Taiwan: Tainan Municipal Dong Shan Junior High School

About the local hosting organization

ICYE TAIWAN is a non-profit and non-governmental independent organization now. ICYE Taiwan was founded in 1991 with the support of the International Division of Tainan YMCA. The office is located in Tainan. The construction of ICYE Taiwan is for the expansion and development of the leadership of young people through living and volunteering abroad for one year. The exposure experience will certainly benefit both the out-going and in-coming exchangees a great deal.

Presentation of the programme

The Dong Shan Junior High School was founded in 1968. There are about eighty students and 25 staff in the school. The aim is to allow the students to become enriched, while becoming self-disciplined, caring, skilled and well-balanced young people.Tasks : To interact with students in teachers’ class such as PE, English, sociology class and get involved in cultural sharing and exchange.  To assist DSJH to hold activities to know more about the world.  To introduce the volunteer’s country and the culture of it.

About the accomodation

The volunteer will stay with each host family for 3 to 4 months, total of 3 to 4 host family in 12 months. It’s getting difficult to find host families in Taiwan, and most host families are not exchangees’ families. This means that many families are open-minded enough to have you as one of their family members not as a guest. So, please try to be a part of the family. Take part in the activities of your host family and spend some time with them. If they don’t have so much time to be with you, you can also arrange your entertainment by yourself (just for reminding, there’s no perfect host family). The host families need to take responsibility for you because you are a part of their family members, so that they will worry about your life in Taiwan. Some rules to protect you, such as curfews (back home before 10pm.....), or mention in advance before your activity.

About the location

Dongshan is an agricultural area in the northern part of Tainan City. It is rich in longan, oranges and honey.

About the leisure activities

Exchangees may travel inside/outside the country ONLY during the weekends, official holidays, or in the free time.

Requirements

• Age 18-28 (Exception must be negotiated beforehand) • Mature and responsible, patient, open-minded and adaptable. • Motivating to be a volunteer, not a tourist or a student. • Willing to fulfill the responsibilities of being an ICYE exchangee in the different country. • Following the decisions taken by ICYE Taiwan. • Show initiative and creativity • Be interested in working with youth. • It is good if the volunteer has English teaching experience, sports, musical and art.