Trainer of English as a Second Language (TESOL) – Timor-Leste
Use your English teaching experience to help strengthen teacher education in Timor-Leste, while spending 12 months living and volunteering in Baucau.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is: Te Hono Tangata – Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role:
This is an opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer and use your English teaching experience to support the development of teachers in Baucau, Timor-Leste. We are looking for an experienced and adaptable English language or TESOL educator who enjoys sharing their knowledge, mentoring others and helping people build their skills and confidence.
Working alongside Timorese teachers, teacher trainees and administration staff at Instituto Católica Para a Formação de Professores (ICFP), you will help strengthen English language teaching and learning across the organisation.
Importantly, this isn't about coming in and doing the work for others.
You'll be working alongside local colleagues, sharing your knowledge and building skills that remain within the organisation long after your assignment has finished.
This is a 12-month in-country assignment, with the possibility of extension. VSA will support our volunteers by funding and organising flights, visas, insurance, accommodation, a living allowance and utilities while on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako | Essential skills/experiences for the role:
If you are interested in this opportunity, some of the key skills and experience we're looking for include:
Instituto Católica Para a Formação de Professores (ICFP) provides pre-service teacher education to students from across Timor-Leste. ICFP is working to improve the quality of education in Timorese schools through teacher training, curriculum development and effective teaching methods, with a strong focus on student-centred learning.
A key part of its work is preparing students to teach English in schools through to Year 9. English capability is also important for ICFP's administration, finance and IT teams, allowing staff to participate in online professional development and support their everyday work.
Te Tūnga | The Assignment:
This is a practical, hands-on capacity-building assignment.
You'll work alongside ICFP's English teachers to review current teaching practices, strengthen course materials and resources, and provide ongoing mentoring and professional support.
You'll also work directly with teacher trainees, supporting the development of their speaking, listening, reading, writing and presentation skills as they prepare to become teachers themselves.
Beyond the classroom, you'll support administration staff to strengthen their English comprehension and verbal communication, helping them participate more confidently in English-language online training.
The impact reaches beyond ICFP itself. By strengthening the skills of the people who train future teachers, your knowledge can continue to benefit students and schools across Timor-Leste after your assignment ends.
Te Whenua | Timor-Leste:
Your home for the assignment will be Baucau, Timor-Leste.
A 12-month assignment gives you something a short visit can't: the opportunity to settle into life in another country, build genuine relationships with your colleagues and community, and experience everyday life in Timor-Leste while contributing your professional skills.
International volunteering isn't about arriving with all the answers. It requires curiosity, patience, flexibility and a willingness to listen and learn just as much as you teach.
In return, you'll have the opportunity to become part of the community you're working alongside and experience Timor-Leste through the relationships you build there.
You'll arrive with skills to share, but you're likely to leave having learnt plenty yourself.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply: Please apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information, or if you have any questions about this assignment, you're welcome to email Kiri Henare at khenare@vsa.org.nz.
Please note that due to VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a New Zealand citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.
Use your English teaching experience to help strengthen teacher education in Timor-Leste, while spending 12 months living and volunteering in Baucau.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is: Te Hono Tangata – Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role:
This is an opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer and use your English teaching experience to support the development of teachers in Baucau, Timor-Leste. We are looking for an experienced and adaptable English language or TESOL educator who enjoys sharing their knowledge, mentoring others and helping people build their skills and confidence.
Working alongside Timorese teachers, teacher trainees and administration staff at Instituto Católica Para a Formação de Professores (ICFP), you will help strengthen English language teaching and learning across the organisation.
Importantly, this isn't about coming in and doing the work for others.
You'll be working alongside local colleagues, sharing your knowledge and building skills that remain within the organisation long after your assignment has finished.
This is a 12-month in-country assignment, with the possibility of extension. VSA will support our volunteers by funding and organising flights, visas, insurance, accommodation, a living allowance and utilities while on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako | Essential skills/experiences for the role:
If you are interested in this opportunity, some of the key skills and experience we're looking for include:
- Experience teaching English as a second or additional language, TESOL, or a related area
- Experience training, mentoring or supporting teachers or adult learners
- Strong English language teaching skills across speaking, listening, reading and writing
- Experience developing or improving teaching resources and learning materials
- An understanding of effective, student-centred teaching practices
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- The ability to adapt your approach to different learners and environments
- Patience, flexibility and cultural awareness
- A genuine interest in sharing skills and building capability in Timor-Leste
Instituto Católica Para a Formação de Professores (ICFP) provides pre-service teacher education to students from across Timor-Leste. ICFP is working to improve the quality of education in Timorese schools through teacher training, curriculum development and effective teaching methods, with a strong focus on student-centred learning.
A key part of its work is preparing students to teach English in schools through to Year 9. English capability is also important for ICFP's administration, finance and IT teams, allowing staff to participate in online professional development and support their everyday work.
Te Tūnga | The Assignment:
This is a practical, hands-on capacity-building assignment.
You'll work alongside ICFP's English teachers to review current teaching practices, strengthen course materials and resources, and provide ongoing mentoring and professional support.
You'll also work directly with teacher trainees, supporting the development of their speaking, listening, reading, writing and presentation skills as they prepare to become teachers themselves.
Beyond the classroom, you'll support administration staff to strengthen their English comprehension and verbal communication, helping them participate more confidently in English-language online training.
The impact reaches beyond ICFP itself. By strengthening the skills of the people who train future teachers, your knowledge can continue to benefit students and schools across Timor-Leste after your assignment ends.
Te Whenua | Timor-Leste:
Your home for the assignment will be Baucau, Timor-Leste.
A 12-month assignment gives you something a short visit can't: the opportunity to settle into life in another country, build genuine relationships with your colleagues and community, and experience everyday life in Timor-Leste while contributing your professional skills.
International volunteering isn't about arriving with all the answers. It requires curiosity, patience, flexibility and a willingness to listen and learn just as much as you teach.
In return, you'll have the opportunity to become part of the community you're working alongside and experience Timor-Leste through the relationships you build there.
You'll arrive with skills to share, but you're likely to leave having learnt plenty yourself.
Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply: Please apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information, or if you have any questions about this assignment, you're welcome to email Kiri Henare at khenare@vsa.org.nz.
Please note that due to VSA funding requirements, our volunteers must be a New Zealand citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident to progress further in our recruitment process.