Teaching English Volunteer Program in Morocco
Interested in Teaching English in Morocco? International Volunteer HQ’s Teaching English project is a great opportunity for volunteers to assist with language learning lessons for disadvantaged students. Volunteers gain teaching experience while helping students develop important skills that will open doors to future opportunities including higher education and better job prospects.
Highlights:
- Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from CA$783 for 2 weeks
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Help to teach English to disadvantaged children and adults
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Discover Morocco’s incredible markets and kasbahs
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Learn about daily life in Morocco by staying with a local family
Who is this program suited to?
Key information
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Although the Moroccan government is working hard to improve literacy and promote professional development, a large number of Moroccan students aren’t given the chance to acquire valuable second language skills. It’s well known that speaking a second language will enable students to further their education and integrate them well into the job market, but accessing opportunities to learn these languages is not easy.
As a Teaching English volunteer you will work with children and adults from disadvantaged communities helping them learn the language. You can lead lessons, or pair up with another volunteer to deliver classes. Volunteer duties can vary but usually involve:
- Helping run small workshops
- Assisting local teachers
- Tutoring students
- Providing pronunciation and word use guidance
- Arranging educational games and activities
You can also assist in summer camps during holiday periods. Volunteers are also able to teach French, which is a popular second language in Morocco. If you can speak French and English, and are willing to volunteer teaching both languages, please include that in your application.
Why do Teaching English volunteering in Morocco with IVHQ?
As a volunteer English teacher in Morocco you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving language learning opportunities for disadvantaged students
- Helping students learn new skills
- Practicing your French and Arabic
- Gaining teaching experience
- Immersing yourself in Moroccan culture
- Discovering Morocco’s rich history
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
- It is not a prerequisite for volunteers to speak Arabic or French, however volunteer work can sometimes be restricted for those with limited Arabic and/or French language skills, and you should expect a significant language barrier as few people speak English.
Morocco photo gallery
Recommended online TEFL course
We encourage volunteers on IVHQ’s Teaching and Childcare projects to come prepared by completing some relevant training, such as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Although formal teaching qualifications are not required on these projects as volunteers are supported by local staff, taking a TEFL course enables you to gain more from the experience. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Get TEFL certified online”There are so many favourite moments. I was teaching English to women in the mornings and then going to a child care center. Just the look on the faces of children as soon as I entered is something I will not be able to forget. Even though we didn't have a common language to communicate, our gestures and love in the heart were enough to send our message acros...” read more
Kanika, Canadian, 34
Read reviews from Teaching English volunteers in Morocco
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Location
Rabat is a bustling, beautiful place and the capital city of Morocco. With a vibrant mixture of African, Berber and European cultures, it is a fascinating place to visit. It’s the home of Morocco’s king and his court, a huge number of mosques and monuments, an old Medina listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a wide range of other interesting things to see and do.
While Morocco has made progress towards improving quality of life for its citizens, there is still a huge socioeconomic gap between those with wealth and those without, and a big difference in access to basic necessities in rural and urban areas. Employment can be especially difficult to come by. Volunteers can help address the challenges of inequality and poverty by assisting with a range of projects that aim to continue to develop society and equality in Morocco. Volunteer projects are located in Rabat, Casablanca and Sale.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins the first and third Monday of each month, and volunteers need to arrive in Rabat on the Sunday before orientation. After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Rabat International Airport (RBA). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Rabat, Casablanca or Sale (location will depend on proximity to your specific placement). Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Morocco prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up at the Rabat Ville Train Station on the day before your program orientation.
Orientation is hosted by our Moroccan team at the volunteer base in Rabat. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Morocco – an introduction to Morocco, Moroccan customs, rules and expectations, language lessons, safety, travel opportunities in Morocco, and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays
Work and break times are dependent on each project and placement. Volunteers taking Arabic or French language lessons spend half the day volunteering and the other half of the day taking language lessons. A typical volunteer day would be as follows
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast at your homestay. |
| 9:00 - 10:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements to begin work. |
| 2:00 - 5:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing. |
| 8:00 PM | Dinner at the homestay. |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Rabat and Morocco. In Rabat, you can visit the ancient city ruins of Chellah, learn to surf, treat your senses to the charms of the market stalls in the old Medina, see any of the city’s large number of sacred and religious sites, mosques and monuments, take a traditional steam bath, wander the pretty blue and white streets of the Kasbah des Oudaias, or take in a beautiful garden or art gallery.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to destinations, such as Marrakech, Merzouga, Tinghir, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis, Tangier, and Gibraltar, Andalusia and Portugal in southern Europe.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in a homestay with a local family. It is exciting to stay with a family, as this is an opportunity to learn the Moroccan way of life, meet local people, eat local food, speak the local language (Darija: the Moroccan Arabic dialect) and engage in local customs and traditions. These families receive money from your program fee for support, food and board.
