Peace Corps was established in Ukraine in 1992 when Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk and American President George Bush signed a bilateral agreement to establish a Peace Corps program in Ukraine.

Since that time the United States Peace Corps has cooperated with numerous progressive organizations. American Volunteers work and live side by side with Ukrainian colleagues for two years sharing experiences and developing relationships that often last a lifetime.

This historic agreement set the stage for many years of cooperation and for over 2,000 American Volunteers to live and work in Ukraine.

At this time, Volunteers work in three projects: Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Community Development and Youth Development.  Volunteers live and work in the smallest villages and some of the largest cities.  They, along with their Ukrainian partners, find new ways to inspire students to excel in learning English, help young people to chose healthy lifestyles and help NGOs develop skills in project management and design. Working hand in hand, Ukrainians and Americans are finding ways to help Ukrainians understand Americans and Americans understand Ukrainians.  Together, they are building bridges to peace and friendship.

Projects

Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine work on a variety of initiatives. Primary projects focus on development English proficiency, community and youth development.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Volunteers teach English in Secondary Schools, Universities, and Pedagogical Colleges. While applying new teaching methods, Volunteers assist Ukrainian teachers in developing their classroom repertoire, and help their students acquire language skills that will help them succeed both in further education and in a future career.

Community Development (CD)

Volunteers work primarily with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as with local self-governing bodies and in partnership with municipal government organizations and businesses. They promote social and economic development at the grass-roots level. Volunteers’ goals are to increase the capacity of individual community members and service providers, to assist local institutions in achieving organizational sustainability, and to foster cross-sector cooperation between civil, government and private sectors on a local level.

Youth Development (YD)

Volunteers working in secondary schools, vocational technical schools and cooperating with local departments of family, youth and sports help young Ukrainians prepare for their careers and lives in the new Ukraine. They offer young people in-school lessons, extracurricular activities, and conduct community projects aimed at preventing substance abuse and the spread of HIV. They promote healthy lifestyles, develop skills in information technology, basic business and leadership, civics, ecology and career development.

Contacts

U.S. Peace Corps in Ukraine
111A Saksahanskoho St., Kyiv 01032, P.O. Box 204
Telephone: +380 44 391 66 20
Fax: +380 44 391 66 21
E-mail: info@ua.peacecorps.gov

Web-site: http://ukraine.peacecorps.gov/