The children and the youth are the future of a country. So what better investment can you think of, than contributing with your knowledge and skills for the betterment of the country? At AVC, we provide our volunteers with placements in both formal and non-formal education sites. These jobsites vary from public schools and state universities to non-profit organizations such as youth development centers. Here are 7 places where you can volunteer and have your own input in the future of Armenia!
The TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free-of-charge digital media learning center, which gives its students a new kind of educational experience where technology and design meet. TUMO has four centers in Armenia – Yerevan, Dilijan, Gyumri and Stepanakert – and two international centers in Beirut and Paris. The center gives 12 to 18 year-olds the opportunity to learn an advance though the center’s learning center at their own pace through hands-on activities, workshops, labs and self-learning activities. The center works on four main focus areas: animation, web development, game development and digital media. At the beginning, the TUMO students are encouraged to explore and learn about all four focus areas, however, as they progress through the curriculum, they begin to concentrate on one of these four areas and work towards completion of a final project at the end of the two-year program. Other than the four main focus areas, the TUMO curriculum also covers other fields, such as 3D modeling, 2D graphics, drawing, music, writing, online literacy and communication. Since its establishment in 2011, TUMO has reached to over 30,000 students.
Ayb Educational Foundation was founded in 2006, with the objective to shape a culture of excellence in learning and develop the educational environment in Armenia. Since its establishment, the foundation has implemented more than 20 programs all over Armenia. Some of these programs have been the Ayb School – founded in 2011 –, the Dilijan Central School, the National Program for Educational Excellence – in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and University College London Institute of Education –, the Two Fab labs – a workshop laboratory created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology –, the World Robot Olympiad, as well as mass school contests in various fields, modern subject laboratories (AybLabs) and more. Currently Ayb acts as a leading institutional expert in the field of education. The goal of the foundation is to make Armenia a country providing a modern, high-quality and internationally competitive Armenian educational program, which would eventually help the country to gain a key position in the field of education globally. Ayb believes that the lives of the people and the future of the country could be transformed through education.
The American University of Armenia aims to have an impact on students and the community as a center of academic excellence, innovation, inquiry, and diversity that contributes to the further development and advancement of Armenia, the region and the world through teaching and scholarship, fostering creativity, integrity and community service. Their vision is to inspire students to advance knowledge and become responsible citizens and leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition to a full catalogue of academic programs, AUA is home to a number of research centers, from environment and engineering to rural development. AVC participants have worked in admissions and communications, conducted research, and led undergraduate and extension program workshops.
Established in 2014, UWC Dilijan is the fourteenth member of the United World Colleges movement, which is a global educational movement with the mission to “make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future”. The college is the first international boarding school in Armenia and at the moment hosts 218 students from over 82 countries. Currently, UWC Dilijan offers IB Diploma years 1 and 2 (grades 11-12). The community of the school aims to work towards a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable world through a balanced, challenging and transforming education with people from different backgrounds. If you’re looking forward to volunteering in a more diverse environment, surrounded by the beautiful natural landscapes of the Tavoush Region, UWC Dilijan would be the perfect place for you!
Children of Armenia is a non-profit, NGO, established in 2004 by Dr. Garo Armen in the village of Karakert, Armavir Region. The main aim of the organization is to empower rural Armenians through various child-centered community development programs. In order to address rural poverty, COAF initiates education, health, social and economic development programs, as well as implements the renovation of more than 100 infrastructures in rural areas, including kindergartens, schools, creativity labs, roads and much more. During the past 15 years, COAF has expanded to 44 rural communities in 6 different regions all over Armenia and has served more than 75,000 beneficiaries. In 2018, COAF opened the world’s most innovative initiative for the advancement of rural communities, the COAF SMART Center in the Lori Province. The COAF SMART Center aims to empower the Armenian village youth through providing them with modern technological resources and opportunities to explore their intellectual curiosity and maintain the highest quality instruction standards for critical thinking-based education. COAF believes that the increase in access, support and resources gives endless possibilities for rural communities. The founders of the SMART Center also believe that the Center has the potential to reverse the effects of poverty and provide those living in rural areas with access to opportunities to achieve their unique potentials. So if you’re looking for an opportunity to volunteer in more rural areas and meet the inspiring children of rural Armenia, this is your chance!
The Armath engineering club-laboratories are established by the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises (UATE). They operate within the Armenian public school system and currently have more than 7000 students aged 10-18 involved in their programs. After-school classes, interesting competitions and innovative camps help these students learn about science, technology, engineering and math education. Other than have the opportunity to design, build, test and improve their own creations in a safe and exciting environment, the young engineers also make friends and build their own startups in the Armath Labaratories. Some of the main goals of the initiative are to develop the technological education, support the professional orientation of schoolchildren, and to ensure an equable development of technologies in all regions of Armenia.
Founded in 2009, Dasaran is an online platform, which operates within the public school system in Armenia and connects all schools across Armenia in one virtual platform. The program provides a unique online school environment as well as a comprehensive suite of services through cloud-based educational development system and an e-learning program. Dasaran currently has more than a 1- million-user community of schoolchildren, parents and teachers who are all connected through the virtual platform. The program aims to promote high quality education for all, despite their social position and geographical location, through different innovative services and technology. Dasaran has been the first to introduce e-tools into the Armenian school management system, aiming to raise school transparency and provide effective monitoring for all parties involved in education.
Orran is a benevolent NGO, which helps those in need. Some of the main missions the organization pursues are to divert vulnerable children from the streets and engage them in academic, cultural and extracurricular activities, as well as to identify and develop vulnerable children’s interests and talents toward a working career. The organization provides these children with academic, medical and psychological assistance, as well as vocational training, social services and cultural enrichment. The organization has taken its name from the Armenian word orran, which means haven. Since its establishment in April 2000, Orran has helped thousands of socially vulnerable families.
If you’re interested in any of these Education internships, apply now, become a volunteer and have your input in the exciting developments happening in Armenia! You can learn about the many more opportunities we offer by contacting us, we would be happy to help you. Let’s shape the future of Armenia together!