: 29 Oct 2010
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 Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: Volunteering and teaching: Where to find a non-profit?! |
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Hello!
I haven't moved to Korea yet. I finish my degree this December.
Does anyone know of some non-profits I could volunteer for once I get there? English-friendly?
Top interest is LGBTQ issues or children advocacy. My other interests include community development, international studies, English and poverty.
I am interested in moving to Ulsan, Busan, Incheon, Gwangju, or as close to Seoul as I possibly can. So, any non-profits/research opportunities you know of is much appreciated!
Thanks! |
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northway
Joined: 05 Jul 2010
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| Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm pretty sure it's technically illegal to do any volunteer work on an E-2. |
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blackjack
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: anyang
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| Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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| northway wrote: |
| I'm pretty sure it's technically illegal to do any volunteer work on an E-2. |
You just have to register it with immigration |
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reaisan
Joined: 29 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:17 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I don't think it's a big issue so long as it's unpaid and documented. I'm not really talking about the programs you see online where you pay for a trip to volunteer abroad or anything like that.
I'd like to work as a full-time teacher and then when I'm free, and for no compensation, help those in need. |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 4:26 am Post subject: |
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I live in Hwasun, which is a half hour bus ride from Gwangju.
If you decide on Gwangju, contact the Gwangju International Center:
http://www.gic.or.kr/eng/
[email protected]
They have a monthly magazine, Korean classes for speakers of English, and volunteer activities, including a group which meets every weekend to visit an orphanage.
If that isn't enough, the center is located in a neighborhood with a Dunkin Donuts, a Burger King, a Starbucks, and the largest bookstore in town.
I haven't volunteered at an orphanage here, but I have volunteered at orphanages in other places in Korea.
The down side is that the kids are difficult to control, so you might wish to ask a friend to go with you.
The up side is that the kids are hungry for adult attention, so they will be eager to learn English, music, or anything else you wish to teach them.
Last edited by tomato on Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:14 am; edited 1 time in total |
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plato's republic
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 6:25 am Post subject: |
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| It seems like most volunteering opportunities in Korea are centered around orphanages. Is there anything else out there that people can do e.g. working with migrants or the homeless? |
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Bibbitybop
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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| blackjack wrote: |
| northway wrote: |
| I'm pretty sure it's technically illegal to do any volunteer work on an E-2. |
You just have to register it with immigration |
Most people don't, either. During the oil cleanup, immi said no registration was needed. People who teach for free, like at an orphanage, have been told to register since it is teaching at a different location than your school. |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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| plato's republic wrote: |
| It seems like most volunteering opportunities in Korea are centered around orphanages. Is there anything else out there that people can do e.g. working with migrants or the homeless? |
Migrants, yes. There are a few migrant centers dotted around the country. Contact them to see what they have available. I'm just about to start counseling foreigners in labour/immigration problems, etc., etc. in a migrant centre so there are opportunities there.
As for working with the homeless, I'm not sure of specific centres for such things, but I know that PLUR have a twice weekly feed the homeless program in Seoul.
Other than that, there's lots of other stuff out there. You just have to look.
Last edited by morrisonhotel on Sun Nov 07, 2010 12:19 am; edited 1 time in total |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 8:12 pm Post subject: Re: Volunteering and teaching: Where to find a non-profit?! |
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| reaisan wrote: |
Hello!
I haven't moved to Korea yet. I finish my degree this December.
Does anyone know of some non-profits I could volunteer for once I get there? English-friendly?
Top interest is LGBTQ issues or children advocacy. My other interests include community development, international studies, English and poverty.
I am interested in moving to Ulsan, Busan, Incheon, Gwangju, or as close to Seoul as I possibly can. So, any non-profits/research opportunities you know of is much appreciated!
Thanks! |
There are plenty of different places that are English-friendly.
For community development and/or poverty, contact Saemaul Undong. They are a social welfare organisation that work in a number of different fields. They have branches dotted around the country. I've been developing my own welfare project under their guidance. When I first contacted them, they said that they would happily allow me to do what ever I wanted and they would support the things I wanted to do.
For English, there's plenty of places that offer free English classes. HOPE are the main organisation that do that sort of thing, but there's all kinds of community centres, churches, etc. that offer free English classes.
I don't know any specific LGBT organisations. I do know of some organisations that work in women's rights if you are interested? Not the same thing, I know, but still....
When you arrive in Korea, go to your local migrant workers centre. The one I volunteer in publishes a book with information on volunteering in the local area. Not sure if that's the case elsewhere but may well be worth checking out.
For international studies, that's a pretty big field. Here's a few organisations that I know that take on English speaking volunteers:
PSCORE (People for Successful COrean Reunificaiton) - http://www.pscore.org/
Citizen's Alliance for North Korean Human rights - http://eng.nkhumanrights.or.kr/main.htm.
Sarangbang - http://sarangbang.or.kr/eng/index.html
MINBYUN - http://minbyun.jinbo.net/english/index.htm
Asian Bridge - http://www.en.asianbridge.asia/
And, of course, there's an Amnesty International English speaking chapter in Seoul.
Finally, if you are interested in environmental issues:
http://www.koem.or.kr/english/info/purpose.asp.
There are other places, but I'd have to dig them out.
Also, note: you need to be able to get to Seoul during the week for most of the above. There is a lot out there. You just have to dig for it. |
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reaisan
Joined: 29 Oct 2010
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| Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2010 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Oh my goodness! This is a pleasant wealth of information to look into! Thank you so much! I am definitely interested in several of those you've mentioned particularly Saemaul Undong!
This isn't nearly as impossible as I first feared and am feeling great about the prospects.
While I have you all here, I wanted to know if you have heard of the government's TaLK program. This is the program I want to sign up for. I'm hoping that since it says I only have to teach 15 hours per week I have plenty of time to volunteer. Would I be wise to think that? |
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morrisonhotel
Joined: 18 Jul 2009
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: |
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| reaisan wrote: |
While I have you all here, I wanted to know if you have heard of the government's TaLK program. This is the program I want to sign up for. I'm hoping that since it says I only have to teach 15 hours per week I have plenty of time to volunteer. Would I be wise to think that? |
The issue with TaLK is that you are likely to be in the boonies. There's very little chance of being able to volunteer in the boonies (I live right out in the countryside and I have that issue). I have to go to Seoul and Suwon to do what I do. You can do research and proofreading with a couple of the organisations mentioned above over the net, but most will still require you to be able to go to the office once a week or so. If you're serious about doing volunteer work and being able to do more than just proofreading and teaching English, you really need to be near Seoul or, from what I can gather, Busan. If you wanted to work with Saemaul then they target rural poverty and rural development so in that instance you'd have plenty to do without having to be in a city. |
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toonchoon
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Location: Gangnam
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| Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 1:06 am Post subject: |
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volunteering on a E-2 visa is 110% legal and you do NOT need to register with immigration. volunteering, in this case means NOT getting paid. you actually can get paid and accept a stipend if you volunteer with some organizations, but the stipend is for transportation/food and not actual payment.
call immi and they may or may not give you the same info, depending who you speak to, but call the friendly folks at the Seoul Global Center, and they might tell you what you want to hear.
i see crap like this posted everywhere on this board, and it's uninformed losers like the one above that spread such useless information that makes other people NOT want to volunteer.
here's an article with some info...
http://10magazine.asia/3076/calling-all-volunteers/ |
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