Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant

Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant
Teaching/Volunteering Opportunity in Cuenca, Ecuador
for Recent Graduate who is Spanish
proficient

A life-changing experience in Ecuador inspired Mark Raderstorf’s and Linda Armstrong’s desire to support a recent graduate for a teaching/volunteer position in Cuenca, Ecuador. This year-long commitment involves volunteering at Fundación El Arenal, an alternative education center for children and adolescents of Cuenca, and teaching English at CEDEI, a popular language school in Cuenca. The “Puente

Cultural” Grant has two primary objectives:
1.)to facilitate a cross cultural experience for a recent graduate with high Spanish proficiency who demonstrates financial need.
2.)to support El Arenal Foundation and its programs for children of working families. The ideal student will possess the following qualities:
-2018 Graduate with high Spanish proficiency
-Willingness to commit to living at least 11 months in Ecuador –from mid July, 2018, to mid June, 2019
-Financial need—an indication that the student would not be able to live abroad without financial help
-Interest in helping and teaching children of all ages
-Willingness to volunteer 20 hours per week at EL Arenal Foundation as an ESL teacher for Ecuadorian children ages 10-18 (unpaid volunteer work).
-Desire to become a TEFL certified ESL instructor
-Willingness to work 20 hours per week as an ESL instructor at CEDEI language school (paid work).
-Willingness to maintain a report/ blog/ page about this experience.
-priority will be given to students of Ohio State University or Augsburg College

The grant (estimated value at $8500) will provide:
-Safe and secure housing with an Ecuadorian family at no cost
-Roundtrip flights costs
-Costs of work visa
-Costs of six week TEFL certification training program at CEDEI https://www.cedei.org/en/internacionales-eng/programs-and-fees/certificate-in-teaching-english-as-a-foreign-language-tefl?highlight=WyJ0ZWZsIiwidGVmbCcsIl0=#.WDrquneZP_R
-Medical insurance while in Ecuador through CEDEI and insurance supplement for emergency evacuation (or if the applicant has medical insurance, supplement only)

What grant recipient will need to cover:
-Daily living expenses (which can be paid for by money earned as CEDEI language teacher at a rate of $7.00 per hour/20 hrs. per week beginning in month of September)
- Personal expenses for socializing, travel, etc

Timetable for 2018:
-January 31: Application deadline
-February: Selection committee meets
-End of February-Finalists selected
-March: Interviews with finalists (via skype or in person)
-Early April: Grant notification
-April 15: Deadline for recipient to sign a commitment
April - May: Pre-departure orientation (skype meeting with family, phone call M. Raderstorf, work visa paperwork, insurance set up, etc.)
-Mid-July 2018: Grant recipients arrives in Cuenca
-Mid-July to late August 2018: 6 week long TEFL training program at CEDEI
-September, 2018 to mid-June 2018: Volunteer 20 hours per week at El Arenal foundation
September, 2018 to mid-June, 2019 Work 20 hours per week at CEDEI at rate of $7 per hour

Interested students please fill out to Google Form Application by January 31, 2018 for program to begin July, 2018
Here is the link to the application: https://goo.gl/forms/bXtTojjalEZ4sGvZ2

2018 Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant Application

28/12/2018

We are now receiving applications for the 2019 Puente Cultural Services and Teaching Abroad Grant. Please click on the link below and complete application by January 31,2019.

Here is our timetable for 2019 application process::
-January 31: Application deadline
-February 15: Reference letter deadline
-March 10 Finalists selected
-March 11 - 30: Interviews with finalists (via skype or in person)
-Early April: Grant notification
-April 15: Deadline for recipient to sign a commitment
April - May: Pre-departure orientation (skype meeting with family, phone call with M. Raderstorf, work visa paperwork, insurance set up, etc.)
-July 8, 2019: Grant recipients arrives in Cuenca
-July 9 to August 9, 2019: 6 week long TEFL training program at CEDEI
-August 15, 2019 to mid-June 2020: Volunteer 20 hours per week at a local foundation
September, 2019 to mid-June, 2020 Work 20 hours per week at CEDEI at rate of $7 per hour
Interested students please fill out to Google Form Application by January 31, 2019 for program to begin July, 2019

Here is the link to the application:

2018 Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant Application Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant is to assist a recent college graduate to live in Cuenca, Ecuador for one year. Expectation is the the grantee will complete TEFL training at CEDEI language school, work 20 hours a week as an ESL teacher at CEDEI and volunteer 20 hours a week at Fund...

24/09/2018

Kaitlin K***z and Jossel Franco have started their teaching and volunteering in Cuenca this year as our 2018 recipients of the Puente Cultural Services and Teaching Abroad Grant Recipients. You can read about their experiences as this blog: https://puenteculturalservice.blogspot.com

We will be opening applications for the 2019 Grant in January, 2019. More information to come about the application process by November 15. Check back with us then if you are interested in applying.

Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant

02/01/2018

Here is our timetable for 2018 application process::
-January 31: Application deadline
-February 15: Reference letter deadline
-End of February-Finalists selected
-March: Interviews with finalists (via skype or in person)
-Early April: Grant notification
-April 15: Deadline for recipient to sign a commitment
April - May: Pre-departure orientation (skype meeting with family, phone call with M. Raderstorf, work visa paperwork, insurance set up, etc.)
-Mid-July 2018: Grant recipients arrives in Cuenca
-Mid-July to late August 2018: 6 week long TEFL training program at CEDEI
-September, 2018 to mid-June 2018: Volunteer 20 hours per week at El Arenal foundation
September, 2018 to mid-June, 2019 Work 20 hours per week at CEDEI at rate of $7 per hour

Interested students please fill out to Google Form Application by January 31, 2018 for program to begin July, 2018
Here is the link to the application:

02/01/2018

Applications are now open for the 2018 Puente Cultural Services and Teaching Abroad Grant. Please click on this link here: https://goo.gl/forms/l0bIxe4wa0R68fGB3
Applications will be accepted through January 31, 2018.
Questions? Just post your question here or email me at [email protected]

05/12/2017

I just returned from an enjoyable trip to Cuenca, Ecuador, where I was able to meet with our first Grant Recipient, Anabel Chavez, 2017, Augsburg University Graduate. I visited with Anabel at the Foundation de El Arenal, where she teaches English to high school students every morning. Everyone loves Anabel because of her big heart and patience with the kids. Anabel is also teaching English at CEDEI language school in the afternoon and evenings to earn money for living expenses. We are so pleased to have Anabel as our first Grant Recipient, she is industrious, creative, compassionate...impacting these children's lives in so many ways. Thanks, Anabel, for all your contributions to the Cuenca community!

05/12/2017

05/01/2017

Our Application will be open by January 1, 2018. Please keep checking back

Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant Application Puente Cultural Service and Teaching Abroad Grant is to assist a recent college graduate to live in Cuenca, Ecuador for one year. Expectation is the the grantee will complete TEFL training at CEDEI language school, work 20 hours a week as an ESL teacher at CEDEI and volunteer 20 hours a week at Fund...

02/12/2016

I am excited to launch this page to promote our grant for a new college graduate to learn and work in Ecuador. Take a look and please spread the word to potential students.