PROGRAM DETAILS

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Is ENGin really free?

Yes, ENGin is a nonprofit organization. We have thousands of volunteers who are fluent in English and ready to conduct free speaking sessions with you. There are no costs to participate in ENGin.

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How long does the program last?

We ask for a minimum 3-month commitment - this is how long it takes to see real improvement in your English. 

The maximum duration is 1 year. After that period, you will be automatically classified as an ENGin alumnus: you will continue to receive program emails and have access to our Telegram chats and communities and online events. You can also continue meeting with your volunteer for as long as the volunteer is interested, but we will not be able to replace your volunteer after they are no longer able to meet with you.
 

When do sessions usually happen?

Our sessions usually happen in the evening Ukrainian time to accommodate for time zone differences. Many sessions happen on weekends because volunteers are busy during the week. We match you with volunteers who are available at the same times you indicate on your application form. Exact session times are determined directly with your volunteer.

 

What happens during the speaking sessions?

During your speaking sessions, our dedicated volunteers aim to enhance your fluency skills and boost your confidence in real-life English conversations. Each volunteer chooses what to focus on based on your needs and goals. Depending on your English level, you might have casual conversations about music, politics, work, school, or any other topic of interest. Additionally, our volunteers may introduce various activities like role plays, watching and discussing videos, and learning grammar. While the volunteer plans the sessions, you can always suggest and request topics to focus on.

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Are all of your volunteers from the United States? Can I request a volunteer from the US?

While many of our volunteers live in the US, we have volunteers from 130+ different countries. A few of our volunteers are fluent English speakers living in Ukraine.

If you are a beginner student, we might temporarily match you to a Ukrainian volunteer for the first few months to help you get comfortable speaking in English. Otherwise, you will be matched to a volunteer living outside Ukraine. You cannot request a volunteer from a specific country.

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Will my volunteer be a native speaker?

We have a diverse group of volunteers and we don't know who is a native speaker and who isn't. Some volunteers immigrated to the US as children, but speak flawless English. Others were born in the US but have regional accents. We even have volunteers who live outside the US but are native English speakers.
We do interview every volunteer to make sure they are fluent in English, so you can be confident you will not be practicing with another English learner :)
 

Are all volunteers in the program professional English teachers?

No, the majority of our all volunteers do not have professional teaching or tutoring experience.

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I am Ukrainian, but do not live in Ukraine. Can I sign up for your program?

If you left Ukraine after February 24, 2022 to escape the war, you are eligible for our program. If you emigrated before the war, you are not eligible for the program.  ​  ​

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I am younger than 9. Can I sign up for your program?

Unfortunately, no.

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I am older than 35. Can I sign up for your program?

Unfortunately, no. At this time, we do not have enough volunteers to accommodate students older than 35 years old.

 

I have some disabilities. Can I participate in ENGin?

ENGin strives to be inclusive and help people with disabilities practice English. Therefore, if you need support and other conditions for practicing language (for instance, communication by text), email us: info@enginprogram.org

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Do I need to use videochat? Can we just speak by phone?

To make sure sessions are effective and safe, we ask participants to have their video on. 

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Can you add Spanish to the ENGin program? (Or French or German or Japanese or…?)

Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to add multiple languages to the program now, so we're focusing on English. English fluency unlocks the largest knowledge base and the most opportunities - online courses, top universities, useful books, good jobs. Though other languages are also valuable, English is the most universal language - the language that will connect you to a global conversation in any field.

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If you are interested in creating your own program focusing on a different language, we are happy to share what we’ve learned about building a successful one-on-one speaking practice program. Email us info@enginprogram.org for a guide.

 

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APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW

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Why do I see a message "We have reached the maximum number of applications in your age range for this week" while applying at app.enginprogram.org? Can't I join ENGin?

We can accept a limited number of applications every week due to limited resources. So, if you see this message, don't worry, we would love to have you in the program! You just need to wait a bit. We reopen applications every Monday morning - at that time, you can return to app.enginprogram.org to continue your application. 