Living is basic, yet still comfortable, and most homestays have electricity and running water. You can expect to share a room with other volunteers, however in some homestays volunteers have their own rooms. It is important to note that Moroccan homes have a shared living environment in which Sdaders - Moroccan couches - are used for sitting and dining during the day and as beds at night.
Bedding is provided, but it is recommended you bring your own towel and toiletries, as well as a sleeping bag if you wish to travel on the weekends.
WiFi is available in the majority of the homestays in Morocco. To keep connected, you can also purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone.
Meals
Volunteers in Morocco are served breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
Influenced by African, Arab, Moorish and Berber cuisines, Moroccan cooking blends Mediterranean fruits and vegetables with spices. A Moroccan meal often begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a Moroccan stew called tagine, and bread. Lamb and chicken dishes are common, as is couscous topped with meat and vegetables.
The consumption of pork and alcohol are prohibited, as per Muslim dietary restrictions. Drinking mint tea is a daily tradition and bread is eaten with nearly every meal.
Bottled water is readily available in Morocco and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 (approximately CA$6) per week for 2 liters a day. If you have any special dietary requirements, please include these in your application.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | CA$783 Equivalent to CA$56/day |
| 3 weeks | CA$1040 Equivalent to CA$50/day |
| 4 weeks | CA$1297 Equivalent to CA$47/day |
| 5 weeks | CA$1554 Equivalent to CA$45/day |
| 6 weeks | CA$1810 Equivalent to CA$44/day |
| 8 weeks | CA$2324 Equivalent to CA$42/day |
| 10 weeks | CA$2702 Equivalent to CA$39/day |
| 12 weeks | CA$3081 Equivalent to CA$37/day |
| 16 weeks | CA$3837 Equivalent to CA$35/day |
| 20 weeks | CA$4594 Equivalent to CA$33/day |
| 24 weeks | CA$5351 Equivalent to CA$32/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on language lessons
- Certificate of International Volunteering
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of CA$404 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services. IVHQ fees are priced in USD but you may elect to pay in CAD.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Morocco generally find US$40 to be sufficient for weekly expenses.
Affordable Arabic & French Language Lessons
Our local team in Morocco offer Arabic and French lessons to volunteers, which can be organized and paid for in advance through IVHQ. Lessons are tailored to each volunteer’s current level of Arabic or French and will be for 2 hours per day Monday through Friday. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons can help you immensely with your day to day volunteer work and communicating with local people.
- 1 week of lessons (10 hours) – US$265 (approximately CA$358)
- 2 weeks of lessons (20 hours) – US$535 (approximately CA$722)
- 3 weeks of lessons (30 hours) – US$800 (approximately CA$1081)
- 4 weeks of lessons (40 hours) – US$1065 (approximately CA$1439)
Please make a note in your application or contact your IVHQ Program Manager after you have registered for the program if you would like to add language lessons to your Morocco volunteer experience.
Check what's required to visit Morocco
Check out the widget below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Morocco, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Protecting against COVID-19:
Volunteers tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel
Health & safety information provided during orientation
Strict disinfecting standards for programs & accomodation
Greater physical distance between volunteers
Essential country information
| Capital | Rabat |
| Population | 36.47 million |
| Languages | Arabic and Berber |
| Currency | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) |
| Time zone | UTC±00:00 |
Weather and climate
Morocco has a Mediterranean climate that is generally hot and dry for most of the year, with cooler, yet still mild, temperatures and rainfall during the winter months between November and March. Morocco has widely varying terrain and the climate varies greatly throughout the country. Temperatures can be incredibly high in the southern and south eastern desert areas whereas, the temperature drops considerably in the higher lying mountainous areas, even dropping to freezing point at night. In Rabat, temperatures reach an average high of 27°C (80.6°F) in the summer months and an average high of 17°C (62.6°F) in the winter months. Temperatures can drop to an average of 7°C (44.6°F) in the winter and it is generally always cold in the evenings throughout the year.
