Program Reviews

For tutors and youth workers interested in working overseas in Italy with Educo, and wishing to get further insight into the experience of previous tutors, this is for you. I have been working with Educo since the summer of 2023, and my overall experience has been very rewarding and unforgettable. The first part of the experience includes training concerning the Performance and Play methodology by experienced trainers and you are provided with a detailed guidebook that accompanies you throughout your summer experience. The program includes free transport from camp to camp, accommodation with Italian host families, as well as food, and a generous weekly study grant. The training is insightful and brings you closer to what you will be asked to do as a tutor in your camps, and the Italian hospitality is one of the most unforgettable experiences along with your teaching experience at camps. You are provided with a brief outline of what you are asked to do along with your colleague teachers, and with the guidance of your camp directors, you implement your lesson plans through an experiential and fully immersive educational approach. The working schedule occupies you from around 9-5 every day from Monday-Friday, but you can enjoy the Italian culture in the evenings and during the weekends when Saturday is not a traveling day from one camp to another. It is an opportunity worth experiencing both for the cultivation of your teaching experience as well as for your intercultural awareness and sociolinguistic skills. The organization is very supportive of its tutors and willing to solve any problems that may occur in the meantime.

To put it simply, EDUCO was one of my most favourite experiences ever. I fell in love with Italy - the culture, the cuisine, my wonderful host families. I loved every minute of the teaching experience (you become very protective of all your little kiddies !!) and had great fun with the other tutors as well. In some places you’re local to the town and have the utmost freedom to go out in the evening with the other tutors. Other places may be more remote with less access to city centre but there is always fun to be had, even if it’s just a night spent having dinner with your host family. The teaching can be tiring as you have to upkeep your energy throughout the day but it was so so gratifying for me. I am returning to EDUCO to teach this summer, a true testament of the joy it brought to me :)

I had the most incredible Summer of my life with EDUCO this Summer. Not only did I get to develop my teaching skills in such a fun friendly environment, whilst finding a new love for language teaching, I met the most amazing people whilst travelling Italy. My time at orientation was amazing, as learning was made so much fun but yet was so beneficial, I couldn't believe how much I learned in a week. I got to travel to Sanremo, Milan, Bologna, Venice and Naples as part of EDUCO and stayed with the most amazing Italian host families. If I ever encountered any difficulties during the Summer, I was always certain I could rely on Sophia, Kuba or Charlie for a bit of advice or a management issue. Coming back to the classroom in Ireland, I feel so much more confident in my teaching ability and am equipped with so many fun language learning resources, tips and tricks, as well as memories from the Summer of a lifetime. Thank you EDUCO

Educo is an absolute gem! 🇮🇹✨ I can't stop raving about the incredible experiences I had. From the moment I signed up, I knew I was in for something special, and Educo Italy exceeded all my expectations.

Let me start by saying that Italy itself is a dream destination. But what makes Educo truly exceptional is how they enhance every aspect of your Italian adventure.

The mentors during orientation week were a bunch of absolute rock stars. Their passion for their job is infectious, and they go above and beyond to make sure you feel ready to work.

The host families were wonderful! They immediately made me feel at home. This experience is essential for understanding Italian culture and language. They took me to absolutely fantastic sites that I would never have been able to visit if I had been on my own.

Camps were a lot of fun! The kids are adorable and it was impressive how much they learned in only a week. It definitely made me think about how education should always be enjoyable. The kids began speaking little to no English on day one, and by Friday, we were having fluent conversations. I'm sure it's because they learn via play (the best way to learn!).

Educo Italy is the perfect blend of learning and adventure, where you can explore beautiful Italy while offering a top-notch education.

Grazie mille Educo!