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I’m trying to schedule an interview but don’t see any timeslots that work for me. What can I do?
We are really sorry about the inconvenience! We try to have many options in our calendar each week, but sometimes many people sign up and we run out. Just email us at info@enginprogram.org and we will add more timeslots to accommodate you. There is also an asynchronous interview option: you can record a video answering the questions we ask and send it to us. It will serve as an alternative to a live interview. You will find detailed instructions here in your profile on the platform.

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I can’t make it to my scheduled interview. Can I reschedule or cancel?
Yes, you can reschedule or cancel your interview. Please log into your ENGin account and click on the “Reschedule” or “Cancel” button. Please be sure to cancel ahead of time so we can use the interview timeslot for someone else! Also, remember that you can no-show or cancel your interview only twice according to our rules.

 

I accidentally missed my interview. What can I do?
You can schedule a new interview by logging into your ENGin account at app.enginprogram.org. Please note: you have 2 chances to sign up for an interview. If you miss the second interview, you will not be allowed to proceed with your application.

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My interviewer canceled or didn’t show up to our interview. What should I do?
Our interviewers try their best to attend every interview, but sometimes they need to cancel due to a last-minute emergency. You can schedule a new interview at app.enginprogram.org.

 

I completed an interview with an ENGin team member, but I did not get a decision. What should I do?
Decision letters should arrive within 2 days of your interview. If you do not receive one, check your spam folder. If you still don’t see it, please email us and let us know. 

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GETTING MATCHED TO A VOLUNTEER​

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When will I be matched to my volunteer?

To be matched to a volunteer, you need to complete an interview with us, receive an acceptance email, sign our program agreement, complete our mandatory new student orientation and complete an initial self-assessment. Once you finish these steps, we try to match you with a volunteer within 3 weeks. 

 

Unfortunately, we are not always able to find a volunteer who is a good match right away, especially if you have very specific preferences OR if you are age 19 or older. Right now, most of our volunteers are younger than 18 and prefer to volunteer with younger students. We are doing our best to find more older volunteers to work with you very soon!

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I am not sure of the status of my application. What should I do?
Log into your ENGin account at app.enginprogram.org. 

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I just received my match email. What do I do next?
Your speaking buddy should contact you by email to find a date for your first session. Please check your email and spam folder regularly and respond right away.  If your buddy doesn’t email you, you can also email them. 
 

I don’t check my email a lot. Can you message me on Telegram or Facebook?

ENGin communicates with students by email, so you should check your email regularly for messages from us.

 

You and your buddy can decide on a different way to communicate. For example - Instagram messages, Skype, Google chat, WhatsApp, or whatever you both prefer. Some volunteers only use email - please respect your volunteer's communication preferences.

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TROUBLE WITH A VOLUNTEER

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Can I ask to be rematched to another volunteer?

It depends on why you are asking and how long you've been matched.
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You cannot request a rematch because you don't like your buddy's nationality or accent. This is discrimination, and it is illegal. We guarantee that your volunteer will be fully fluent in English, but we cannot guarantee what they will look or sound like.
 
Most of our volunteers live in the US, but we also have volunteers from 130+ other countries. Some volunteers were born in America and now live in another country. Some were born in another country but now live in America. Many of our volunteers are Asian-American, Hispanic, Black, or multiracial. Many grow up speaking 2 or 3 languages themselves. Also, there is not one "correct" accent. Even in America, a volunteer from Texas or Louisiana will sound different than a volunteer from New Jersey or California. Meeting and learning from different people is an important part of this program.
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If your volunteer breaks program rules more than once, you may ask for a rematch. For example: repeated cancellations (without offering to reschedule), repeated no-shows, ignoring messages for weeks, not preparing for sessions, or inappropriate behavior.
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When you report a problem with a volunteer, we will investigate with the volunteer and try to fix it.
* If the volunteer has disappeared or cannot fix the problem, we will rematch immediately.
* If the volunteer promises to improve their behavior, we will keep the match. If the problem continues, you can write to us again and we will rematch.

After 6 months together, either buddy may ask for a rematch without any problems, just to try talking to someone new. 

If you are paired with a Ukrainian volunteer, you may ask for a rematch to a volunteer outside Ukraine after 3 months. 
 
