Types of Volunteer Programs

STUDENT KNOWLEDGE SHARING

The Student Knowledge Sharing Program is open to undergraduate/graduate students (as mentors) and secondary students (as mentees) from qualifying schools in Korea. Mentors and mentees work together during school breaks.

Secondary schools recruit and report mentees to KOSAF. The selection of mentors is limited to students attending schools that are officially partnered with KOSAF. After selection and review, KOSAF creates teams—each with one mentor and a small number of mentees.

Sharing the knowledge they have gained from their own experiences, Mentors help their mentees with various school subjects including Korean, English, math, and science. Mentors may also have a role in inspiring their mentees to pursue higher education through academic counseling and goal-setting.

Before mentoring begins, mentors are required to complete a training program with KOSAF and to submit a proposal outlining how they intend to help mentees through tutoring, counseling, and developing relationships. During mentoring, mentors must turn in weekly activity reports online and document their activities with mentees. At the conclusion of the program, mentors must submit a final report on their mentoring sessions. Mentors are limited to tutoring during school breaks. Sessions with mentees may be in person or online.

In total, mentors are required to complete more than 30 hours of tutoring. Mentors who have tutored for more than 30 hours receive an official certificate from KOSAF that recognizes their contribution to the program. They are also eligible to apply within the program for extracurricular activity sessions (for example, campus tours and educational field trips) with mentees.

This program connects undergraduate and graduate students with students from multicultural families or students who defected from North Korea.

Mentors must be students who have completed at least one semester of the 4-year regular course at a qualifying institution of higher education. The selection process starts at the postsecondary level. Universities apply for participation in the program. Priority is given to schools with programs for helping multicultural students. The schools then select and recommend mentors to KOSAF. The selected undergraduate and graduate students are reviewed and approved for the program by KOSAF. They receive training from KOSAF and are able to attend a training camp.

For mentees, priority is also given to students from families with financial hardship. Mentees regularly meet with their mentors in person. The focus of these relationships is on learning Korean culture, receiving academic help through tutoring, and counseling. Mentors serve disadvantaged elementary school students and junior high students by sharing what they have learned from their own experiences as well as helping mentees to adjust to new life in Korea.