Korea offers IT volunteers to conduct free training & IT education

Since 2001, the Korea Internet Volunteer (KIV) programme, supported by the National Information Society Agency (NIA), has sent out more than 3,400 volunteers to 68 countries in Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Europe, Latin America and Africa. KIVs, who are mainly composed of university students, provide free IT training and other IT related volunteering activities to local communities around the world.

What do I need to know about the programme?

• You are eligible to receive volunteers if you are a public organisation (including nongovernment organisations) which offers IT training or IT-related service in a partner country.
• Volunteers are dispatched in teams of FOUR. IT Volunteers (153 teams) are mainly university students, but some universtiy professors or staffs are participating)
• The duration of dispatch for the volunteers is ONE month between July and August.
• All costs related to dispatch the KIVs includes volunteer pre-departure training, round trip air-fare, insurance and etc. will be provided by NIA. Partial contribution from receiving organisations on expenses such as accommodation and local transportation is welcome.
• Volunteers will also be provided with IT equipment such as laptop and digital camera for their activities. After their activities are complete, the equipment will be donated to the organization they are dispatched to.

What are the activities I can expect KIVs to be involved in?

The KIVs will mainly be involved in training and instructing IT education. Most of them are sent to local schools, universities, NGOs, public organizations, etc. to provide an intensive IT training  for about a month. They not only participate in IT related volunteering activities but also share cultural exchange with the local community. Korea IT Experts can co-work with partner organization either as instructors for IT training or as participants in IT projects on the need of partner organizations. The following are examples of possible activities.

• IT Training/Education - IT volunteers will provide advanced IT training to the local in need of structured and high quality IT education. The main targets include officers in government departments and agencies, employees in public and private organizations, students in schools and universities and others who pursue a professional career in IT field. IT Volunteer will be responsible for instructing IT courses such as web programming, network management, web design and various software programs from basic to advanced level.

• IT Projects - IT volunteers will work together with public agencies, local companies, or schools in partner countries to implement IT projects that reflect each organization’s needs. IT projects in which they participate could be applied to various fields and specifically customized to the need of a local organization. 

How do I participate?

If you wish to work with KIVs, please fill out and send the survey clearly notifying your demand. The final decision to dispatch the volunteers to your organization will be based on the survey, so please be sure to provide accurate and specific information.  

For questions related to the programme, please contact:

National Information Society Agency

Global Cooperation Division

Global Project Department

Tel : +82-2-2131-0537

Fax : +82-2-2131-0568

Email : kiv@nia.or.kr