Over 400 overseas youth wrap up voluntary English teaching program in Taiwan

Taichung, July 31 (CNA) More than 400 overseas youth, some of Taiwanese descent, recently completed a voluntary English teaching program in Taiwan, during which they taught at schools across the country, including remote areas, for two weeks.

Running from July 5 to Aug. 1, the government-sponsored "English Teaching Volunteer Service Program for Overseas Youth 2025" recruited participants aged 17-24 who are fluent in English to teach at 68 elementary and junior high schools, including some in remote regions and on outlying islands.

A total of 409 young volunteers from 22 countries -- including the United States, Australia and South Africa -- completed the program, which consisted of a week of intensive training followed by two weeks of teaching, according to the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), one of the program organizers.

During a presentation event held in Taichung on Thursday, OCAC deputy head Ruan Jhao-syong (阮昭雄) expressed gratitude for the volunteers' contributions, noting that over the past two decades since the program was launched, many young people have returned to Taiwan to engage with students.

The many meaningful moments over the past 20 years have played a key role in helping children in Taiwan connect with the world and gain international exposure, he said, while also thanking the Ministry of Education and the Hakka Affairs Council, for co-organizing this year's program.

Among the volunteers who took the stage to share was Andrea from California, who said that although some of the children might not fully understand English, "through our games and teaching methods, they really enjoyed the lessons and were very engaged."

She also expressed gratitude to the OCAC for organizing this year's program and said she hopes to return to Taiwan in the future "to take part in similar activities and teach English again."

Another volunteer said her most memorable experience was helping the children make slime, while also gaining valuable lessons from them in return.

"Even though we came here to teach English, I feel like the children taught me a lot as well. They showed me the importance of always trying and asking questions when you don't understand something," she added.

According to the OCAC, since the program's launch in 2006, more than 7,000 overseas youth have come to Taiwan to provide English teaching and engage in cultural exchange, reaching over 50,000 elementary and junior high school students.