China Study Abroad

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Volunteer Programs

China Study Abroad is very proud to present its China volunteer program. Whether your interest is in human rights, environmentalism, teaching in rural areas or poverty alleviation, China Study Abroad can place you in the correct environment for you to make the most of your passion and individual skill-set.

In general, most volunteers are placed in English-teaching positions throughout China. Speaking English is a great commodity in China but is unavailable to the impoverished. However, for those of you with passion for specific projects, and with the resume to match, we would be happy to place you with an organization working in your particular area of interest. We have placed students with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and agencies for human rights, environmental conservation, and poverty alleviation. Whether you have a weekend or a summer, we will find the service project that best fits your needs. These positions can be highly competitive, but we do successfully place our students as interns at various NGOs and charitable organizations.

Our volunteer programs are very flexible. Many volunteers choose to study in one of the cities serviced by China Study Abroad and then take a trip to the more rural areas to volunteer in between semesters, during national holidays, or after they’ve completed their studies. Also, China Study Abroad offers various opportunities to volunteer during your stay in China, even if your main priority is learning Mandarin. One such activity is the Beijing tree-planting program. Many of our summer Mandarin students also signed up to volunteer for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. We believe that one of the best ways to improve one’s Chinese is through cross-cultural interaction, which is promoted through service.

Those of you solely looking for volunteer work must fill out an application and pay the application fee. After that, any fees or possible stipends vary depending upon the agency or organization that you are placed with. If you do a dual volunteer and Mandarin learning program with China Study Abroad, you will only be responsible for paying the Mandarin learning portion; placement with the volunteer program will be free of charge.

Adopt a School

Everywhere you turn there seems to be an article or news broadcast discussing China's miraculous economic growth and its headlong plunge into modernization. While much of this is true, these dramatic changes have yet to reach the majority of Chinese people. China's east coast cities are becoming increasingly affluent, yet only a few hours train ride to the west of Beijing lies a very differnet story. Poverty, pollution, and corruption are only some of the problems. While it is easy to become overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation there are still things that can be done to help. An issue that is close to the hearts of all that work here at CSA is education. While most children in China attend school for at least several years, this education can often vary a good deal in quality. Many schools do not have the resources most of us take for granted in the West, or even what is available in big cities like Beijing.

In an attempt to improve language abilities, provide cross-cultural interaction and build lasting relationships, CSA has embarked on its Adopt a School Program. Although not yet ready to invite volunteers, CSA is working hard to introduce this valuable project in the near future. We are in the process of selecting an appropriate school in a rural area of Shandong province 3 hours by train from Beijing. Soon we hope to invite our program participants to volunteer their time teaching at this school. The teaching can come in the form of English lessons, cultural lessons, or a project of your own. With regualr visits, we hope to make a lasting and recognizable different on both the young students and our volunteers.

Check back here for new developments. If you have any questions or want to know how you can contribute, please email us at info@ChinaStudyAbroad.org