Apply by
January 1, 2025
Know by
March 1, 2025
Depart on
September 19, 2025
Duration
2 years, plus 3 months training
Project description
Peace Corps has a long and rich history in North Macedonia. Peace Corps Volunteers have played a pivotal role in the country’s growth by offering their skills and talents for over 25 years with 845 Peace Corps Volunteers having successfully served in the country. Since Peace Corps North Macedonia’s inception, Volunteers have inspired their students, created sustainable projects and programs, and formed lasting person-to-person connections, leaving an enduring legacy in their host communities.
The Inclusive Education Project is critical to the mission of building a more inclusive and accessible society for all individuals in North Macedonia. Specifically, Special Needs Educator Volunteers are needed to improve the quality of teaching and inclusive education in primary schools for students.
Currently, there is lack of teacher training to support students with special needs in classrooms. Educational and social care systems are engaged in reforms on the national and local level which promote inclusive education. Schools working with individuals with special needs in North Macedonia are facing many challenges including a lack of resources and trained teachers to work in an inclusive classroom.
Volunteers may work with beneficiaries of different age groups, from children to adults, in multiple contexts: schools, non-governmental organizations, and government daily centers for education and care of persons with special needs. Schools operate with limited resources for teaching and many schools lack designated spaces for students with special needs. Volunteers are also expected to work with limited resources focusing on teacher and staff training. They will serve as coaches and help develop teacher and staff competencies for successful lesson planning and teaching in an inclusive classroom. Volunteers will work Monday to Friday, 20-30 hours a week, in addition to engaging in extracurricular activities (clubs and other activities at the school). The school year begins September 1 and ends June 10, with one winter break in January.
Volunteers participate in a range of activities that include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Assisting special education teachers and public school teachers improve the school’s approach to inclusion
- Training school staff teaching in inclusive classrooms on data collection tools, lesson planning, differentiated teaching, classroom and behavior management, classroom modification and resource development
- Coaching school staff to work with parents and include them in the education process and/or school activities; virtually if necessary
- Working with parents on empowerment activities and the development of support groups
- Helping with resource development and lesson planning
- Supporting the process of inclusion of beneficiaries in communities where there may be a high level of stigma and exclusion toward people with special needs
- Supporting government daily centers to promote social inclusion and development of life skills for people with special needs.
Required Skills
Competitive candidates will have one or more of the following criteria:
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education (general or with emphasis in visually- or hearing-impaired)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline with state certification in special education (general or with emphasis in visually- or hearing-impaired)
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in Education with experience working with persons who are learning disabled, developmentally disabled, emotionally handicapped, physically handicapped, multiply handicapped, hearing-impaired, or visually-impaired
- Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any discipline with experience working in classrooms or residential homes with persons who are learning disabled, developmentally disabled, emotionally handicapped, physically handicapped, multiply handicapped, hearing-impaired, or visually-impaired
Desired Skills
- Experience working with parents of children with special needs, organizing special needs support groups, and trainings focused on children with special needs.
- Experience co-teaching in an inclusive classroom.
- Certification (or working knowledge) in special education methods such as ABA, PECS, Sensory Integration, Brain Gym or any other method that helps children with special needs.
- Experience working with children on the special needs spectrum, including children who are autistic or have Down syndrome, and students with learning disabilities.
Required Language Skills
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Thanks to the diverse population in North Macedonia, multiple languages are spoken throughout the country. There are two languages taught in Pre-Service Training, Macedonian and Albanian. Some community placements will be in communities where more than one language is spoken, subsequently, some Volunteers will learn only Macedonian, while another group will learn both Macedonian and Albanian as part of the dual language learning program. Peace Corps staff will select Trainees that will participate in the dual language learning program based on previous language learning acquisition and experience, observation reports from Language and Culture Facilitators during initial language lessons, and other community-specific requirements.
Other languages Volunteers may find in their communities include, but are not limited to: Roma, Vlach, Turkish, Bosnian, and Serbian. Peace Corps Volunteers who need support to learn an additional language can work with Peace Corps staff on a learning plan.
