Country: Dominican Republic
Closing date: 26 Nov 2018
Montessori SpecialistDominican Republic
Description of Assignment
Viatores Christi (VC) works in the area of development cooperation in the faith based development sector. We specialise in the recruitment, training and placement of skilled volunteers on projects identified by a mission partner which meets the needs of the beneficiaries. We also specialise in the monitoring and implementation of projects as well as in the provision of experts in developing countries for targeted consultancy. Since 1960 we have recruited, trained and placed over 2000 volunteers in 48 different countries. Today we have volunteers in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean
Assignment Title:Montessori Specialist
Type of Assignment: International Volunteer Development Worker
Project Title: Development and Provision of Early Childhood Education
Duration: 12 months
Location, Country: San Pedro De Macoris, DR
Expected Starting Date: Q1 2019
Host Organisation: This role, funded by the Overseas Aid Budget of Ireland, is with our long-term partner, Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH) Dominican Republic (DR). NPH as an international organisation has been taking care of orphaned and abandoned children in Latin-America and the Caribbean for over 50 years. The focus is on offering a comprehensive and profound education and a loving family framework for the development of responsible adolescents, who help contribute to a sustainable development of their own country. Education for all is for NPH one of the most important dogmas that they aspire to and offer a variety of educational programs.
Brief Project Description: NPH DR has been running a primary and secondary educational centre since 2005. Teachers are employed by the Dominican government and follow the curriculum of the national Ministry of Education. The structure of the NPH DR primary and secondary educational centre is half governmental, half private, providing the highest educational standards to the children.
Early Childhood Education was added in the school year 2016-2017 and a preschool where Montessori methods are applied was set up. The preschool caters for children residing at NPH, children from the surroundings areas of the home, the neighbouring “Bateys”, Batey Nuevo and Batey Monte Cristi are already attending the preschool but there is a need to extend access to more children.
‘Bateys’ are tiny villages in the sugar cane fields were the sugar cane companies provided space to live for seasonal sugar cane cutters from Haiti and neighbouring islands, but who now permanently reside there. The DR government has established schools in the larger Bateys but with no Early Childhood Education element. The DR government has historically provided fewer public services to bateys than to similarly sized communities in the rest of the country even though the population of the Bateys is considered the lowest social and economic level within the DR.
Most of the children from the NPH DR neighbourhoods and surrounding bateys do not have access t Early Childhood Education. A very small number attend the existing Montessori NPH programme but the needs are great and NPH now plans to expand its Early Childhood Education Montessori project over the next two years.
Traditionally very young children stay at home in the Bateys where society is shaped by a high level of promiscuity and where family units and bonds are loose and flexible and often there is no constant psychological parent/caregiver for individual children - instead elderly community members mind groups of pre-schoolers in a casual setting. Parents and local community leaders have approached NPH and have requested help for their children on numerous occasions. By extending the NPH Early childhood education programme, NPH seeks to give these children the opportunity to access early childhood education, in a safe and healthy environment.
Montessori Early Childhood Education is seen as an inspirational model for change in low-income communities across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Organisational Context: The VC Montessori volunteer development worker will report to the NPH DR Director, the NPH Management Committee and will work closely with local teaching staff.
Type of Assignment: assignment without family
Description of Tasks:
The VC Montessori volunteer development worker will carry out the following key activities:
· Commence early childhood education classes and provide regular progress updates to NPH Management Committee, including progress against key developmental milestones in children between the ages of three and five-years-old (in conjunction with the DREAM Project).
· Procure the necessary equipment outlined in the budget and install in the 2 new classrooms to enable early childhood education enrolments and classes to commence
· Schedule training sessions for early childhood education teaching staff and follow up 1:1 mentoring, etc.
· Carry out sessions and complete post-training skills survey to enable NPH to monitor the effectiveness of the skills transfer and make adjustments if necessary
· Perform a skills survey of new and existing early childhood education teaching staff and identify areas of weakness for targeted training and mentoring
· Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of project on behalf of Viatores Christi
· Completion and submission of final report for project to Misean Cara.
Qualifications/Requirements
- AMI or ECD degree/MA
- Sociable, patient, agreeable
- Facilitation and training skills to a high level
- Willingness to learn
- Approachable, willing to be flexible, committed with a sense of humour.
- Fluency in Spanish and English
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to work with a wide range of people in a respectful and collaborative manner
- Understanding of development issues, particularly pertaining to the Dominican Republic
Living Conditions: Modest with all facilities
Conditions of Service: A 12 month contract, flight and monthly living allowances and accommodation
How to apply:
Please send CV and cover letter to colette@viatoreschristi.com