I had a great time in Italy with Educo. Really appreciated the opportunity to connect with Italians, and explore their beautiful country :)

I did two camps in the alps, including a residential camp. I loved this! You get to stay in a motel/hotel with your students and do additional fun activities with them after class. Not that Educo classes aren’t fun, though! There’s lots to look forward to, if you enjoy singing, water balloon fights, and getting painted as an animal ;) But still - the residential one was cool, cos we went hiking and biking in the alps, had a bonfire night (with s’mores!!), and did lots of just dance and karaoke! Awesome ways of getting to know my students better :)

Keep in mind that on such a camp, I shared a room with 4 other tutors. While they were all respectful, it can be tiring to be around people for so long (teaching your regular 9 - 5, and then doing activities until 10pm - with meals in between). You won’t have a hell of a lot of downtime or privacy. Personally, I was fine with it, because I really like being around people and chatting, and I did also sometimes sit out of activities/tutor gossip seshes so that I could relax and have some me-time. Taking breaks when you need them is absolutely crucial, and no one will judge you for that. Even with host families (especially after Saturday travels, when your journey time can be 6, 8, or 10 hours!).

Please also be aware that you’ll likely be eating pizza and pasta most of the time. As in, for lunch and dinner every day. Probably unsurprising, but it was an adjustment for me, as I don’t eat that much Italian food at home.

Also! If you get Kuba, James and Yel as your orientation tutors, you’re going to have a blast!! These folks were so goofy and funny (peak theatre kid energy), and really motivated our group. I was so pumped to teach afterward!

See some pics below of some the cool spots we went to! (I didn’t include photos of the kids, cos I wasn’t sure about privacy).

Thanks Educo, and Sophia for organising it all! (She responds very quickly). I’m glad to have met so many cool people from Italy, and around the world :)

I had a fantastic Italian summer experience and would highly recommend to anyone looking to travel who wants to have somewhere to stay and some extra cash! I was able to see 4 cities and meet some incredible people!

The teaching was fun and I felt prepared as the training is a solid week and is high quality. It is 8 hours Monday-Friday and the weekends are busy with transfers so be prepared to work hard. It’s overall very rewarding, just be prepared 40 kids speaking Italian all at the same time, it can be a bit overwhelming.

Educo is very organized and ensures details such as transfers, host families and other things are taken care of. They really are awesome!

The organization provides a week long training which in my opinion really helps you when you start with the summer camps as the trainings have all the necessary information that you need. The camps are really fun for the most part but prepare a lot of energy as you would need it. The children were nice and very fun to be with and you get to stay with a host family for the duration of the camp. My experience with the host families have been amazing and they were all so nice and accommodating. I have made a lot of friends through EDUCO and if you are up to exploring Italy’s hidden gems while making friends and creating beautiful memories together, then I recommend participating in the program.

Being part of the Educo summer team was everything I expected and more. As well as making friends from all over the world, I got to immerse my self in Italian family life.
I would say that the training week in San Remo gave me the confidence and skills I needed to walk into my first class of lively elementary students. The mentors guided us through a typical day at camp, ensuring that we felt prepared and supported. Something that helped me a lot was having the orientation WhatsApp group on hand at all times. The group included the mentors and allowed the tutors to quickly receive responses to any questions or doubts we had.

During the camp week, I was grateful to have a great team of tutors to work with and also having kind camp directors to direct questions to. A highlight every week for me was hearing the children using English phrases or singing rhymes outwith class hours. This proved that they were picking up what I had taught.

This summer has been so rewarding and I am very grateful to Educo for providing me with this opportunity. It was truly an experience I will never forget.

As an experienced teacher (elementary school teacher for 7 years) I wasn't expecting to grasp so much knowledge in interactive learning. If you have English learners in your classroom, this experience will equip you with new methods and techniques that are both fun and beneficial for students.
During orientation mentors were able to explain and teach us, future tutors, how to perform our everyday teaching duties. When it was time to lead the morning circle or evening activities I knew what to do and was ready to lead.
Living with Italian host families gave me an insight on the country and culture which would not be possible if I was traveling as a regular tourist. I was able to see Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Bologna, Ravenna, Padova, Bergamo, Genova, Sunremo, and other rsmall towns of Italy.
If you are still thinking about jumping into this experience, I would love to recommend you to do it!

As a teacher looking for a new experiences and travel opportunities, Educo seemed like the perfect package from the beginning.
As soon as I got to orientation week, I felt relaxed, safe and secure, which continued throughout my entire experience working with Educo. From the host families, to the schools, to the friends I met along the way, I made some incredible connections that I am still in touch with today. The work in the summer camps is hard and tiring, with some long days out in the sun, but it is incredibly rewarding.
Thank you, Educo, for giving me the opportunity to work with some amazing people, in such an incredibly beautiful country.