Volunteer as a teaching assistant in a very friendly college in Bangkok, helping to teach English to students aged from 15-21 years old.

About the College

The college is located in outer Bangkok and is a large vocational college with over 4,000 students. The students are aged from 15-21 years old, mainly female, studying a variety of subjects including computer science, marketing, accounting, and secretarial skills.

Your role and a typical week

Your role will be to work alongside the English teachers at the college. The college teachers will be responsible for preparing, teaching and managing the classes and your role is to join in the lessons and help the students to practise English as much as possible.

The students are extremely friendly and inquisitive and having native English speakers in the classes generates a lot of excitement and fun! It is hoped that this will really spark their interest to learn more English. It is also a great opportunity to learn more about each other's culture.

As it is a big college there are often activities such as exhibitions and festivals and you are encouraged to attend and participate in these.

You will work for around 5 hours per day from Monday-Thursday, leaving you long weekends to explore Bangkok and the surrounding areas.

Lifestyle and accommodation

The college is in an excellent location for exploring Bangkok, not far from Bangkok's 'Sky Train' system, so very easy to travel into the centre of Bangkok and visit the temples, palaces and other sights there, enjoy the nightlife or just go shopping!

With long weekends free to explore, there are some fantastic options all within a few hours of Bangkok. Popular choices include the beaches on the island of Koh Samet, visiting the ancient city and temples of Ayuthaya, and the Bridge over the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi.

The teachers at the college will help to provide suggestions for places to visit and activities to do, both locally and further afield. The college is also keen for small groups of students to show you some sights at the weekends - a chance for them to practise their English!

We organise your accommodation for the first month, located just a few minutes walk from the college. It is based in a hotel / apartment building and you will have a very comfortable room with air conditioning, TV and fridge. The building also has a roof garden to relax in. If you are staying longer than a month you can continue to stay here (approx £120 per month) or there are more basic options from £60 a month. Homestays can also be arranged.

What's included

• A comprehensive information booklet
• Travel advice and assistance prior to departure
• Being met on arrival at Bangkok airport
• Introduction to the college and the area
• Introduction to Thai language and culture
• Accommodation for 1 month (can be extended)
• Support from the teaching staff at the college

What's not included

Flights (£400-£500), travel insurance, visa (£45), accommodation after the first month (£60-£120 per month), food and general living costs (£50-£75 per week).

The benefit and requirements

For the Thai people, good English means good opportunities. Many of these students will go on to jobs where English will be needed and help them to progress.

In the classes there are often large student numbers so it makes a big difference to have teaching assistants who can help the students to practise English. It's also a great opportunity for cultural exchange.

There is no need to have any previous teaching experience, just lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Next steps and how to apply

Please contact us if you would like to discuss the placement, or go to the how to apply section where you can apply online or download an application form. For views from past volunteers see our testimonials.