JAKARTA – The Peace Corps, an independent agency of the U.S. government that promotes world peace and friendship, announces the return of Volunteers to Indonesia in January 2023.
The Peace Corps announced the return of Volunteers to Indonesia at a reception at the MyAmerica Library of the U.S. Embassy that brought together government partners, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and teachers and students from Peace Corps partner schools. This event celebrated the activities of Peace Corps staff and school partners in Indonesia who have worked together throughout the pandemic to address challenges caused by virtual learning and to prepare teachers for the return to the classroom. In addition to in-person attendees, more than 90 principals and teachers from West Java, East Java and East Nusa Tenggara joined the live broadcast online.
At the event, United States Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim, highlighted the important work of Peace Corps Volunteers and their community partners, saying: “I am so pleased that we are now able to prepare for the return of Peace Corps Volunteers to Indonesia, and to have such a talented and motivated group of people working with Peace Corps, to expand the ties between our two countries.”
More than 7,300 Peace Corps Volunteers were working in 62 countries when all Volunteers were evacuated in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Peace Corps Indonesia had 116 Volunteers serving as Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Volunteers in East Java, West Java, and East Nusa Tenggara.
“As we experience high rates of vaccination in Indonesia and a drastic reduction in the risks associated with COVID-19, I am delighted to share the news that Peace Corps Indonesia is planning to welcome our next training class in early January 2023. After nearly 3 months of intensive training, this group will swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers in late March and will then spend 2 years serving communities in West Java, East Java, and East Nusa Tenggara as English Teachers and Teacher Trainers,” said Jennifer Goette, Country Director for Peace Corps Indonesia.
Representing the Government of Indonesia, Iwan Freddy Hari Susanto, Director of American Affairs I of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed support for returning Peace Corps Volunteers to service: “Our countries are highly committed in starting the reinstatement of the Peace Corps Volunteers…This is surely a great milestone and a firm steppingstone for our future cooperation.”
About Peace Corps and Peace Corps Indonesia:
- The Peace Corps’ Mission is to promote world peace and friendship. Since 1961, more than 240,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in 142 countries around the world to exemplify one of the great strengths of the American character: the willingness to help others. Peace Corps is a people-to-people organization, providing human resources to help with community development.
- Prior to their assignment, Peace Corps Volunteers receive an 11-week intensive Pre-Service Training (PST) in Indonesia in order to work effectively at a permanent site/school, during which they also learn Bahasa Indonesia and/or another Indonesian language.
- Besides teaching a minimum of 20 classroom hours per week in the classroom and supporting English teacher training activities at the school and district level, Peace Corps Volunteers also conduct community-based tutoring and English instruction, and engage in a variety of extracurricular activities at their schools.
- Volunteers’ projects outside of the classroom include: English clubs, leadership camps, English competitions, peer-tutoring, World Map Projects, library development, literacy initiatives, and providing training for English teachers.
- In order to integrate into their communities, Peace Corps Volunteers in Indonesia live with a host family throughout their service. The school identifies potential host families and Peace Corps staff assess and select the family.
- Peace Corps Volunteers do not receive salary, they live at the level of the local community and become integrated into the fabric of their assigned school and community.
- Interested schools can apply for a Peace Corps Volunteer through Peace Corps Indonesia’s website – www.peacecorps.gov/indonesia/bermitra-dengan-peace-corps/
