Help strengthen academic education and teacher capacity in rural Samoa

Don Bosco College and Vocational Technical Centre in Salelologa is seeking qualified academic teachers to support students and mentor local teachers in a Catholic, co educational high school on the beautiful island of Savai’i. Your contribution will help address the shortage of experienced teachers and improve learning outcomes for young people in a region where access to quality education is limited.

This role is ideal for someone passionate about academic teaching, youth development, and cross cultural mentoring.

What you’ll do

First several weeks – Learn, observe, and build trust

• Learn local customs, school routines, and cultural norms with guidance from local staff.
• Observe teaching practices and identify strengths and community assets.
• Focus on understanding context before suggesting changes.

Ongoing responsibilities

Teaching & Learning Support

• Teach academic subjects such as English, Economics, Physics, Chemistry, or other core disciplines.
• Support teachers to strengthen lesson planning, classroom routines, and subject knowledge.
• Model effective, low resource teaching strategies suitable for local classrooms.

Mentoring & Capacity Building

• Provide ongoing coaching to teachers over a 12-month period.
• Encourage reflective practice, peer support, and collaborative problem solving.
• Help develop simple, sustainable teaching resources.

Student Engagement

• Build student confidence through clear explanations, structured activities, and supportive feedback.
• Promote active learning and participation in a culturally respectful way.

Cross Cultural Understanding

• Demonstrate sensitivity to Samoan customs, values, and community expectations.
• Support positive communication between teachers, students, and families.

What you’ll bring

• Relevant qualifications and experience teaching at high school level.
• Experience mentoring teachers, youth, or young adults.
• Patience, flexibility, and the ability to adapt to limited resources.
• Cultural sensitivity and readiness to work in a rural island environment.
• Ability to cope with cultural isolation and different living standards.
• Commitment to teamwork, coaching, and long term skills transfer.
• Commitment to serve for 12 months with limited resources.

What you’ll gain

• Deep cultural immersion in the coastal community of Salelologa.
• The opportunity to strengthen academic education in a region with limited resources.
• Professional experience in cross cultural teaching and mentoring.
• Contribution to SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 17 (Partnerships).

About the College Don Bosco College and Vocational Technical Centre in Salelologa is a Catholic, co-educational high school which offers a unique blend of academic and vocational education on the picturesque island of Savai’i, Samoa. Archbishop Mataeliga envisioned a school where students can “stay in their homes while attending school,” ensuring they remain connected to their community.

About Palms International Volunteering For 65 years, Palms International Volunteering has supported skilled Australians to live and work alongside communities in the Asia-Pacific. Our volunteers don’t ‘fix’ problem - they build relationships, strengthen local capacity, and walk with communities striving for dignity and opportunity. These are ‘solidarity placements’. Accommodation and a small stipend is provided, as well as preparation and ongoing support.

The focus is on living as a true neighbour to learn, and to establish an effective mentoring role. This is the basis for lasting capacity building in the community. It is also a chance for you to step out of the rush and reconnect with what matters through a deep cultural immersion and genuine community relationships.