Each volunteer is expected to be self-funded. Volunteers are responsible for their own airfare to Beijing. All volunteers pay a 2000 RMB fee at the beginning of the volunteer training. The fee covers the cost of accommodations and lunch during training and the concluding forum, transportation to and from the program sites, lodging at the sites, travel health insurance, training handouts and a T-shirt. Volunteers should also bring some money for other meals during training and forum and for other personal expenses. Dream Corps will be responsible for the costs of the library and reading programs (i.e. costs for books, equipments, librarian training etc).
Most Universities in the US and Canada provide numerous funding opportunities to cover the costs (usually include air-fare) of their students summer volunteer-based activities. In the past, we have had volunteers who were funded by programs of Duke University, Harvard University, and University of Virginia. We strongly encourage all applicants to take advantage of such opportunities from their respective campuses. Our Recruitment Committee is more than happy to provide assistance with any paper work to accepted volunteers. Please note that many campus-based grants have deadlines that are ahead of our application deadline, therefore your immediate action is strongly advised.
We welcome applicants of all age (18 years and older), nationality, ethnic and educational backgrounds. An ideal applicant is a mature undergraduate student, a graduate student or a young professional who demonstrates genuine interest in the educational development in China and strong desire to contribute to the non-profit sector. In addition, we strongly value an applicant's leadership experiences, compassion, teamwork and the ability to adapt to harsh living environments and new cultures. Finally, reading and spoken Mandarin is a strong asset.
While Dream Corps deeply appreciate the passion and ability in the high school student population, we encourage them to apply after they enter University or employment. If you are in the graduating year of high school, and will be of 18 years of age or older by the beginning of the summer program, you may be considered in special cases.
Our Recruitment, Training, and Sites Committees will work together and strive to match the talents (such as English teaching, librarian experience, computer proficiency etc) of each successful applicant to the unique needs of each site. If you have preferences for particular types of sites, please specify during your phone interview.
As in previous years, we will be selecting about 65 volunteers.
The first round of acceptance letters will be sent out via email on March 21 and a second round on March 26. We will strive to finalize selection on March 30 to allow time for everyone to make their travel preparations.
After you confirm your acceptance in March, you will receive online training for approximately 3-4 weeks (see Q10 for more details). You will also receive a pre-departure training package via email, which will include practical traveling information regarding obtaining your visa, suggested vaccinations, what to bring etc. Also, an online platform will be set up for you to meet the other volunteers and begin your team discussions.
Online training is required for all accepted applicants and is an integral part of the summer volunteer program. We expect every accepted applicants to actively participate. Online training will begin soon after you confirm your acceptance to the volunteer program and will run for 3-4 weeks. You will be expected to complete weekly readings about international development in general and Dream Corps programs in particular, and to provide your responses to certain topic discussions. There will also be a chance for you to begin planning and discussing the summer project with your team members. The expected amount of time spent per week is about 2-4 hours.
To ensure the quality of our volunteer work, as well as due to safety and logistical concerns, we do not accept applicants who can only attend part of our summer program. If time conflict arises after the submission of your application, please notify us as soon as possible.
