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Getting started with ENGin - first few sessions helping Ukrainians speak English [1]
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Date: 2023-12-03
Because there are new and newish volunteers, and some not-quite-there-but-thinking-about-it folks, I wanted to talk about some of the aspects of getting started in ENGin - especially the first few meetings that the volunteer and their Ukrainian buddy have.
Everyone is nervous for the first conversation
It’s natural that, starting something new, you’re going to feel a little unsure about what exactly is going to happen, and how you both will feel. Don’t try to ignore your feelings, but don’t let them overwhelm you.
If you haven’t yet made up your mind to share your awesome talents with ENGin, how about scheduling yourself for a volunteer info session: Register for a Volunteer Info Session .
You - yes, I mean you - can do it
As long as you meet the basic criteria to volunteer you should have no problem being successful.
ENGin has 5 main criteria for volunteers:
Age: We welcome volunteers age 14 and up.
English fluency: Volunteers must be fluent English speakers.
Commitment: Volunteers should be ready to dedicate 1 hour a week to ENGin for at least 10-12 weeks. If you're looking for more hours, we can accommodate that too!
Technology: All sessions with students take place online, so volunteers should be comfortable using online video chat platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype.
Location & views on Ukrainian independence: You must live outside of Russia, Belarus, and occupied Crimea not deny or justify Russian aggression, oppose Ukraine's independence and full territorial integrity, or support the myth of "brotherly nations"
What about that first session?
As far as I have seen, the vast majority of first conversations go well, and both the volunteer and their buddy are quite relieved at the end.
Before my first meeting with Yanа, I prepared almost a full page of conversation prompts, in case we started to run out of things to say.
Hah!! I used none of it, and we ran over our allotted 60 minutes by 20 minutes. This set the pattern for future meetings: as long as we have nothing pressing to do afterwards - like feeding the family - we usually talk for 75 minutes to 2 hours.
In future diaries I’ll say something about how we structure our time, and what kinds of things we talk about.
ENGin has resources to help with early sessions
There’s an ENGin video specifically about ideas for your first session. I don’t know about anyone else, but I was so overwhelmed by the amount of information available to volunteers that I didn’t find that video until today, when I was writing this story - and I’m almost 8 months in at this point!
Your first session
There’s lots of other stuff too, and perhaps my next diary will be an attempt to find and curate the material that might help with the first few sessions.
Basics from Your first session video
Some stuff seems facile (e.g., when they tell you to “Smile and be respectful”), but remember that DKers, being functional adults (we are, right??) may not be the prime audience for this kind of advice. However, perhaps some of the 14-year-olds would appreciate some pointers or reminders about how to build rapport with a new buddy.
Needs analysis, and Goals
The Your first session video also asks you to work with your new buddy on their needs and goals. They provide templates that you can use to tease out what is important, and record it as a baseline for your future sessions.
My suggestion (not the official views of ENGin) is that you take 2-3 weeks for this exercise - I feel that it’s a bit much for a first conversation. Over the next couple of weeks you will get a much better perspective on your buddy’s abilities and interests than during the first chat.
In any case, needs and goals is not a “once and done” exercise - rather it’s something that you may (perhaps should) revisit from time to time to make sure that you are giving the best from your buddy.
What matters - my PoV
What you were invited to volunteer for, and what students were told they would receive - is opportunities for Ukrainians to practise speaking English with a volunteer who is fluent in English.
If you can give your buddy more, and they want more - e.g., grammar lessons - then that is great. But please do not short-change them on the English speaking experience.
For me, what I aim for is whatever seems to be best able to help my buddy meet her goals - everything else pales into insignificance. Of course, YMMV 😀
To consider doing once you join ENGin
When you have completed the signup process, and perhaps even before your first buddy session, I suggest that you join the ENGin Volunteers Facebook group. The group is moderated by volunteers with a lot of experience. The active members of the group have lots of good ideas, and a great deal of wisdom to share - and so do you!
It’s not a must, but if you don’t have a problem with using FB (and some folks legitimately do have an issue), please have a look:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/enginvolunteers
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