Volunteer Teaching English in Italy & Austria Summer 2024

I worked as a Tutor for the ECC in July 2023, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.
The program started with a week-long orientation in Assisi, Italy, where you get to meet all the other tutors from around the world. During the orientation, you're trained to lesson plan and carry out camp activities, so the ECC staff makes sure you're ready for the actual camps! My 2 camps were in towns in Emilia-Romagna, Italy and Carinthia, Austria, and both times I lived with a local host family. This was my favorite part of the entire experience, as you get to become a part of these families and truly get immersed into the local culture and their everyday lives. The families brought me to places like waterparks, the beach, hiking, and the ECC also hosted cultural activities in each camp such as canoeing and wine tastings!
During the actual camps, you typically work with a class of about 8-10 kids, who are all really eager to learn English. You have lots of support from the ECC staff, your camp director, and other tutors during the entire process, so there's no pressure at all. The ECC not only wants to teach English, but they want to make English fun, so you'll enjoy your lessons as much as the kids.
Working with the ECC allowed me to meet amazing people, explore Italy and Austria, and reminded me how much I love teaching. I am currently completing my TEFL Certification to be able to teach English abroad, and plan on visiting both my host families again!

I would say joining the ECC for the summer was one of the most incredible experiences I have had. For my first time abroad I was able to experience so much culture, meet so many cool people from around the world, and saving money while doing so. Staying with the host families was my favorite part because I was able to build lasting friendships and connections with people who I still talk to now. Going through the ECC was such an awesome way to travel and learn about Italy as well as learn to teach!

It was an amazing summer, no doubt. One of the best. Host families were all amazing, as were students and fellow tutors. Great way to see Italy as well as meet new people. But the owners of the program would openly gossip about other tutors. I heard them openly saying rude things about other tutors and my friends told me they openly said disparaging things about me. Hurtful and unfortunate because otherwise a great summer. I would recommend regardless.

This past summer I had the most amazing opportunity to be a part of The English Camp Company. Traveling across the world to meet strangers and teach kids English could not have been a better experience because as soon as you meet them, they become family! In addition to having so many new connections with people, the host families do everything they can to make sure you experience their culture - even if you don't understand the language (I still talk to all of my host families!).
I worked at three ECC Camps as a Tutor for the Red Book group (the youngest, ages 6-7), and although you might not be able to understand them, they see your energy and that excites them to want to understand you. The ECC training was excellent at the beginning of the summer, and provided you a good foundation to help make you and the camps successful. I had amazing experiences getting to know the kids, we made every activity into an adventure.

This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and I am so fortunate that I was able to be a part of this program and the children's path to learn English!

(I am actually planning on going back to my host families in Italy this summer! I can't wait to see them again!)

My summer spent working for the ECC was the most fun-filled, eye-opening and rewarding of my life! It started with an informative and interactive orientation week where the tutors became acquainted; we learned helpful teaching tips and what we could expect in the months ahead. It was so awesome being surrounded by such a kind, friendly, and energetic group of people who shared a passion for teaching, kids, and travel.

Each camp session is two weeks long, and for each session, you will be placed in a different small town in Italy and/or Austria, where you will be assigned a host family and group of tutors to work with. For me, the opportunity to teach in a classroom and work alongside others with solid teaching experience was novel and instructive. The wonderful thing about this program is the variety. Each session is unique to itself: filled with new experiences, opportunities, and people to meet. Each session will pose challenges and, at times, can be exhausting, however, with an open-mind and positive attitude, you will have an incredible experience.

One of the highlights of ECC for me was the people. From the host families to the other tutors, to the children I taught, I formed many wonderful and long-lasting friendships over the summer. The host families, in particular, were lovely and warmly welcomed me into their homes. Living with an Italian family gave me the most authentic experience possible, seeing things that many visitors would not be exposed to and eating home-cooked, delicious, local Italian dishes not offered in a restaurant. I equally loved getting to know the other tutors who were from around the world and had their own unique stories and perspectives to share. It was the connections that I made with the kids that was most fulfilling. I came to understand the impact I could have on others’ lives, regardless of language barriers. It was amazing for me to witness the improvement and love for English that many of the children developed over the course of each session.

Working for the ECC was a dream job, and an experience I will never forget. It combined all the things I love, and reminded me how much I enjoy travel, meeting new people, and working with kids. It helped me grow independently, strengthen my social skills and broaden my perspective on cultures and people. It taught me that the world is much bigger than my own life and experiences, and that I still have so much more to learn.

Last summer, I was blessed with the opportunity of working for the English Camp Company. If you've read some of the previous reviews, you've noticed by now that working for the ECC will lead you to have the best summer of your life. Words cannot describe my fantastic experience. I sometimes wonder to myself if any of it was real.
I choose to apply to the ECC because I wanted to try teaching abroad. As a future ESL educator, my degree allows me to teach English as a second language, both locally and internationally. I decided to work overseas to see if teaching abroad was a smart career path for me. It turns out that the ECC was better than I could have ever imagined.
A little more information about life at camp: I worked as a camp director at three camps. Each camp lasts two weeks, on the second Saturday with your host family, you move to your next camp. Living with host families is excellent, be mindful of their home and pack accordingly. One of my host families, made their daughters give up their room to lodge me. I was very thankful for their hospitality and generosity.
On the first Sunday of your new camp, you will meet with the new team of tutors and camp director. As a camp director, it was my job to get the supplies; the ECC provides a budget and has some necessary supplies at the camp location. Future camp directors, I highly suggest that you bring all the supplies that you can to your next camp.

