Special Education Teacher Adviser
Closing Date: 13 June 2025
Category: Education & Training
Kia ora, Talofa Lava and warm Pacific greetings,
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Samoa. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Special Education Teacher Adviser or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience). The length of this assignment in the Samoa will be 12 months. VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for:
Our Partner Organisation – Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities
Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities’ mission is to provide access to inclusive, equitable and quality education and support services for all people with disabilities in Samoa.
The teams visit and work with families whose children with disabilities are unable to attend school due to their disabilities as well as any other barriers that may prevent them from attending school. The Loto Taumafai School generally works with children ranging from Year 1 to Year 12. Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities also provides support for a Vocational Unit, which teaches skills in carpentry, carving, and screen printing. In previous years there were also sewing and weaving classes.
The Assignment:
In this assignment the volunteer would be working with teachers to develop the right tools and knowledge to appropriately interact with their students with disabilities, especially when dealing with challenging behaviours, during task transitions and while maintaining on-task behaviour.
Key areas of focus of for this assignment would be in assisting and supporting Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities with teaching training, upskilling and in effectively planning lessons geared more towards a student-centered approach in an interactive learning environment. To accomplish this and deliver the best possible outcomes for the students, the volunteer would be working closely alongside teaching staff (Teachers, teacher aide and Principal) while also maintaining a relationship with the school’s board of management.
The Country – Samoa
Samoa is situated in the South Pacific approximately halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. It sits squarely in the cyclone belt and is highly vulnerable to devastating storms. Around three-quarters of its 195,000 population live on the main island of Upolu; the rest live on the neighbouring island of Savai'i or one of the seven small islets.
The traditional Samoan way, the fa’a Samoa, remains a strong force in Samoan life and politics where family is all-important, and elders are highly respected.
Each village is made up of extended families that are represented on the village council by a chief (matai). The more western-style parliamentary system in Samoa is highly influenced by traditional social systems and the family, civic and political duties performed by the matai at village level. The country is predominantly Christian.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
Applications Close: 13th June 2025
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
Te Whāinga | Our Purpose is
Te Hono Tangata - Te Huringa Ora.
Ka hono a Te Tūao Tāwāhi i ngā tūao pūkenga ki ngā whakahaere me ngā hapori i te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa me tua atu, hei tautoko i ngā wawata kua tautuhia ā-rohe, ā, kia tutuki ai te panoni toitū.
Connecting People – Transforming Lives.
Volunteer Service Abroad connects skilled volunteers with organisations and communities in the Pacific and beyond to support locally identified aspirations and achieve sustainable change.
Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About the role
This is your opportunity to become a VSA Volunteer to share your experience, skills and knowledge to serve and build capacity in Samoa. Work alongside our local partner organisation to plan and create a brighter future for all.
We are looking for an experienced Special Education Teacher Adviser or someone with the right level of transferrable skills, who understands and shares the spirit of volunteering, with a keen interest in building capability in the Pacific (while embracing a new cultural experience). The length of this assignment in the Samoa will be 12 months. VSA will support you by funding and organizing your flights, visas, insurances, accommodation, living allowance and utilities while you are on assignment.
Ngā tino Pūkenga/Wheako – Essential skills/experiences for the role
If you are interested in this opportunity, below are some of the key skills and experiences that we’re looking for:
- Qualified teacher experienced working in special education (BA Teaching or Post Grad in Special Education Adviser or proven experience in Special Ed)
- Experience in training and mentoring teachers and teacher aides
- Experience in developing curriculum materials and resources for children with special needs
- Experience with a range of disabilities including ASD, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision impairments
- Knowledge of the IEP process or goal setting and the ability to model, train, and assist teachers in planning good, relevant SMART goals.
Our Partner Organisation – Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities
Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities’ mission is to provide access to inclusive, equitable and quality education and support services for all people with disabilities in Samoa.
The teams visit and work with families whose children with disabilities are unable to attend school due to their disabilities as well as any other barriers that may prevent them from attending school. The Loto Taumafai School generally works with children ranging from Year 1 to Year 12. Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities also provides support for a Vocational Unit, which teaches skills in carpentry, carving, and screen printing. In previous years there were also sewing and weaving classes.
The Assignment:
In this assignment the volunteer would be working with teachers to develop the right tools and knowledge to appropriately interact with their students with disabilities, especially when dealing with challenging behaviours, during task transitions and while maintaining on-task behaviour.
Key areas of focus of for this assignment would be in assisting and supporting Loto Taumafai Society for People with Disabilities with teaching training, upskilling and in effectively planning lessons geared more towards a student-centered approach in an interactive learning environment. To accomplish this and deliver the best possible outcomes for the students, the volunteer would be working closely alongside teaching staff (Teachers, teacher aide and Principal) while also maintaining a relationship with the school’s board of management.
The Country – Samoa
Samoa is situated in the South Pacific approximately halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. It sits squarely in the cyclone belt and is highly vulnerable to devastating storms. Around three-quarters of its 195,000 population live on the main island of Upolu; the rest live on the neighbouring island of Savai'i or one of the seven small islets.
The traditional Samoan way, the fa’a Samoa, remains a strong force in Samoan life and politics where family is all-important, and elders are highly respected.
Each village is made up of extended families that are represented on the village council by a chief (matai). The more western-style parliamentary system in Samoa is highly influenced by traditional social systems and the family, civic and political duties performed by the matai at village level. The country is predominantly Christian.
Me pēhea te tuku tono| How to apply:
Apply for this opportunity through our website.
For more information or if you have any questions on this assignment, email volunteer@vsa.org.nz.
To review the full assignment description please copy and paste the below link into your browser:
Applications Close: 13th June 2025
For a copy of the Assignment Description, please click the apply button which will direct you to the VSA website. You will be able to download a copy from the advertisement.
We are looking for a volunteer with:
- 12 month volunteer assignment in Samoa
- Flights, accommodation and other expenses covered by VSA.
- Share your teaching and education experience with others
VSA covers flights, accommodation, insurance and some expenses. A living allowance is also provided.
Does volunteering with one of the largest and most experienced agency in international development interest you?