About this role
Gymnasiums and lyceums in Moldova are secondary and high school educational institutions that provide formal curriculum education and afterschool activities for children (aged 11-14) and youth (aged 15–18) to foster their personal development (intellectual, emotional, and physical) and to ensure their social responsibility, civic engagement, and leadership. As Moldova’s economy continues to grow and diversify, foreign language abilities are a critical skill for Moldovan youth development. Such proficiency enables youth to obtain and retain competitive jobs and make international connections. Because English is an international language that opens opportunities for communication, education, travel, and work, there is great demand among students to improve their English skills. To meet the national goal for a population trained and confident in English language skills, Moldova is committed to providing high-quality English education courses to children at the primary, middle, and secondary school levels across the country. Seven educational institutions are each requesting a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to co-teach an English club of 15–20 students each. VSPPs in this engagement will be assigned to one of seven educational institutions to enhance the students’ English communication skills, build their confidence to use English, and develop intercultural competencies all through virtual English clubs. By engaging with a VSPP, students and youth will immerse themselves in an English-speaking environment and get opportunities to communicate with native speakers. Four of the educational institutions have previously collaborated with the Peace Corps. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.