Turn your gap year into something meaningful with a 6 or 12-week childcare and teaching internship in Zanzibar, combining early childhood education, sports outreach, an accredited Global Citizenship Diploma and unforgettable travel across Tanzania
Spend 6 or 12 weeks working alongside Tanzanian educators in early childhood education and development, supporting young children through the formative years of learning. Based within our community education initiative in Zanzibar, you’ll become part of the everyday school environment while learning how education, family, culture and access to resources shape childhood development in a completely different part of the world.
Your role can include supporting early literacy and numeracy, English, storytelling, creative activities, music, movement and play-based learning, as well as working with smaller groups and providing additional classroom support. You’ll work alongside local educators rather than replacing them, while your Academy learning and Legacy Project give you the opportunity to explore early intervention, education and sustainable community development in greater depth.
Almost everything you need for your 6 or 12 weeks in Tanzania is built into your Adventure Academy fee.
A small number of personal and independent costs remain outside your Academy program.
Settle into Academy life in Zanzibar, meet your placement team and begin building genuine relationships. Through your internship, Global Citizenship learning and island cultural experiences, you'll start understanding the people, place and context behind your work before deciding how you can contribute.
Become increasingly involved in your internship as your confidence and understanding grow. Alongside your placement partner, you'll begin exploring real challenges and identifying where your Legacy Project could make a useful, sustainable contribution.
Turn ideas into action through your partner-led Legacy Project. Co-design, build, test and refine something your placement has identified as genuinely useful — while continuing your internship, Academy learning and adventures across Zanzibar.
Leave island life behind for two unforgettable weeks across mainland Tanzania — from the Swahili Coast and Usambara Mountains to Arusha, Kilimanjaro country, Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and Lake Victoria, before returning home to Zanzibar.
Return to your internship to see how your project works without you, make final improvements and hand it over properly. Your final weeks bring everything together through reflection, Diploma completion, graduation and one last celebration with your Academy crew.
Settle into island life, meet your placement team and quickly move from orientation into hands-on participation. Global Citizenship learning and cultural experiences help you understand the context behind your work as you begin identifying your Legacy Project.
Work alongside your placement partner to co-design, build and test a focused Legacy Project, while continuing your internship, Academy workshops, cultural experiences and Zanzibar Adventure Days.
Cross to mainland Tanzania for your signature overland adventure — travelling through historic Bagamoyo and the Usambara Mountains before reaching Arusha for northern Tanzania adventures and a two-day Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater safari.
Return to Zanzibar for your final placement week, refine and hand over your Legacy Project, complete your Global Citizenship learning and finish with graduation, goodbyes and one last celebration with your Academy crew.
Monday
Start the week with breakfast before heading to your internship placement, then spend the afternoon wrapping up placement activities, planning and enjoying some free time.
Tuesday
Start with optional morning yoga before heading to placement, followed by an afternoon Global Citizenship workshop exploring culture, ethics, sustainability and responsible global action.
Wednesday
Spend your morning at placement before switching into Tanzania mode with an afternoon of Swahili, cooking, art, music or another rotating cultural experience.
Thursday
Head to placement in the morning before an afternoon of personal growth, reflection and wellbeing, then switch off for Academy Social Night, drinks, games or Arusha nightlife.
Friday
Spend the morning at placement or developing your Legacy Project, then enjoy a free afternoon for cafés, the pool, markets, the gym or whatever you feel like doing.
Saturday
Saturdays are made for exploring, with Academy adventures taking you to waterfalls, coffee country, hot springs, cultural experiences, cycling trips and beyond.
Sunday
Sleep in, enjoy a slow breakfast and spend the day by the pool, exploring Arusha, grabbing brunch or simply recharging with your Academy crew.
For the next 6 or 12 weeks, this is more than somewhere you sleep — it’s home. Based in Paje on Zanzibar’s beautiful east coast, your Academy home is a secure, social tropical base with comfortable shared rooms, private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, 24/7 security, a large swimming pool, island-style restaurant, bar and plenty of spaces to relax, study or hang out with your Academy crew. You’ll be right in the heart of Paje, surrounded by local life, cafés, restaurants and shops, with the Indian Ocean just a few minutes away.
It’s also the heart of Academy life — workshops and cultural afternoons around the property, lazy hours by the pool, shared meals at the restaurant, movie and games nights, drinks at the bar, music, social nights and plenty of spontaneous plans with the people you’ll quickly call friends. After placement, island adventures or days exploring Zanzibar, you’ll always have somewhere familiar to come back to — your own little home on the island.
Subject to successful completion of the required academic components, you’ll work towards an accredited Level 3 Diploma in Global Citizenship in Community Development – Childcare & Early Education.
Alongside your qualification, you’ll gain practical experience working with Tanzanian educators and young children through childcare, teaching, play-based learning and sports outreach, develop a collaborative Legacy Project, and build the communication, leadership and cross-cultural skills that can support your future study and career.
Work towards a Level 3 Diploma in Global Citizenship – Community Development, combining your international placement with structured learning and reflection.
Gain practical experience alongside Tanzanian educators and young children, supporting early learning, creativity, play, literacy, numeracy and classroom activities.
Build communication, teamwork, leadership, independence and cross-cultural skills while gaining international experience you can carry into future study and work.
Take learning beyond the classroom through sports, games and community activities, using movement and play to support participation, confidence and connection.
No. You don’t need previous teaching or childcare experience to join. You’ll work alongside Tanzanian educators rather than replacing them, with your responsibilities developing as you gain confidence and understand the classroom. Students and qualified educators are also welcome, with activities adapted where possible to your existing skills and experience.
Placements primarily work with young children approximately 2–6 years old in early childhood education and childcare settings. Depending on your placement, you may work across different age groups during your internship.
Your days can include early literacy and numeracy, English, storytelling, creative activities, music, movement, games and play-based learning. You may support small groups or individual children and help educators introduce new activities. The focus is on working alongside local teachers and contributing within their existing learning environment.
Yes. The experience extends beyond the classroom through sports, games and community outreach activities. Depending on the weekly schedule, you may help facilitate activities that encourage movement, teamwork, confidence and participation, giving you a broader experience than a traditional classroom-based teaching placement.
Ethical volunteering is about much more than simply turning up and wanting to help. Global development and barriers is complex, culturally sensitive and often involves vulnerable people and communities.
That’s exactly why your placement is only one part of the Global Adventure Academy. Alongside your practical experience, you’ll receive Global Citizenship education exploring ethical volunteering, culture, power, privilege, sustainability, capacity building and community-led development.
We believe ethical volunteering is roughly 50% the project you work with and 50% how you approach it. Understanding your role, listening to local professionals, recognising the limits of your experience and learning to understand the local context are just as important as the work itself.
You’ll work alongside Tanzanian education professionals rather than replacing them, with your involvement matched to your education, experience and appropriate supervision.
We also work with dedicated partners and in most cases, our own projects, over the long term, and with a focus on capacity building & supporting education and awareness, we are able to make a culturally relevant and sustainable long term impact - rather than short term fixes.
Alongside your placement, you’ll develop a collaborative Legacy Project around something your school or community identifies as genuinely useful. This might include learning resources, play-based activities, sports initiatives, teacher resources or another capacity-building project designed with local partners rather than imposed on them.
Wake up to the peaceful sound of water the shore. Lakeside Safari Tent. Wake up.
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