Moreover, during this initial meeting, you will create your camp schedule based on a theme. I suggest you choose something that you and the tutors enjoy! As a camp director, you will have to create an Italian or Austrian version of the schedule, communicate with parents, and facilitate that everyone is safe and having a good time. At the end of each camp, there is a final show that the campers prepare with their tutors. The final show was one of my favourite activities at camp.

The ECC stood out to me for three reasons: the reviews, the accommodations, and the family atmosphere. Most, if not all, their reviews were positive. Which at first I thought was suspicious. However, the more reviews I read, the more I realized that the past tutors/camp directors were merely honest and genuine. After working for them, I can testify that working for the ECC is tremendously rewarding. It is the hardest I've worked while having the most fun!

The ECC is one of the few (if not the only) company that lodges you free of charge, pays you, pays for transportation between each camp, provides you with workbooks, activities, games, camp songs, and an easy to follow daily schedule. You will not get rich working for the ECC, but your life will be enriched.

During the camps, tutors/camp directors are hosted by one of the families whose child attends camp. This immersive family atmosphere helps with the cultural divide. Do not worry about being homesick, as your host family adopts you. I won the jackpot in the host family department. They treated me like I was their family; they showed me the sights and brought me on day excursions.

It's been 4 months and 22 days since I've come back from Italy and I can't wait to go back. Thanks to the ECC, I made friends worldwide, and my family has expanded. The experience I acquired did not only shape my professional career but has shaped me as a person.

Do not hesitate to reach out to me on Facebook (Victoria Matiz) to hear more or ask questions about this incredible experience.

I worked for the ECC as a Camp Director during the summer of 2019 for 6 weeks and they were the best 6 weeks I've had in my entire life. I had never traveled outside of the North-American continent (let alone traveled alone), so it was a very out-of-my-comfort-zone decision from my part, but I regret absolutely nothing. It was probably the best spur of the moment decision I've taken in my whole life. Working at an ECC summer camp isn't any regular job. Every single camp I worked in had a very dynamic atmosphere. The kids were all lovely and I got to meet some very bright minds. I also got to walk around beautiful towns in Italy, seen as I had to go buy supplies for camp quite regularly. I miss my early walks to the local stationery shop to get what I needed for the day. I looked forward to going to work every morning, even if, obviously, we had our small problems arise. It's not realistic to think that everything will go smoothly, but I actually think that that's what makes this experience so great. I grew so much as a person and I developed skills that I know will be an asset at any future job I have. Other than enjoying work, I think host families really seal the deal. I have never met people that are so open and welcoming as my 3 host families were. They all took me in as if I were there child and I was very soon integrated into family dinners, family outings, and meeting family friends. Were it to go to the beach, to supper, to an opera at a vineyard, or to a local festival, every single moment outside of camp I spent with them. They made being abroad way less scary, as they supported me and cared for me like I would have never imagined. Needless to say, it was quite painful to have to leave them after the 2 weeks were over. Every time we had to take a moment at the train station to cry it out and say good-bye. Not forever, however! I am actually still in touch with all three families and we keep each other updated, planning when we will see each other again.
To put all of my thoughts into a few words, this experience allowed for me to make incredible friendships that I will never forget, meet incredible families that I love as much as I love mine, work in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and eat as if there was no tomorrow. Hands down, the best experience of my life so far.

I seriously can not recommend this company enough...I’ve worked with them for 2 years now and I’m hoping to return for a third! For anyone who likes working with children, getting to travel/live in another culture and making lifelong friends, this job is definitely for you. This previous summer, I did 6 camps with the company and I still don’t feel like it was enough!
Nate and Ashleigh are two of the greatest people ever and you are seriously looked after with this company. From start to finish, there is constant communication between you and they try their hardest to accommodate for everyone and make sure you have a great summer.
I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have had some of the experiences and opportunities this job gives you...I’ve been to places that I never would have though of visiting and my host families have taken me to do the most incredible activities.
And the best part is, if you like working with children then it barely feels like work because showing up to camp every day is such a pleasure. Camp can be a long and tiring day but every day, there is always at least one thing that makes it all worth it whether it’s one of your children finally speaking to you all day in English or a super fun afternoon activity! Due to the fact that no two camps are the same, every day is always so interesting and unique and you won’t believe how fast time flies by! Also, the friendships you make with other tutors will last for so much longer than just the summer, and a huge bonus is you make friends from so many different places that you always have someone to go and visit!
I can’t stress enough how special this company is...for a summer job, you won’t find another company that cares more than this, that works harder to give everyone involved the best experience or that gives you the summer of a lifetime. Big shoutout to everyone who works here for all they do, I can’t wait to return for another year!