In the midst of countless volunteer opportunities and programs to explore different passions, I was fortunately introduced over a year ago to one such organization called ENGin, a nonprofit that founded an online cultural exchange program between teenagers and adults in the U.S. and those of similar ages in Ukraine. For anyone searching for an opportunity to engage in cultural exchange and build connections with international students, a chance to share English-speaking knowledge as a mentor, and in general, a way to help people in a community while simultaneously building conversation skills and friendships, I highly recommend considering volunteering with ENGin.
When you register to volunteer with ENGin (and complete training), you are matched to a student or “buddy” from Ukraine who you will have weekly online sessions with for a few months to a year. You can choose to volunteer with one or multiple students, and the sessions are intended to foster conversations between you and your Ukrainian buddy to give them a chance to enhance their English-speaking skills, as well as serve as an opportunity for both of you to learn about each other’s lives, countries, and cultures. You can choose to leave the program at any time, but you first must complete a three-month commitment period. If you have to leave the program but want to continue to volunteer again at a later time, that is also an option.
ENGin provides lesson plans with different topic suggestions and helpful educational resources to get conversations and practice going, but there are many opportunities for you as a volunteer to plan your own sessions and conversations based on you and your buddy’s interests and preferences (more information on what can be included in a session can be found on ENGin’s website). You can also choose to focus sessions on what your buddy decides they’d like the most help with learning. With my student, for example, we have talked through reading and writing practice sessions in SAT format, in addition to having weekly conversations. Providing spaces to learn about and explore skills like public speaking, resume building, and writing can be especially helpful, especially for Ukrainian students applying to or attending college. There are also opportunities to help share these types of skills to a group of Ukrainian students through group sessions, which you can choose to participate in alongside your individual sessions.
ENGin’s program doesn’t simply provide an educational space for your student but also allows you to form genuine, authentic friendships and connections with your buddy. I have volunteered with ENGin for over a year, and it has been a gratifying and rewarding experience in its entirety. I have learned about Ukrainian culture, holiday traditions, history, school systems, politics, and more, all from conversations with my buddy. Even though we come from completely different countries on opposite sides of the world, we have been able to bond over school, family, friends, movies, and even existential or ethical questions that we have over events we observe in our daily life. Volunteering with ENGin quickly becomes an experience to look forward to each week, and after over a year of volunteering with them, I am grateful for the opportunities they have given me, how I have been able to share my English knowledge and help others, and how it has opened my eyes to a culture, country, and people that I previously did not know much about.
There are still many Ukrainian students waiting to be matched with a buddy, so volunteers are always needed! If you are interested in volunteering, attached below are some links to get started with the process.
- https://www.enginprogram.org
- https://www.enginprogram.org/volunteer—learn about the volunteer experience, training, and resources available
- https://www.enginprogram.org/englishfaq
