Staffing Our Programs

We are proud of our mission and program — creating an educational adventure in language and culture, preparing young people for responsible citizenship in our world.  We anticipate that our staff members' lives will be enriched and perhaps changed forever by the working relationships and friendships they forge with other staff from around the world and the children and teenagers who participate in our programs and thrive in their care. Our staff impacts countless young people with their enthusiasm for language and culture and their compassion, insight and creativity. 

The makeup of the Village staff is diverse. Some staff members have been at the Village for many years, while others are new to the program. The staff includes native speakers as well as those who are still working on their language proficiency. To make this diverse group of people into a cohesive and effective staff unit is a challenge — one that the entire Concordia Language Villages staff strives to meet.

Selecting Staff
Selecting staff members for a Language Village is a competitive process. We recruit staff members from many different backgrounds from all around the world. Every year, approximately 50 percent of Concordia Language Villages’ staff are returning staff members who have worked at the Villages in past years. On average, native speakers comprise approximately 30 percent of a Village staff.  The deans of each Village are responsible for hiring their Village staff on the basis of their oral skills in the target language, enjoyment and effectiveness in working with young people and ability to teach the target language to villagers.

Staff Orientation
Summer staff members attend one week of intense orientation before assuming their Village responsibilities. Teaching techniques, health and safety concerns, Language Villages policies and counseling skills are covered during this week.

Native Speakers
Each Village has a certain number of native speakers of the target language, ensuring cultural and linguistic authenticity in the program. These are part of the counseling staff. Please keep in mind that these people will not always have all of the answers regarding every aspect of their culture. The Village experience may be the native speaker’s first exposure to the United States and North American culture. 

Positions: Each staff member is an equally important component of the whole Village.