Start date
September 29, 2025

End date
February 23, 2026

Duration
21 weeks

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Activity/project background

Teacher training universities in Ukraine prepare highly qualified, skilled, and ethical educators who can effectively contribute to advancement of the education sector. The universities seek to enhance the intellectual potential of the nation, respond to modern challenges, and use every opportunity to get the expected results. To meet those goals, they hold seminars for schoolteachers to gain in-service opportunities that enhance their professional skills and allow them to collaborate with other educational establishments both in Ukraine and abroad.

Two teacher training universities in Ukraine each seek the support of a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to engage university students in cross-cultural learning and discussions in English. Each VSPP will co-teach a group of 15-20 students. The universities seek to systemically improve their English language learning, aligning instruction with the needs of learners, labor market demands, and societal expectations. The engagement will promote wider use of English, enhance competitiveness, and strengthen Ukraine’s appeal for investment and international collaboration. Universities will be assigned during orientation.

Online sessions will take place once a week for each group of students and will be co-facilitated with the counterpart. The weekly activities will help both students and teachers enhance their command of English, increase students’ confidence in using the language for professional growth, and develop cross-cultural competencies.

The organizations have previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer.

Engagement and tasks

The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:

• Co-develop learning resources that incorporate U.S. culture to improve students’ fluency, confidence, and cultural understanding
• Co-design English club session plans with clear policies, procedures, resources, and outcomes
• Co-teach a 75-minute virtual English club session each week for a group of 15-20 university students
• Co-assess conducted sessions, identifying learning objectives and appropriate communicative activities for future sessions
  
  

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5-15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be 5 hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Ukraine time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The Host Country Counterpart will have access to email, Zoom, and WhatsApp for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0-18), two adults must be present.

Optional Additional Activities

The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:

• To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
• To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
• To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
  
  

Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.

Essential Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in any field

Experience: 1 year of TEFL/TESOL in the U.S. or abroad

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually