Start date
May 25, 2026

End date
July 24, 2026

Duration
9 weeks

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

Activity/project background

University teachers in Ukraine aim to train students to become competitive professionals with strong English language proficiency, intercultural competence, and communication skills. Four teachers at various universities are interested in collaborating with Virtual Service Pilot Participants to host virtual summer camps to support this initiative.

The virtual summer camps will offer practical communication opportunities to groups of 20–25 university students. The camps will introduce a dynamic and emotionally positive interactive learning space where students can immerse themselves in deeper language practice and cultural exchange with a U.S. citizen. It will also provide opportunities for interactive discussions, collaborative and creative activities, that encourage speaking, exchange of opinions, enhance their fluency and build confidence empowering communication in English in the real-world life.

The four universities are requesting the support of one VSPP to support these virtual summer camps. They will collaborate with their counterparts to co-plan and co-teach a group of 20–25 students and will cover a range of topics such as cultural immersion, artificial intelligence, and global issues, etc., defined by students. During the engagement, the VSPP will co-teach eight 90-minute virtual sessions, conducted twice per week for four weeks, will be co-facilitated with the Ukrainian counterparts, enhancing students’ linguistic abilities, cultural awareness, and motivation while also providing professional development opportunities for the Ukrainian counterparts.

These organizations have not 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-design eight English club session outlines with clear policies, procedures, resources, and outcomes designed to improve students’ fluency, confidence, and cultural understanding; co-develop learning resources to facilitate exposure to the U.S. culture (college life, healthcare, mass media, social network sites, art and culture, etc.)
• Co-teach two 90-minute virtual summer camp sessions each week for four weeks for a group of 20–25 students. Encourage meaningful conversations to improve students’ fluency, confidence and cultural understanding
• Co-assess sessions with co-teachers, and identify learning objectives and appropriate communicative activities based on the assessment
  
  

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be 5–7 hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 3:00 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 teaching experience in a college or university setting 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