Volunteer English Teacher

Location: Athens, Greece

Volunteer Status: Full-time position (evening shifts or a shift schedule may be required).

Starting Date: Immediately

Duration: Minimum of 3 months.

About Better Days Better Days

was founded in January 2016 in response to the influx of refugees in Lesvos, Greece. Our first project was the Olive Grove, an unofficial camp adjacent to Moria camp that supported the needs of thousands of people passing through Lesvos. During its first six months of operation, Better Days and its partners provided aid (medical, food, shelter, and non-food items) to approximately 70,000 people. Since the Olive Grove, Better Days has implemented more than ten projects providing services, including legal aid, recreational activities, non-formal education, and counseling support. Today, we focus on providing an integrated approach to education through educational and psychosocial support services for displaced young people to enhance their opportunities for personal development, academic growth, and independence. Our new Gekko educational center in Athens, which we launched this past June, will offer access to quality personalized education and psychosocial support services to displaced young adults (15-24 years old) in a safe, trauma-informed, and dignified learning space.

Chronology of projects:

• The Olive Grove, 2015-2016: Moria Camp emergency response, sheltering, food & NFI distribution, medical aid.
• Community Support Program, 2015-Ongoing: Financial support for students.
• Elpida Home, 2016-2017: Recreational programming for adults and minors, info point, food and NFI distribution.
• Medical & Legal Intervention Project, Moria Camp, Lesvos, 2016-2017: Medical aid and legal info for vulnerable asylum-seeking adults.
• Gekko Kids, Lesvos 2017-2022: Non-formal educational programs.
• EcoHub, Lesvos, 2017-2020: Sustainable ecological garden with vocational training and ecological literacy for children and adults.
• TAPUAT, Lesvos 2017-2019: Non-formal educational programming, activities for minors, child protection, trauma support.
• Gekko X, Lesvos 2019-2020: STEAM curriculum, exhibitions, blended learning, e-learning.
• Central Triage Pharmacy, Moria Camp, Lesvos 2020: Medicine provision, Covid19 response.
• Socrates, Lesvos 2019-2020: Sports and development, SEL pedagogy, football sessions, trauma support.
• Gekko, Athens 2023-Ongoing: Non-formal educational programs.

About Gekko

Gekko was conceived by Better Days on Lesvos in May 2017 to challenge existing models of education in emergencies by integrating high-quality education with mental health and psychosocial support services in a dignified, trauma-aware environment. Gekko operations in Lesvos reached optimal capacity in 2019-20 with 915 registered students and 452 psychosocial support sessions. Due to interconnected factors including Covid-19, the fire that destroyed Moria camp, and the implementation of closed, securitized camps on the islands, we expanded our projects to mainland Greece.

Displaced young people in Athens are in need of services that lie at the heart of Gekko: trauma-aware psychosocial support integrated with high-quality, individualized education. Thus, Gekko in Athens was born. Our summer pilot program (50 students) launched in July 2023, and the full-scale project (120 students) in fall 2023. Gekko offers a safe learning environment for 15-24-year-olds who are experiencing displacement and serves as a space where they can offload their troubles and fight for their dreams. We aim to reduce the barriers students face and pave the path to quality education and accreditation.

Working with Better Days

Better Days is a small and dynamic organization looking to collaborate with people who are passionate about humanitarian work, understand its risks and complexities, and are interested in investing in their role long-term. We are a quality-driven organization determined to provide grassroots, holistic, and effective solutions to support the integration and de-victimization of displaced communities in Europe, focusing on refugee education and empowerment of youth. Our colleagues come from all over the world, and our official Communication language is English. The ideal candidate will be inducted for two weeks and trained during probation. At the end of a third month’s contract, the candidate is expected to participate in Better Days’ Volunteers Survey and Self-Assessment, which is part of their volunteer evaluation.

Role Description

The ideal candidate(s) will have experience teaching English as a foreign/second language and will possess a strong understanding of or passion for the context in which we work. The right candidate should be prepared to teach students with exceptionalities and from diverse backgrounds and to work in a multicultural environment. They must be comfortable working with adolescents and young adults with different learning needs and diverse educational backgrounds.

Main Responsibilities

• Support with Curriculum design and development.
• Preparation of syllabus, lesson plans, assignments and teaching material for all educational levels.
• Gathering and submission of data, i.e. maintain daily attendance, collect student feedback.
• Support with School Administration when required.
• Teaching in various size groups and one-on-one tutoring.
• In-person and online teaching as requested.
• Monitor and assess students’ progress as per student’s individual plan and report to the Academic Coordinator in planned intervals.

Requirements

• Qualified in teaching and/or Certification in English language teaching (TEFL/TESOL/CELTA or equivalent).
• Advanced IT skills (G Suite: Docs, Sheets, Drive, Canva, Slack).
• Passionate about working with displaced children and youth.
• Previous volunteer/humanitarian experience.

Additional Requirements

• Proficiency in other languages (Greek, French, Dari, Pashto, Urdu, Arabic) will be considered a plus.
• Qualifications in Special Ed/Multicultural/Inclusive Education and Social Pedagogy will be considered a plus.
• Previous experience delivering educational activities to vulnerable people, displaced populations, and/or people with exceptionalities will be considered a plus.
• Personality characteristics: Positive, Flexible, Versatile and Resourceful, Compassionate, and open to new learning.