ITALIAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE
English in Italia has created a unique, innovative way for native (mother-tongue) English speakers to experience Italy the way it truly should be experienced, by living it!!
We own and operate Language and Cultural Centres based in small, medieval towns throughout regional Italy where we provide a range of language and cultural services to local communities.
As part of our Cultural Exchange program you live within our community and work in our language and cultural centre providing vital native (mother-tongue) English services to local individuals, groups, schools and businesses.
You’ll get to create lasting connections with our clients and students and to share and exchange your language and culture with local Italians.
If you’ve dreamed of having a real Italian experience, have a passion for language and all things Italian then we’d love to consider you for one of our Cultural Exchange programs.
What you will need
- A passion for Italy and all things Italian
- A positive, open-minded and flexible outlook on life
- A willingness to share your native (mother-tongue) English language and culture
- A desire to connect with local Italians and learn more about life in a small Italian community
- To be over 21 years old
- To be physically fit and healthy (some of our communities are perched on mountains!)
- A Covid-19 Green Pass - Proving you have been fully vaccinated
- A National police or Working with children check / clearance
- Your own travel and health insurance
- Your return airfare and any accommodation outside of the program dates.
- Enough cash to cover your food and other personal expenses during your stay (here’s a great link where you can compare the cost of living between your own home town and the location you’ll be based in)


What you don’t need
- Italian language skills (although a little bit doesn’t hurt, but we do provide you with some basic Italian language traning and vocabulary to help you live in a community where very little English is spoken)
- Teaching experience – we provide you with all the training and tools you’ll need to deliver our language and cultural services
- Accommodation costs – including utilities – electricity / gas / water / heating / etc. during your program dates
- European Telephone or Data Plan
Every year we offer three cultural exchange programs of between 10 and 15 weeks. These programs enable native (mother-tongue) English speakers to volunteer in our language and cultural centres and provide a range of English language services, including delivering our Direct Method English language learning program.
Our programs run from early September through to the week before Christmas, early January to the week before Easter and our last program runs from the week after Easter through to the end of June / early July.
You’ll be expected to do between 25 and 30 hours a week of language and cultural exchange services where you’ll be able to interact and connect with local Italians through our community-based centres.
If you’re over the age of 21, are a native (mother-tongue), English speaker, physically fit, able to comfortably walk around the cobbled, sometimes steep streets of our small communities, and have a passion to live and experience “la dolce vita” then we’d love you to apply for one of our next programs.
We’re currently open for the January 2023 and April 2023 intakes and are looking for up to 10 Cultural Exchange Volunteers to work with us for about 3 months (90 days). Our January 2023 program will run from the weekend of the 7th of January through to the Easter weekend, this year on the 8th of April (13 weeks) and our April 2023 program from the weekend of the 15th of April to the weekend of the 1st of July (11 weeks).
As part of our Cultural Exchange Program you’ll get to live in one of our local communities in your own 1 or 2 bedroom apartment in the centre of an Italian medieval town, you’ll have all your utilities paid for, including unlimited internet access at both the apartment and in our Centre. You’ll get the use of a mobile phone with a local Italian number and mobile data access and in some of our centres you’ll have access to our Centres small car.
In return, you’ll need to provide us with 25 to 30 hours a week of your time to deliver our language and cultural services at our centre and at some of the local daycares, schools and businesses, depending on which centre you’re located in.
We’re seeking people who are not only passionate about Italy and all things Italian but are positive, motivated, flexible, and open enough to connect with our local community, clients and students and to become part of our Cultural Exchange Family!
You’ll need to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, cover the cost of your airfares to and from Italy, your own travel (health) insurance during your time with us, your food and beverage needs, and any other spending you may want to do during your stay.
You’ll need to organise your transfer to the closest public transport hub (airport / train station / bus station) where we’ll meet you and provide transport to our regional training centre.
You’ll spend your first weekend at our training centre (typically a local resort B&B / hotel with your own room and bathroom) getting to know the other Cultural Exchange volunteers, learning about our business, our programs and services, our clients, our students and generally finding out information about what it’s like to live work in the Community and Language and Cultural Centre where you’ll be based.
In your first week, we’ll take you and get you settled into your apartment! We’ll show you through your new village, apartment and village Centre and walk you through the things that will need to be done. We’ll then start you off on your first week by working with you to introduce you to our clients and students, have a lunch with the local Mayor and some of the local comune (council) workers who you’ll need to know in case of any problems and basically settle you in to start your Cultural Exchange experience.
We’re on hand 24 hours a day to provide support and assistance during your entire time with us and you’ll have use of the Centre’s mobile phone with local number and internet access in case of any emergencies.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM
January 2023 & April 2023 - Programs are now open !
English in Italia is now taking applications for our next two Cultural Exchange Programs kicking off in January 2023 and April 2023.
If you’ve always dreamed of living “la dolce vita” and being more than just a tourist in Italy our Cultural Exchange Program is the perfect way to have a real Italian language and cultural immersion experience.
We’re looking for native (mother-tongue) English speakers who have a passion for bella Italia and all things Italian.
Our Language and Cultural Centres based in small, medieval villages throughout regional Italy offer a range of language and cultural services to local Italian communities.
As a Cultural Exchange Volunteer you’ll be based in one of our communities and work within our language and cultural centres offering much needed English language services to local Italians, schools, day-care centres and businesses.
