Amity Internship Program

Amity Institute offers young people around the world, including Germans, the opportunity to serve as ambassadors of their countries by volunteering as teaching assistants of their native languages and cultures. As a participant in the Amity Program you can:

• gain experience by teaching your native langauge in a U.S. school
• work side by side with experienced langauge teachers
• observe the U.S. educational system
• live with a host family or on a school campus.
• improve your langauge skills
• attend courses about American history, government, literature or society
• experience life in the U.S. first-hand
• make new friends
• take an active part in the life of an American community

What can you expect from your host school & Amity Institute
 
In addition to the cross-cultural benefits of the Amity experience, you will also receive:

• free room and board with a host family or at school
• a small spending allowance from the host school, usually between US$10 and US$20 per week
• free school lunches, while classes are in session
• assistance with arranging transportation to and from your school
• support and guidance from your Amity staff counselor, from the time you are invited, until completion of your assignment
• legal visa sponsorship from Amity Institute on a J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa
• a Certificate of Studies from Amity Institute, granting university-level credits for Intern Teaching, American Civilization, Education in America and Conversational English

What is expected of an Amity intern? 

As an Amity intern, you should be prepared to:

• assist with language and cultural instruction in the classroom for approximately 15 hours per week, as directed and supervised by the langauge teachers
• attend two personal study classes per semester, usually at the host school
• participate in extra-curricular activities at your school, such as langauge clubs, festivals, meetings, etc.
• become involved in the life of your host family and community
• serve as a role model fro students at the school to which you are assigned

Assignment are at selected public and private elementary, secondary schools, and at some universities and colleges:  

• Length of available assignments: 1) full academic year (mid-August or early September through late May or mid-June); 2) semester (approximately 5 months)
• The majority of Amity assignments are full school year assignments. Sometimes candidates are in vited by several school in different parts of the U.S. to spend a quarter or semester at each of them. In such cases of multiple assignments, Amity will pay part of the transportation costs between assignments.
• Most Amity assignment are at high schools located in the Midwest region of the U.S.., often in small towns. Although applicants may indicate regional preferences, they must be prepared to accept and assignment anywhere in the United States

You must be:  

• a student or graduate of a university, professional or technical institution
• single, between the ages of 20 and 30
• able to communicate effectively in English
• interested in working with children and young people. Teaching experience or youth leadership experience is extremely helpful, but is not a requirement

You are responsible for:  

• round-trip transportation between your home country and the location of your assignment
• US$150 per month for personal expenses
• all costs of personal travel (vacation, sightseeing, etc.) in the U.S.
• health and accident insurance (approximately US$50 per month) for every month that you spend in the U.S. under the Amity program

If you believe that you qualify for the Amity Program and are interested in sharing your world in the U.S., please contact your nearest screening officer for further information. If you do not know who this is, please send an A4 self-adressed envelope with 1,45 for postage to Duncan Cummins (Student Counselor), Carl-Schurz-Haus, Eisenbahstr. 58-62, 79098 Freiburg and I will be glad to send this to you. If you have any questions, you can call me at 0761-55652716 Monday to Thursday mornings. You can also look at the Amity Web site http://www.amity.org

The application process includes:  

• completing our application form
• responding to essay questions
• providing three detailed letters of recommendation.
• submitting an application letter, describing your qualifications and reasons for applying to the Amity program
• a personal interview in English with a screening officer (this involves a small fee)

Your application is extremely important because it serves as a presentation of your qualifications and potential contributions to schools. Host schools select Amity Intgerns by reviewing applications and letters. Upon arrival of your completed application (sent by the screening officer), it will be photocopied and sent to participating schools for consideration. You will be proposed for assignments when your qualifications and availability match a school's particular needs. Please note that final selections of Amity Interns are made by host schools, not by Amity Institute. You will be contacted immediately, by phone or fax, if you are invited. Letters informing you about the status of your candidacy will be sent to you periodically. To keep your application active and up to date, you are required to correspond with Amity Institute, 3065 Rosecrans Place, Suite 104, San Diego, CA 92110, U.S.A. every month, informing Amity of your continued interest and availability for the program. In your letters, you should mention your current activities, any new qualifications or experiences gained, and for which period(s) you would accept an assignment. Your application will not be sent to host schools unless there is a recent letter in your file, confirming your availability.

  Last updated July 2009 (Duncan Cummins)