Jordan

JOR2017-02: YMWA Centre for Special Education

Donor Opportunity:

Support will fund travel, room & board, and educational expenses of select student teachers sponsored by Foundation Outreach International at the Amman Baccalaureate School (ABS) and the YMWA School for Special Education.

Anticipated Annual Funding Need: $15,000

Project Location: Amman, Jordan

Dates of Project: August 2017—June 2018

Deadline for Application: March 1, 2017

Number of FOI Participants Needed: Two

Participant Prerequisites:

Minimum of 19 years of age.
A four year bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is preferred (not required).
A valid passport (a visa will be required for all participants—purchased upon arrival at
The YMWA director must also approve the applicant.
Past participation in previous FOI projects or camps preferred (not required).
The maturity to deal with people who do not share the same beliefs, and may challenge in a respectful way the beliefs of the participants.
The ability to set an excellent example of integrity and personal conduct at all times.
The ability to adapt to different environments and cultures, and to get along well with people.
The ability to overcome the challenge of working with people who do not speak English as a first language, or may not speak English at all.
Sufficient health and stamina to work in a developing world environment. The work will be physical in nature.
A recommendation from an FOI Board member.
Two additional references.

Housing and Living Expenses:

Housing will be provided for the volunteers without cost. Secure apartment living and a basic monthly stipend for all volunteers is being provided by the sponsoring schools and funds from FOI.

Environment:

The environment is challenging but will be suitably comfortable. Jordan is a developing country, but it is generally clean and free of most common communicable diseases. The hospitality of the Jordanian people is renowned, and the participants will be welcomed with open arms.

Nature of Project:

Two qualified volunteers will be chosen to serve at the Young Muslim Women’s Association (YMWA) Centre for Special Education during the 2017-2018 academic year. These volunteers need to demonstrate an aptitude to teach K-12 students, and a desire to enthusiastically represent Foundation Outreach International in an Arab-Muslim culture where the highest level of moral behavior is required. The volunteers will have the challenge to teach mentally challenged students who speak Arabic, so they will need to be able to adapt and learn to communicate in basic Arabic throughout the school year.

The Centre for Special Education was established in 1974 with the aim of providing services for students between the ages of 3 and 18 with mild and moderate mental disabilities. This pioneer project started out in rented premises with 18 students and 3 staff members. By 1981, the International Year of the Disabled, the number had risen to 80 and the Centre moved from its small rented house to its purpose-built facilities in Bunayat, Amman. Today, it is regarded as a center of excellence, both nationally and regionally, serving over 170 students in its preschool, school and prevocational sections.

Foundation Outreach International Board members have a long history of involvement with the YMWA, dating back to the Ambassador Foundation project of the 1980s and 1990s. We participate in the school by the direct invitation of Her Royal Highness Princess Sarvath El Hassan.

Goals of Participant Involvement:

FOI has designed these programs to help motivated student teachers connect with Jordanian citizens and youth through service. This dimension of leadership and service will be awakened and directed toward our vision of “Doing a World of Good.” To that end, all participants should understand that their involvement in this project should lead them to:

Understand the vision of and need for good works for humanity.
Experience and live the vision of serving others in need.
Identify with and participate in the FOI mission.
Understand that, by such participation, they will have become a part of something bigger than themselves and contributed to the greater good of humanity.

Pre-trip teleconference and post-project discussion of these outcomes will be asked of all service project participants.