Living conditions
Living Conditions: Volunteers will live with host families during Pre-Service Training (PST) and for an additional four months at a minimum during their service. Most Volunteers live with a host family for their entire 27-month service for several reasons, including convenience, better social integration and personal security, or a lack of other housing options. Volunteers are expected to participate in host family events and daily chores and respect the individual rules of each household as explained to them by host family members and according to their observation of their religion, customs, habits, etc. Volunteers may cook and eat together with their host families. Volunteers are expected to be frugal in their use of utilities because of the high cost of electricity. It is expected to maintain a high level of cleanliness in their space and shared spaces.
Social and Cultural Norms: Volunteers should expect to have much less alone time than they may be used to. Volunteers who spend ample time with their resource families, neighbors, and colleagues will enjoy a higher level of integration. Volunteers should be mindful that smoking is widespread and common in North Macedonia. Secondhand smoke indoors is largely unavoidable, and it may be considered rude to ask someone to refrain from smoking.
Diet: Vegetables, meat (chicken, beef, pork), bread, and sunflower oil are staples in Macedonian cooking. Olive oil is available for purchase, but more expensive and not widely used in households. Dairy products are also a regular part of the diet. A vegetarian diet is not very common and requires a level of responsibility on the part of the Volunteer to communicate with their host family and flexibility/adjustment to the local diet. Legumes are widely available, as are nuts and fruits. Certain fruits and vegetables (avocado, asparagus, mango) are quite expensive and very rarely consumed in an average family and only available for purchase in larger cities. Eating out at restaurants may be a little more difficult for vegetarians, as most menus consist of meat dishes.
Weather: North Macedonia has a continental Mediterranean climate characterized by long, dry, hot summers and cold winters. Roads are frequently icy and not cleared. Many buildings are not heated or poorly heated. Homes will also likely be colder during the winter than in the U.S. because most homes lack central heating, so Volunteers rely on wood-burning stoves and space heaters. Volunteers should bring winter clothes and clothes that can be layered. In the summer, air conditioning is not available everywhere, and often not used extensively as in the U.S. even if available.
Dress Code: Personal appearance is important to people in North Macedonia and people dress professionally at work. Some organizations or institutions are more relaxed about dress codes, while others are more conservative. Men usually wear slacks, shirts (sometimes a tie), and a sweater or a jacket in cooler weather. Women usually wear dresses, skirts (knee-length or longer), or slacks.
Diversity and Inclusion: The culture in North Macedonia is generally conservative, although it may not appear so at first. Volunteers of an American racial, ethnic, or national minority or whose religious or spiritual beliefs differ from the population in North Macedonia may experience a high degree of unwanted attention. It is also not very tolerant of the LGBTQ+ community and being open about one’s sexual orientation or non-cisgender identity carries potential safety and security risks. Hence, in order to ensure Volunteer safety and quality of experience Volunteers are advised to keep one’s diverse sexual orientation and/or gender identity confidential and be very careful about whom they disclose it to. If someone is uncomfortable keeping their identity hidden, they should reconsider serving in North Macedonia. Peace Corps staff is open, supportive, and trained to provide the best support to all Volunteer
Learn more about the Volunteer experience in North Macedonia: Get detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics in order to make a well-informed decision about serving.
Medical considerations
Before you apply, please review medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
Couples information
Peace Corps North Macedonia welcomes couples. Your partner must apply and qualify for the following position:
- Community Development Promotor
Couples may be placed in separate training communities during Pre-Service Training (11 weeks); but will serve in the same community during their service.
The Peace Corps works to foster safe and productive assignments for same-sex couples, and same-sex couples are not placed in countries where homosexual acts are criminalized. Because of this, same-sex couple placements are more limited than heterosexual couple placements. During the application process Recruiters and Placement Officers work closely with same-sex couple applicants to understand current placement opportunities. For more information please visit: https://www.peacecorps.gov/faqs/lgbtq/.
