About – SchoolX

What We Do

We are an online platform which provides quality education to everyone worldwide. We believe in transforming how knowledge is shared among all.

SchoolX is an edtech startup with a strong social mission to provide quality education for everyone. We achieve this by using technology to revolutionise education.

We first started in 2017, where we are inspired by a young 9 year old Syrian girl in Lebanon who was unable to enroll in school, and decided to set up a small blackboard to teach young children in her refugee camp.

Since then, we have always believed in utilising the abundant resources of the community to unlock everyone’s potential to learn and teach each other, regardless of their background.

By using optimised algorithms, we oversee a robust educational system that connected trained teachers to students, run micro-classes in the community and track students’ progress. All SchoolX students can have access to the best courses, regardless of their socio-economic background.

FAQ

I am not currently residing in Istanbul. Can I still volunteer with Schoolx?

Schoolx is designed to scale up. We are currently implementing our model in Istanbul but once we optimise it, we will expand all over Turkey, so sign up and stay tuned.

Is everyone who applied to Schoolx accepted?

Volunteers will be required to go through an interview. This is so that we can get to know your abilities, skills, professions and commitment level to Schoolx. After the interview, selected volunteer candidates will meet in Istanbul for necessary training.

What kind of training will volunteers receive?

Volunteers who wish to conduct classes to refugee children and youth will receive psychological and pedagogical training. Psychological training will include first aid training while pedagogical training will involve certified methods by educational specialists to conduct lessons. These trainings are important to communicate with refugee children or children in vulnerable situations and to advise on a healthy and appropriate approach to conducting classes.

What will the volunteers do after they have received necessary training?

Volunteers will start their duties in different teams according to their abilities, skills and profession. Selected volunteers will be matched to the children according to their time, education levels, needs and locations of both the volunteers and the refugee students. The volunteers will then conduct their lessons with the children in certain designated public locations.

Are the volunteer trainings and lessons with the refugee children conducted online or face-to-face?

In the pilot phase, we will conduct trainings to volunteers face-to-face. Through our pilot training and meetings, we will then be able to test and improve on the content and format of the digital lessons, which will be employed in future Schoolx programmes. On the other hand, lessons with the children will be conducted face-to-face.

How long does the pilot last?

The pilot phase will last for a year. However, we would like to expand the project to include different courses, locations and activities. New digital trainings will also be published and we will involve more volunteers and students. We aim to expand our programme until all children have access to education.

Is there a restriction to the kind of academic backgrounds of the volunteers? Is it necessary to major in education?

No, volunteers can get involved in Schoolx in different roles. People from different majors are welcome to apply, as there are many different roles in Schoolx. Even if you are assigned a teaching role without majoring in education, we will provide the necessary training to conduct the lessons.

Can college graduates participate in Schoolx?

Yes, even if you are a graduate, you can apply and volunteer with Schoolx in roles related to your major, profession and skills.

Do I need to know a foreign language (e.g. English or Arabic) to be a volunteer?

No, you do not have to know a foreign language, as you can volunteer in different tasks.

Where do SchoolX activities take place?

Our pilot will be tested at the buildings of the Sultanbeyli Municipality and the Refugees Association. However, it is possible to conduct our activities in different locations according to the situation and possibilities.

Who is in charge of organising and running Schoolx?

To find out more about the team behind Schoolx and our supporters, please review our team and partners on our website.