Taichung: A government-sponsored program for overseas youth aged 17 to 24, offering volunteer English teaching training and cultural exchange, has begun at Asia University in Taichung and will run through Aug. 1, the event organizers said.

According to Focus Taiwan, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the English Teaching Volunteer Service Program, which brings together 418 overseas youth volunteers from 22 countries. The program is a collaborative effort by the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), the Ministry of Education, and the Hakka Affairs Council.

The participating volunteers hail from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, several European and African nations, as well as New Zealand, Australia, and other countries in Asia. An opening ceremony for the program was held online at the Taichung university on Monday as Typhoon Danas hit Taiwan.

At Asia University, the volunteers are undergoing intensive training provided by the K-12 Education Administration. This training covers practical teaching skills such as language instruction methods, cross-cultural communication, classroom management, and lesson planning.

After completing the training session, the volunteers will visit 68 junior high and elementary schools across Taiwan. During their visits, they will engage in two weeks of English teaching and cultural exchange. The program aims to boost students’ motivation to learn languages and enhance their practical English skills.

Following the conclusion of the program, the volunteers will participate in a cultural tour to learn more about Taiwan’s natural landscapes and cultural diversity. To date, the program has attracted up to 10,000 youth volunteers from around the globe, collectively serving nearly 50,000 students in Taiwan’s elementary and junior high schools.