VIME: Volunteers in Migrant Education

How do volunteers add value to the classroom?

The Erasmus + VIME project is focused on the use of volunteers to add value to migrant adult language and literacy learning. The project will provide guidance on the possible roles volunteers can play in the process of language learning, integration and participation in society.

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Shapes and Sizes

Volunteers in language teaching and learning come in different shapes and sizes and they fulfil various roles. For example, they may provide support as language buddies or classroom assistants, act as mentors and run conversation clubs among many other roles. Butin which roles are they of best value adn what competences are required for each of these roles? This is what the VIME project is about.

Products and Results

We are currently gathering data from interviews with participants, volunteers and professionals describing the roles that volunteers play in different settings and organisations and will be running events in the particpating countries in April 2017 to share what we have learned.

  1. A model for the use of volunteers in migrant language education, outlining specific roles that volunteers can play and the associated competencies required for these, as well as mechanisms for co-operation between volunteers and professionals.
  2. A guide for coordinators, professionals and volunteers on their respective roles, duties and the reciprocity between professionals and volunteers
  3. Training modules that support volunteers in carrying out their specific roles and acquiring the appropriate skills.
  4. A model for creating and developing policy regarding distribution of professional staff and volunteers.
  5. Screening procedures for language learning providers to assist in finding suitable volunteers.

More information

Partners

VIME involves partners from the Netherlands (ITTA University of Amsterdam (project leader), Het Begint met Taal and ROC West-Brabant), Slovenia (University of Ljubljana and Ljudska Universza Zalec), England (UCL Institute of Education and ELATT Connected Learning) and Denmark (Slagelse Sprogcenter).

All of the organisations involved have experience of working within migrant education and the use of volunteers. The project runs for two years.