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“I feel full of love. The students have learned my lessons well,
and I’m very proud of them. I can see how much they like and
respect me. A lump forms in my throat. I will surely miss their faces.”
Tizza Swanson, Italy Volunteer
Help establish a formative relationship.
Volunteers have served in Italian classrooms and small groups as L’amico preferitos” (“favorite friends”) since 1995. Now in partnership with the municipal government of Castelvetrano, Sicily, we’ll be teaching conversational English skills to students in high school classrooms and small groups. Our new program is near the southwestern coast of the island, in the province of Trapani. The city has a population of roughly 31,000 residents and is famous for its olives and olive oil, cobbled streets, narrow passage ways, ready access to the sea, and unique architecture reminiscent of the past.
Volunteer on Italy’s largest Mediterranean island.
Volunteering in Italy for Individuals, Groups, Families
English has become the language of commerce, technology, and opportunity worldwide. Especially in times of economic distress, Sicilian students crave the opportunity to learn American English (the language of the internet) from native speakers to enhance their educational and employment opportunities. On a typical day, you create your own lesson plans from standard curriculum texts and our Conversational English Teaching Guide, engaging small groups of high school students in games and diverse interactive activities. In practice conversations, you may discuss North American culture, history, daily lifestyle, sports, and school systems. You might team teach, work one-on-one, or conduct classes on your own – depending on your style and comfort level.
Be sure to select all applicable discounts. All payments tax-deductible.
Your service program officially begins with the evening meal on the first Saturday. You’ll meet your team at the Falcone Borsellino Airport in Palermo (PMO) and be transported to Castelvetrano along with your teammates.
You must confirm your flight itinerary with us at least two weeks before the service program arrival date to confirm your team airport transfer to the hotel. Plan your departure from Palermo for after 7:00 AM on the final Saturday of your service program.
Your health and safety are our highest priorities as a volunteer in Sicily. Lodging is at two guesthouses in the city center. Palazzo al Carmine is an exquisite Sicilian manor house. This is a delightful eight-room family-run B&B on one of the main city roads just steps from several outdoor cafés. Xenia Home, another charming, family-owned guesthouse is close by and also within walking distance of cafes and restaurants. Each single and double room has air conditioning, private bathrooms, hot and cold water, and Wi-Fi.
Italian cuisine is world-renown and healthy, featuring a variety of pastas with sauces, seasonal fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes, all kinds of meat, fish, and pecorino cheese. Sicilian meals feature freshly caught fish, locally produced olive oil, dried fruit, sweet-and-sour sauces, with desserts the crown jewels such as cannoli, cassata, marzipan fruit and granita. Bottled water is provided. Vegetarian diets can generally be accommodated.
Your lodging, food and transportation are provided always with a mind to protect your health and security. Your team leader is trained in CPR and first aid to handle most emergencies. Global Volunteers includes emergency medical evacuation insurance in your service program fee. Read more about health and safety here.
We strongly recommend you consult your own physician, public health clinic and/or travel clinic for detailed travel health information. For general recommendations, consult the following sources:
Centers for Disease Control | Health Canada Online | Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
We also recommend health insurance that covers you while you are outside your home country, and trip cancellation insurance in the event you must cancel your participation on the service program. Your travel agent can refer you to travel insurance providers. Click here to read risks associated with international travel.
Our team leaders are trained professionals who either have served on and led multiple Global Volunteers programs or are Global Volunteers staff.
April 18, 2020: Dorota Wierzbicka, Director of International Operations
May 16, 2020: Jeff Rogo, veteran team leader and Italy volunteer
October 10, 2020: Andrew Philbrook, long-term staff; Sicily exploration trip assistant
November 7, 2020: Phyllis Thompson, leader of 24 teams to Italy
Ample time is available on evenings and weekends to enjoy the numerous natural and cultural attractions of Sicily. You can either stay in Castelvetrano or travel on your own to other parts of Sicily. Popular weekend destinations include Marsalla where you can hop on a short boat ride to one of the islands for hiking and water sports. If you prefer to spend time closer to Castelvetrano, you can visit nearby Selinunte and enjoy delicious food, drinks, and the beach, as well as the famous archeological park. Cafés and spectacular restaurants, museum visits, and historical sites are popular evening and weekend attractions.
Families who volunteer together, grow together!Italy Volunteer Margo McDonough describes her family’s experience:
“Volunteering in Italy gave us the chance to live like ‘locals.’ We headed out each morning not to sight-see, but to work.
The best part was what brought me to Italy in the first place – the chance to spend one-on-one time with my adolescent son while he was still willing to hang out with Mom.
I watched my son stretch himself as he pulled together lesson plans each night – ‘Do my teachers really have to do all this stuff?’ – and faced expectant youngsters each morning. By the end of the week, Austin was exhausted from teaching. As Austin’s mom and fellow teacher, I got to bask in his reflected glow. When it was time to say ciao, the kids asked for my autograph while they waited for the one they really wanted – Austin’s.”
Parents and guardians are expected to supervise their child volunteers, and collaborate with our team leader and local partners to maximize the service experience for everyone. Youth are invited to offer their own perspectives in team meetings and fully participate in free-time activities. In this way, your child gains a personal understanding of the Italian culture as well as the role and responsibilities of a team member. They likely also will create life-long friendships with local youth who share their interests and experiences.
Picture your group volunteering together in Crete!Your group is welcome to learn and serve together – experiencing Italian culture from the “inside.” Team teach in Sicilian classrooms, work together in small groups, and share free time at museums, markets and musical events!
Sicily service learning for high school and college groups
Nothing replaces volunteering together and experiencing the “real Italy” as you live it daily. Group members meet one-on-one with students, community leaders and other opinion leaders who explain Sicilian traditions and customs as topics of conversation. You help the English language become relevant when you practice it in classrooms and with small groups of students. Sicilian students appreciate conversations about family, film, food, wine, art and, of course, sports, especially football (soccer)!
“On our first day at school, the teacher interrupted us in mid-lesson with a tray of espresso and biscotti (The pursuit of “dolce vita” is as much a part of the school day as spelling and science). Yet the Italian kids seem to learn just as much as American kids do in their classrooms.”
“Simple conversations are highly valued. Every day brought something new. I believe we cooperatively made a difference in spreading goodwill from the USA. Small steps are invaluable to peace.”
“I think that Global Volunteers has formed this idea of creating peace and justice with other countries around the world, and this idea is not only plausible but doable. Peace starts with a relationship and Global Volunteers seek to do just that: build relationships. And with the small steps we are taking to do this worldwide, the idea of peace with other countries seems closer than we think.”
