Become a Learning Life Virtual Tour Guide!

Our world is diverse and fascinating, but international travel in-person is a luxury and privilege many people still cannot afford.  Learning Life helps open the world to lower-income families and children through two programs: (1) our Family Diplomacy Initiative, which connects families internationally via Facebook, and (2) our International Mentoring Program, through which caring mentors connect their young mentees’ interests with the world.  To further enrich our world learning opportunities, Learning Life seeks volunteer Virtual Tour Guides to help lower-income families and children explore the world live online.  Our Virtual Tour Guides are volunteers who:

(1) live anywhere in the world

(2) have internet connection strong enough to allow for live video interaction

(3) are mature, caring, dynamic teenagers or adults who like meeting new people, sharing their culture, and opening the world to lower-income families and children

Guides get to develop their own tours in consultation with Learning Life staff.  The tours should be focused on one or more activities and/or eye-catching places in short walking distance in the same neighborhood that the guide wishes to show: beautiful views, interesting stores, galleries, markets, buildings, monuments, statues, art installations, parks, performances, traditions, etc.  If the guide wishes, the tours can also focus on a visually enticing topic, like a Brazilian dance, French pastry, Italian architecture, Senegalese sand art, or Thai religious traditions.  The guide can do the tour from the comfort of their own home if the tour involves learning something the guide can demonstrate themselves at home (e.g., language, music, dance, painting, cooking).  The tours can last 20-60 minutes depending on the guide’s planned tour, location, plus the guide’s and viewers’ time and interest.  In all cases, the tours must be:

(1) planned carefully ahead of time, with steps and any necessary permissions to allow video access to a location(s)

(2) simple to carry out to avoid difficulties, failures or cancellations (e.g., do not depend on other volunteers and/or good weather)

(3) interactive to sustain the viewers’ interest (we can give you ideas)

Interested in becoming a Learning Life tour guide?  Contact us at email@learninglife.info.  We will set a meeting with you to discuss and agree on an engaging tour.  Once approved, we will list you among our volunteer Virtual Tour Guides, including a one-paragraph bio about you and a brief, inviting description of your tour.  Learning Life families, or Learning Life mentors and their mentees will then contact you when they are interested in scheduling a tour.

For more ways to volunteer with Learning Life, click here.  For simple ways you can support Learning Life, click here.

Thank you!