Support Occupational/Behavioral Therapy Training and Programming - Guyana

The Ministry of Education established a Special Education Needs (SEN) Department in 2017 and appointed an Assistant Chief Education Officer in 2022 to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate initiatives to support an inclusion policy while providing targeted support for students with special education needs. Teachers refer students with parental consent for further testing and treatment, and the SEN department provides support and training.

About the role

Special Needs Education Officers, who have some basic to advanced training in special education, are located at each regional education department to bolster teachers’ professional development, diagnostic screening, assessments, interventions and treatment while sensitizing parents on the technical support children may need. As there are not many qualified people to effectively support the needs of special education, the SEN department is requesting the support of one Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to co-facilitate occupational therapy for a diverse group of students.

Responsibilities

• Co-assess the needs of with a cohort of about 20–30 parents whose children are undergoing behavioral therapy
• Co-design individual education plans for parents to use with learners who have behavioral challenges
• Co-design and co-facilitate at least four seminars and educational programs to train caregivers and parents about common issues identified during the needs assessments and provide positive coping strategies
• Co-design and co-produce brochures and other resources for parents and teachers about strategies for responding to and supporting learners with behavioral challenges, especially covering areas uncovered during the needs assessment

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be a U.S. citizen

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in special education
• Experience: 2 years teaching in special education classrooms or residential homes for people with disabilities, including hearing/visually impaired or other relevant experience

Skills

• Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually

Benefits

Engagement and tasks will generally occur between 3:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Guyana time. Specific times will be determined during orientation. The host country counterpart will have access to WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet for regular communication and collaboration. Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

Pay

Pay is based on the U.S. Peace Corps scale and will be paid bi-weekly.

Schedule

The engagement is estimated to be 12 hours per week.

Additional Activities

Optional additional activities may include:

• Aligning with Goal 2 of the Peace Corps mission: To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
• Implementing a Goal 3 activity during the engagement.

See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.