VIA's Program in China 

Long Term Program Overview

VIA's China program currently offers 1-2 year volunteer opportunities in Beijing, Ningxia, Qinghai, Hunan, Guangzhou, Yunnan and Jiangsu. Most of these posts combine English teaching at a school or university with English resource work at a Chinese nonprofit organization. Volunteers receive a monthly living stipend in yuan, a travel allowance, and three hours of Chinese language tutoring each week. Host institutions provide on-campus accommodations in apartments which tend to be basic, but comfortable. Volunteers normally cook for themselves or try local delicacies at one of the many inexpensive local restaurants or food stalls in their neighborhood.

For more information, please visit Long-Term Posts, China Testimonials, and Why go to China through VIA?. 

Summer Program Overview

For those still in school at the undergraduate or graduate level, or for those looking for a short-term immersion experience, VIA offers an exciting summer program on Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University in Hangzhou. The program is run in conjunction with Stanford Medical University and enables participants to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine through lectures, hands on activities and discussions with Chinese medical students.

For more information, please visit the Traditional Chinese Medicine Program page.

Why go to China through VIA?

VIA's program in China has continually adapted to the rapid changes occurring in China over the past 30 years in order to maintain its effectiveness and maximize its impact. At the same time, the program has held true to its same core goals of serving underrepresented parts of the population and otherwise going where there's a real need. Due to China's increasingly important role in the world, foreigners from all over the world are coming to China in large numbers to teach English. However, VIA's program in China continues to set itself apart in several ways, providing volunteers with unique opportunities to learn about the culture, serve a need, and have a fulfilling experience.

Unique Posts

One way in which VIA sets itself apart is through posts that allow volunteers to spend time working at a local Chinese nonprofit organization. These English resource positions give volunteers an opportunity to contribute to development work in China and learn more about the growing phenomenon of NGOs in China. Another way VIA sets itself apart in China is by cooperating with schools which otherwise have difficulty finding foreign teachers, due to their remote location or insufficient funds. At some posts, VIA volunteers are the only foreign teachers at their school. As such, their contributions and presence tend to be valued and appreciated by their host institutions, their students and the community at large. Some posts are also located in rural areas, giving volunteers a unique and timely opportunity to live in a part of China which many foreigners never get to experience.

Extensive Training

As soon as applicants are accepted in March, VIA begins working to prepare them for their upcoming time abroad. In early April, all new VIA program participants are required to attend a Spring Orientation in California. This weekend allows volunteers and staff to grow acquainted with each other and to begin preparing for their upcoming adventures.

In July, all China volunteers travel to Guangzhou for four weeks of comprehensive training, including a two week class on Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and a China specific orientation on issues such as dealing with culture shock, managing your health while abroad, and understanding Chinese culture. During this time, volunteers are introduced to Chinese language exchange partners and given an in-country orientation on practical issues relating to living in China, such as how to buy train tickets and how to order food. At the end of August, volunteers head to their respective posts.

Strong In-Country Network

By the time China volunteers begin working at their posts, they have developed strong bonds with one another and with VIA staff. These bonds have proven to be key as volunteers adjust to their new environments. Online resources, such as a wiki, have also been developed over the years so that volunteers can share and have access to lesson plans and teaching advice. The China program also offers opportunities to further build upon this network, such as a one week post exchange where volunteers teach and live at another volunteer's post for one week.

Support and Resources

The China program has a full time program director and a part time in country representative who are in regular touch with volunteers throughout the year. In the fall, the program director visits each post to see how volunteers are settling in and to check in with partner institutions. In late January, China volunteers gather together with the program director and the field coordinator for an annual conference. The conference is a fun and valuable opportunity for volunteers to catch up with each other, exchange teaching tips, discuss challenges and set program plans and goals for the coming year. As a consensus based organization, volunteers play an invaluable role in the planning process.  

     For More Information:

• Contact VIA's China Program Director, Patrick Arnold, by email (Patrick@viaprograms.org) or phone (415-904-8033) to learn more about the program and the application process.
• Ask to be put in touch with alumni of the China program.
• Read the latest China Program Newsletter or glance at a previous issue.
• Take a look at the long term program FAQ page
• Visit our Program Fees and Fellowships and Financial Assistance pages to learn more about financial assistance. Scholarships may also be available for 2010.

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