Frontier Community and Teaching Volunteer Review

by Frontier

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.4/5
  • The Role
    4.8
  • The Company
    4.4
  • The Culture
    3.8

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I thoroughly enjoyed my seven week placement in Nosy-Be Madagascar, on the community and teaching program with Frontier, so much so that I am now looking to return! It was genuinely a life-changing experience, and I felt that I was making a real difference in the lives of my students. Frontier have established the most amazing relationships with the local people of Nosy-Be, thus making all volunteers extremely welcome in the community, and really appreciated for the work that they do. I made lifelong friends not only with the Frontier volunteers and staff members, but with all of my students. I taught at a Catholic primary school, a small village school and a youth club while I was there. This meant the teaching of English was very varied, and thus extremely enjoyable. But it wasn't all teaching - during my free time, my students would take me on 'adventures' (as they called them), to the various sights of Nosy-Be to thank me for teaching. These adventures included going to a waterfall in a small remote village, walking ten kilometres both ways to a famous beach, and getting a tuk tuk to a local day-time disco to spend the afternoon dancing and watching the sun go down.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I felt thoroughly valued, and supported by my colleagues whilst I was on my placement in Madagascar. When I first arrived, I was the only volunteer on my program, so I spent a lot of time with the senior staff member on my project. She was fantastic, showing me the ropes of teaching english as a foreign language, as I was very nervous to start with. She guided me through my first week, and then by my second week I felt thoroughly prepared to take the reins. I always felt encouraged with my work, and whenever I had new ideas, they were always listened to and taken into consideration. I also felt very valued by my students. They were always so grateful and appreciative, which was shown by their hard work-ethic.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • As I mentioned above, I was given a lot of support by the Frontier Senior Staff Member, not only during my first week, but throughout my placement. If ever I had worries or queries, they were immediately and professionally answered to. The support and guidance that I was provided with in my first week, continued right until I left Nosy-Be, and thus I was always given the opportunity to improve my teaching skills, through the feedback of staff members. However not only did my supervisors offer me support and guidance - they also became my life long friends. The Frontier staff members managed to find the perfect balance between being a friend to the volunteers, and being professional.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • I, particularly, was very busy every day. Teaching volunteers, when they arrive, are given a busy schedule of 30 minute lessons at the Catholic primary school, with roughly 7 classes per day. Evenings were taken up with other teaching ventures such as teaching at the youth club, or taking teacher training for the teachers at the Catholic school. Due to being the only volunteer on the program for a few weeks, I also decided to take sports classes (usually done by sports volunteers), thus making me even busier! I also had the idea of giving youth club students extra classes if they wanted - an idea which was embraced by my supervisor - and so any other free time I had was taken up by doing this. I am so glad I was able to do this, as I feel I really made a difference in the English of the students taking extra classes. Being busy was tiring, but made my trip twice as rewarding.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • In my first week, I wasn't given a huge amount of responsibility, and was allowed to settle in and learn how to best teach english as a foreign language. I was extremely glad of this, as it meant I was better prepared, and less nervous to teach in my second week, and for the rest of my placement. After that, I was given a lot of responsibility, however was still supervised and given advice. I took classes alone, and especially with the youth club, was given a lot of freedom with what I taught them. This was really good, as it allowed me to improve a lot as a teacher in a very short amount of time.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • Although I took part in a teaching placement, I will in fact study veterinary medicine next year. I will not be studying teaching, but I think the skills I gained from my placement will all the same be invaluable to my studies. A major part of being a vet, is being able to interact with people (often anxious people), and having a high level of patience. These are skills I feel I really developed whilst teaching in Madagascar.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere in our 'office' was always fun and lively. Our 'office' was the community house, in the small, yet bustling town of Hell-ville on an island off the coast of Madagascar. There was always an air of professionalism, yet things were always relaxed, always fun, and never quiet! The sounds of Malagasy music, children playing, women singing, the occasional dog fight and the ever present cockerel's cockadoodaldooo, were forever with us during meetings, lesson planning, and dinner time.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The placement was very well organised. When I arrived, everything that I would be doing for seven weeks was completely planned out. I thus never felt at a loose end, and there was always something meaningful for me to do.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • Frontier invested a great deal in my training. I was fully trained in my first week so that I could teach alone in my second week and for the rest of my placement. I had full support during my entire placement, and constant guidance and advice from my supervisor.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • 3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • Very appealing indeed! I have in fact applied for a junior staff member and internship position in Madagascar for later in the year. I feel there is so much more that Frontier, and teaching in Nosy-Be, can offer me.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Every Friday, the community staff and volunteers would travel to the Frontier camp, where the majority of staff and volunteers are located, for party night. It was a great opportunity to socialise with the others and to get to know some of the locals in the village. Furthermore, the community staff and volunteers would go out weekly for dinner, or to "Discoteque Number One" to dance. There were also many opportunities to go to the local beaches and other sights for some relaxation and socialising.

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The costs in Nosy-Be were generally very cheap, except for dairy products for some strange reason! The prices were extremely appealing to me, coming from Australia. Food was very reasonable, as well as taxis and going out.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • You'd think that being a tiny island off the coast of Madagascar the night life would be terrible, however it is rather buzzing, you just have to know where to go! While I was there, the students from the youth club took me to all the best places to dance to Malagasy music. It was always very strange being the only foreigner, but so much fun!

    5/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • My supervisor was always open to me getting involved in other activities. As I mentioned before, I used my free time to give extra classes to students, and this was warmly welcomed by my supervisor. There were also many opportunities for me to explore the island, and see the sights.

    3/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Education/Teaching

International

April 2015


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