Please note:
All rematch requests MUST go through info@enginprogram.org. Do NOT simply tell a volunteer that you no longer want to work with them (unless you are quitting the program).  

 

My volunteer isn’t responding to my messages. What can I do?

Text/email your volunteer again and wait for a few days. If your volunteer doesn’t respond, email us at info@enginprogram.org.

 

My volunteer and I can’t find a time that works for our sessions. What should we do?

Please try to be flexible with your schedule. Remember, your volunteer is donating their time to help you learn! Most of our volunteers are available only in the evenings Ukrainian time, and many are only available on weekends. If you can’t resolve your scheduling difficulties, please email us at info@enginprogram.org.

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My volunteer doesn’t seem to enjoy speaking with me. Can you help?

It usually takes some time for students and volunteers to become comfortable with each other. Also, cultural differences are real - you might be misinterpreting your volunteer’s comments or body language. Please, wait a few sessions. Try different activities and speaking topics, and get to know each other. If things haven’t improved after 4-5 sessions, email us at info@enginprogram.org and we can help.

 

My buddy and I haven’t become good friends. What can I do? 

Some of our volunteer-student pairs become friends. But many of our volunteers have a more professional relationship with students, and that’s okay!
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When we match students and volunteers, we start with key logistical factors - gender preferences, age (minor vs. adult), and, most importantly, schedules. Then, once we’ve met these criteria, we consider interests and personalities. 
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Remember, the purpose of our program is to help you improve your English-speaking skills and learn to speak with someone from a different culture. As long as you are learning and making progress, the match can be considered a success!

What can I do if my volunteer is too busy to have sessions every week?

Message your volunteer and remind them that you would like to have an hour of practice each week. If they need to cancel a session, you can ask them to reschedule (for example, miss a session one week and have two sessions the next week). If your volunteer is still not able to provide you the required 1 hour of practice each week, email us at info@enginprogram.org and we can help.

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I want more practice. Can I have a second volunteer?

Unfortunately, no. At this time we are only assigning one volunteer to each student to be fair to all students.

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LEAVING THE PROGRAM

How can I leave the program?
On your profile at app.enginprogram.org, there is an option to leave the program. Please remember that we require 2 weeks notice before leaving.

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How can I join the program again after leaving?
Email us and we’ll get you started again. You may not be able to work with the same volunteer as you had before.

 

PROGRESS TRACKING AT ENGin

How can I track my progress at ENGin?

Our progress tracking system is based on self and peer assessment.
Self-assessment means you will evaluate yourself, and peer assessment means your volunteers will evaluate your skills.
 

What skills will be evaluated?

The following skills are going to be evaluated:

• communication skills

• grammar/vocabulary/writing

• confidence in the use of language

• intercultural knowledge

 

Will I know how my volunteer evaluated me?

No, we do not disclose this information to learners.

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How often are the evaluations done?

Overall, you and your volunteers are going to complete 3 evaluations in a program:

• you will complete your first self-assessment during registering in a program; your volunteer will complete the first assessment of your skills after 2 meetings with you;

• the next assessments will be after 3 months and 9 months in a program.

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Where should I complete the assessments?

Currently, all the assessments are completed in your personal account on our platform https://app.enginprogram.org

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How do I know when I need to complete a self-assessment?

We will send you a reminder email when it's time to complete the evaluation. Additionally, whenever you log into your personal account at https://app.enginprogram.org, you will see a pop-up notification that serves as a reminder to complete any pending evaluations and dates of the upcoming evaluation under the calendar on the right.

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How much time do I have to complete the assessment from the moment I receive the notification?

We kindly ask you to complete the assessment within a 2-week term. Otherwise, the data will not be accurate.

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Will ENGin kick me out of the program if I do not show much progress?

No! Please, be objective, honest, and realistic in your assessment and answers. Keep in mind that your answers won’t put your participation in the program at stake.

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Are the self-assessments compulsory?

Yes, progress tracking is obligatory for ENGin participants.

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Can I receive a confirmation of ENGin program completion?

Yes, participants are eligible to get a certificate of ENGin program completion after 6 months and 1 year in a program. To receive your ENGin participant certificate, complete this request form with the required details. Please note that this service comes at a cost of 300 UAH.