As an ERN Volunteer you will take part in a rigorous training schedule designed to help you settle into your placement successfully. The aim of the training is to teach you enough Nepali language to communicate with people that speak limited English and learn about cultural differences, that determine how you conduct yourself within the host family and within traditional Nepali villages. If the placement with ERN involves teaching English, additional classes on teaching English as a foreign language will also be included. The length of the training program is determined by how long you will be in a placement with ERN, for volunteers on the short 2 week placements the training period will last for 3 days, for those on longer placements training will last for up to 10 days.

Training

• 2 to 3 hours of basic Nepali language a day.

  Classroom survival tips 

  Cultural information / gender issues 

  Environmental / societal issues

• Sightseeing in Kathmandu

PHASE - 1
The first phase of training involves language training and sightseeing around Kathmandu. The language training takes place in the morning, after a light breakfast. Language classes last for about 2 to 3 hours and are in small groups of 3 or 4. This allows for more intensive training and gives our language teachers the opportunity to provide better personal attention to each volunteer. After the language class, volunteers will be given dinner and about an hour to rest. This is followed by sightseeing around Kathmandu accompanied by member of the ERN team. The afternoons will also be spent giving you cultural information regarding Nepali traditions and some of the social issues that you may encounter during your placement. You will be given safety training, that will give you some knowledge about how to conduct and present yourself around the village, resource centers, schools or orphanage. An important part of this phase, will be meeting volunteers returning from their placements. Evening meals are often in Nepali or Newari restaurants, where new volunteers will get the opportunity to interact with current volunteers and learn from each others experiences.

PHASE - 2
During the second phase of training volunteers will get a chance to experience Nepali village life. They will be taken to our training village about one and a half hours drive from Kathmandu. During the village training, volunteers will live with a host family where they will be encouraged to use some of the Nepali language and cultural skills acquired in the first phase of training. Language lessons will continue in the mornings and the rest of the day will be spent sightseeing around local towns. Volunteers on teaching placements will also get the opportunity to attend a local English class. The village stay will usually be two nights, however volunteers on longer placements are expected to remain in the village for up to 4 nights. On rare occasions disruptions in transport or weather, mean that volunteers remain in the village for longer periods or return earlier to Kathmandu.

PHASE - 3
This stage in training involves returning to Kathmandu for a day of recuperation. During this time volunteers are encouraged to share their experiences and voice any concerns that they may feel about the placements. This time can also be spent shopping or catching up with friends and family on the Internet. volunteers will be taken to the Kathmandu bus station by car/taxi from here they will be taken by tourist bus to their placements. A member of the ERN team will accompany the volunteer and the local INFO Nepal representative will meet the volunteer upon arrival.