Volunteering Projects in China

Volunteers will focus on conversational English. All schools in China have Chinese teachers of English to teach intensive English courses, the volunteers' English classes will supplement these. Please note that teaching certificates or previous experience is not required, however it will be a great advantage to your program if you have some certification.

In January/February, the program is closed for Chinese New Year Celebrations. There is no teaching available during the following school holiday times: Mid December to late February (Winter school break), May 1st to 7th (Labour Holiday), mid July to late August (Summer holidays), and October 1st to 7th (Chinese National Holiday).

You will fly into Beijing, then go to the the domestic departure lobby in the airport for your one hour flight to Yantai.  (If you do not have an onward ticket to Yanti, you can purchase this at Beijing airport - approximately US$70. There are 4 or 5 flights from Beijing to Yantai each day.) The China domestic departure tax is RMB50 (USD $7.00) and the international departure tax is RMB90 (about USD $13.00). Please note: 1 USD equals approximately 6 RMB yuan. When you arrive in Yantai you will be met by Jack Liu, our China partner, or one of his staff. From the airport you’ll be taken to your school and introduced to your hosts.

Your accommodation will most likely be on campus or near to your school in a basic room of 15-20 square meters. All the rooms are clean and comfortable, and some rooms have air-conditioning and TV. All rooms have a table, chair, and bed and you will have access to either a private or a shared bathroom with shower, etc. You will be able to have your meals in the dining hall or you can cook for yourself if you are located in an apartment off campus. You may be required to purchase your own meals; the school has a set budget to reimburse you for these.

You must be 18 years old and above. The upper age limit is 72.

Each GVN program has different criteria depending on our partner's requirements. Every application is reviewed to ensure that the minimum requirements (as set out on the program page) are met. Next we look to see what skills or experience you have that relate specifically to the program. We are also interested in any previous volunteer experience you may have (either local or international), travel experience, and your particular interest in the program.

After reviewing your application, should we require any further information from you, we will email you to request this.

If you arrive early or intend on staying on in China for longer than you are volunteering then you will need to have spare money for this time. Also some money may be required for your days off. Other costs include your flights (International and a domestic flight to Yantai City), visa, shots, travel insurance, departure tax and any shopping you will do personally.

China is considered one of the safest countries in the world for personal security. Serious crime against foreigners is relatively rare. Petty crime has increased in recent years, especially in and around the major cities and particularly in crowded areas such as transport stations, markets, shopping areas and sightseeing destinations. It is wise to be cautious with your personal possessions in public places. As in many countries, foreigners are perceived as wealthy in China. Although the people are generally warm and friendly towards foreigners, as well as appreciative of the work done by volunteers, not every individual is the same. We work extremely hard to ensure you are placed in safe environments while volunteering and security policies are in place to achieve this. However, as in any situation at home or abroad, there is no way to remove all potential threats.

Teaching resources are limited in China. if you would like to use particular teaching tools we would suggest you bring selected items from home. Limited photocopying facilities will be available.

In preparation for your teaching placement you may like to take a look the following book available (via Amazon). It comes highly recommended by past volunteers:
Lessons from Nothing : Activities for Language Teaching with Limited Time and Resources (Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers) by Bruce Marsland ISBN: .

Sinoculture Exchange and Director, Mr. Jack Liu, have been in partnership with GVN for a number of years. Our partner organization is an independent network operating in China with extensive contacts nationwide. Mr. Liu coordinates the placement of volunteers and native speakers of English to teach English as a foreign language in various educational institutions throughout the Shandong province.

Travel insurance is required for this program. You can arrange this personally or choose to purchase it though GVN. We have arranged a comprehensive travel insurance package specially designed for volunteering. It includes excellent medical and accident coverage as well as a ’loss of deposits’ cover which covers fees paid to GVN, airlines etc (up to US$8,000). If you would like to learn more just follow this link: .

Your application fee secures your place on the program (remember this is fully transferable to a later date or different program if you decide not to take part in the program, subject to the terms of service). Your program fee is payable to Global Volunteer Network 8 weeks prior to the 1st of the month you wish to volunteer. Please note that all charges incurred by the payment of the program fee are at the volunteer’s expense, e.g. if a bank transfer incurs a bank fee at the point of origin, that is at the expense of the volunteer. Eighty percent (80%) of your program fee is refundable until one calendar month before the 1st of the month you are due to begin your program. Refer to GVN's legal terms of service for full details.