Global Volunteers' unique philosophy of service ensures your work projects help advance the host community's current development vision and goals. Always serving at the invitation and under the direction of host community partners, each Global Volunteers team member works alongside local people, and personally contributes to needed project financing through their service program fee. Our long-term commitment to work in partnership on sustained community development projects enables you, in just a short time, to serve as a critical link in a chain of lasting community enhancements.

Our Creten hosts have asked for assistance teaching conversational English to young students. You and your teammates can share lessons with children aged 4-13 in classrooms and summer camps in Gazi County. The work sites -- in Gazi city as well as nearby villages -- are located outside Iraklion, all along the Aegean Sea.

You don't have formal teaching experience?  Never mind! Any native English speaker can be an important resource. The emphasis is on improving speaking skills and not on formal rules of grammar. Students work with volunteers to learn pronunciation, idioms, and syntax. Besides practice dialogues, lessons may include such fun activities as sports, arts and crafts, and theater. It's important to note that most of the younger children will have had little, if any, previous English instruction. You'll find them to be eager, and open to new ideas. Volunteers usually teach four hours a day, allowing equal time for preparation and team meetings. Volunteers report this is a fun, stimulating -- and meaningful -- work assignment.