- Taiwan's English Teaching Volunteer Service Program marks its 20th year, welcoming 418 youth volunteers from 22 countries for training at Asia University, Taichung.
- Volunteers aged 17–24 will teach English and engage in cultural exchange at 68 junior high and elementary schools across Taiwan until August 1.
- The program has hosted nearly 10,000 global volunteers since inception, benefitting close to 50,000 Taiwanese students with improved English skills and cross-cultural exposure.
A government-funded overseas youth program aged 17 to 24, which provides volunteer English teaching training and cultural exchange, has kicked off at Asia University in Taichung and will continue until Aug. 1, said event organizers.
This year celebrates the 20th anniversary of the English Teaching Volunteer Service Program, where a total of 418 foreign youth volunteers from 22 countries will gather, as a joint statement released by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), the Ministry of Education, and the Hakka Affairs Council said.
Such countries are the United States, Canada, Britain, various European and African countries, New Zealand, Australia, and others in Asia, according to the statement. The program was initiated with an online opening ceremony at the Taichung university as Typhoon Danas struck Taiwan.
The volunteers at Asia University receive rigorous training offered by the K-12 Education Administration in practical teaching techniques including language teaching methods, cross-cultural communications, classroom management and lesson planning, the statement stated.
Following the training session, volunteers will travel to 68 junior high and elementary schools in Taiwan to conduct two weeks of English classes and cultural exchange. The objective is to enhance students' motivation towards learning languages and increase their practical English proficiency, the statement added.
After the completion of the program, the volunteers will go on a cultural tour to gain greater knowledge about Taiwan's natural scenery and cultural diversity, it said.
Since its launch, the program has attracted a maximum of 10,000 youth volunteers from around the globe, serving altogether nearly 50,000 students in Taiwan's elementary and junior high schools, the statement said.
