Palawan - Teaching Volunteer

Palawan is an island dotted with fishing villages and of course surrounded by beautiful blue sea, which goes perfectly with the emerald green jungled mountains forming the landscape.

The main aim of this program is to help the children who don’t have many opportunities to study English with foreigners in order to improve their English language skills. Your contribution to develop the English language skills of these children will help increase the opportunities and chances in their future education and working career. Another important component of this program is cultural exchange. The children at the school are always very interested and keen to learn more about your family, country, culture and way of life. Therefore, we highly encourage you to bring a lot of pictures from home as they will be very much appreciated by the kids. It's also a really good idea to prepare a bit before you arrive if you've never taught before, there are lots of good ideas about themes and projects on the internet, for example mask making, songs etc

Introduction Day
Your project starts with an introduction day on the first Monday including a tour of the area surrounding the accommodation, available facilities, cultural "do's and don'ts", safety concerns as well as some basic local language lessons.

Monday to Friday
Breakfast
Teaching English at the school and arranging activities
Lunch
Teaching English at the school and arranging activities
Preparing lessons/activities for the next day together with the local coordinator
Dinner

Please note that the volunteer activities and schedule can change at any time based on the needs of the project, local conditions, the weather and unforeseen circumstances.

Evenings & Weekends
During the evenings the volunteers are generally free, and there are no program activities scheduled unless otherwise mentioned. Weekends are free. The beach is a great place to relax but please note there are often jelly fish, so it may not be possible to swim.

This program can also include a Culture Week which is highly recommended but not mandatory - just inform your travel advisor if you wish to include it. Experience Philippine culture first-hand through your exploration of local spots, immersing in the cuisine, visiting famous sights, swim in waterfalls and more!

Our culture week is tailored to introduce you to (just some!) of the best things the island of Palawan has to offer. This week will get you learning the basics of the language, cooking at a class, tasting authentic food, visiting the most famous sites and discovering areas where tourists don’t often go to!

Aims & Objectives of the Culture Week
Help you familiarize yourself with the local surroundings.
Broaden your knowledge of the Philippines particularly Palawan rich customs, history and culture.
Facilitate cultural exchange between the participants and local people of Palawan.
Give you hands-on insight into the local lifestyle of the Palawan and Aborlan community in particular.

Please note the culture week only begin on the 1st and 3rd week of every month.

This program runs all year round, but there are alternative activities on public holidays. During school holidays volunteers will be placed in the holiday program. Please note the dates for the school holidays are subject to change due to local conditions.

School Holidays 2025
19 May 2025 to mid-July 2025 - School Break
15 December 2025 to 02 January 2026 - Christmas Holidays - We will arrange special activities for local students
TBA - Semestral Break

Public Holidays 2025
25 February
09 & 17-19 April
01 May
TBA - Eid’l Fitr
12 June
TBA - Eid’l Adha
21 & 25 August
24-25 & 30-31 December

Minimum age of 18
Basic level of competency in English
Police Clearance Certificate on sign-up
Passport copy required on arrival

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

The projects offered by our partner in the Philippines are interchangeable locally if you have the right experience and qualifications, as it is possible to make a positive contribution within a week. However, our experience shows us that in most instances the longer you stay at one project, the more beneficial your contribution will be. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.