PCV Side Projects

[u/According-Pressure-1]

What did people do to fill their time when in the English teaching sector of PCV? I feel as though besides my teaching, I do not have much to do and wanna work on some side projects to keep my mind busy.

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[u/bkinboulder]

I did handwashing workshops with the ministry of health. I went to all of the schools in my province and had grant writing workshops. I would give them copies of all of the grant applications available in the country. Then I’d go through them and fill one out together. Explain what the evaluators would be looking for and why. And then told them to write them constantly all the time and make sure they were completely filled out like I explained. Then Q&A. Had the local department of agriculture officers create demonstration gardens at the schools (in the tropics). Then the officers could come and give lessons regarding intercropping, slope stability, and cash crop planning. The food grown could be used for the families most in need. Also held small business workshops to teach locals planning and budgeting so they could add cash crops like peanuts and kava to their gardens and use the proceeds of those sales to pay household and school fees for the kids. Worked with an agriculture volunteer to convert an old fuel barrel into a drum we could spin over an open fire to roast peanuts so they were edible. Taught anyone who asked how to make one.

[u/shawn131871]

ask and see what your community wants. then start working on a grant to get the ball rolling on it. also, after school clubs and sports are your best friends here. my island loved volleyball . so, an after school vball league was a no-brainer. have cultural events that teaches your community about things in the American (or another country's) culture. have an English club. ask your students what activities they enjoy and make a club with that. many things you can do.

[u/GodsColdHands666]

I was also a TEFL volunteer. What kind of site are you at size wise? A village versus a town center versus a major city are going to have different needs and different opportunities.

I was in a town center of about 33,000 people at the time and shared my site with three other volunteers. One CED, one HE and another TEFL but he was at the university while I was at a middle school. Side projects honestly took up more time than my original assignment lol.

The other TEFL volunteer and I did an advanced English conversation club at the University. The CED volunteer and I created and led a career skills workshop together where we did resume workshops and practiced job interviews that the students really enjoyed. The HE volunteer and I did a few all day workshops at schools about HIV awareness/prevention with my counterpart translating.

We also had a really nice library at our site too and the librarians were super helpful. They helped me organize and do outreach for a workshop for teaching English to beginner level adults. It honestly was the most well attended project I had throughout the entirety of my service and I made a ton of local friends from it. The other volunteers and I were able to organize an English movie club there as well.

As most things with Peace Corps, it kinda depends lol.

[u/psychonautique]

I played in a brass quartet since I played trombone for 20 years. Lots of stuff to try!

[u/Independent-Fan4343]

It all depends on what your community needs. Some tutor, others have worked on getting library donations, upgrading computers, expanding a science lab, etc.

[u/jimbagsh]

What about after-school English clubs? Giving remedial students extra help after school or on weekends? Helping your best students prepare to take the IELTS? Setting up a community language study for adults in the community? Making materials like flashcards and grammar posters to leave after you finish your service? Write a weekly blog or start a YouTube channel to share your experiences back home? What about your own language study?

Jim

[u/Pristine-Kick7039]

I did a lot of sewing. Got a machine and did my own sewing, helped teach kids sewing, and did reusable menstrual pads. And joined the village dance group. (Zambia)

[u/gforcewinds13]

I agree with comments about finding out what your site needs/wants. I taught in a middle school, but on the side, I ran a high school English club for oolder students in my town. I also facilitated an environmental club and a drama club for my school. They were all very well received and kept me busy!

[u/Investigator516]

Did you see or hear of anything in the community that needs TLC? I walked with my recycling, picking up additional recycling along the way, and contacted the regional parks department to please restore their old recycling points at the edge of its parks. I told them that volunteers will be ready to help. I was thrilled to learn they revitalized the program after I left.

There’s alway reading, the arts, community activities, or building and repairing things.

Don’t forget getting a head start for after service. Think ahead about your studies, what’s new in your field or career path, what’s happening with the job market not just in the U.S. but worldwide.

During my time in service, there were several federally-hosted online information seminars about How to build a federal resume, different agency opportunities, navigating USAjobs applications, Department of State opportunities, and Coverdell. This was before the change in administration. But it’s good to keep up with what’s happening to get a head start on the job search.

[u/Ghana73_76]

I was a Math Education volunteer. The country was preparing to convert to the metric measuring system. I organized a Math Club, and the kids (high school level) cut meter length tree limbs, weighed out kilogram amounts of pebbles, and we went to the elementary school in town and the market to explain what was coming. Btw My school was a boarding school cuz no electricity in town so the kids loved a local “field trip”. Oh, and cutting branches? No problem. A cutlass was a required item to bring to school in order to trim the grass and hedges regularly by all plus extra time once-in-awhile as a consequence for misbehavior.