Vietnam: Special Needs Daycare Volunteer

Introduction

Vietnam, one of the most populated countries in the world, is a place with captivating nature, an interesting turbulent past and it enjoys a lot of interest from tourists. While its economy is growing fast and it is very much a country on the move, Vietnam has kept a lot of its traditions and has not been westernized as much as Thailand and Cambodia . One aspect which is unchanged is the traditional Vietnamese cuisine which is still preferred by the locals over anything else and is a source of pride. The country is witnessing a fast growth immediately visible in the developing cities with refurbished roads and new buildings springing up. In contrast, Vietnam’s beautiful countryside in the north along with its typical rice fields and beaches remain unchanged and ever so appealing.

Your help is needed to take care of children with various special needs, such as Cerebral Palsy. Parents drop off their children each day whilst they go off to work, and you will be assisting local staff to ensure they are well looked after. You work will include feeding them, comforting them, playing games and helping to make them more socially active! You can play a role in helping these individuals live a life of more dignity and independence, while being active members of the community.

Daily Life

You will be looking after 20-25 Vietnamese children with a mixture of disabilities daily. Your main role will be to play, feed and care for the children. This will involve comforting them, playing games, and socialising with them. Previous experience in this field is helpful but not essential.

The key area for improving the quality of the children’s lives is enhancing their speech and muscular capacity. Daily regimes are carried out for the children, in which you too can play a part.

Other activities encouraged and greatly enjoyed by the children include playing games, dancing and singing. Painting, art and other means of creativity is encouraged by the hospital for the children. Therefore your main duties will be;

• Support the disabled children so they can have a better/happier life
• Get insights into the local way of working and assist the hospital staff
• Gain some teaching practice and learn a few basics on how to take care of children with special needs

If this is your first week, on Monday you will be introduced to the project and the staff, you will discuss your upcoming role at the project,  get introduced to the children and have the chance to discuss with the manager about any specific requirements/interests you may have.

On Tuesday and for the rest of each week, you will begin your placement. Your exact role will depend upon the needs of the disabled children’s home at the time, but will certainly involve playing games, helping with their speech and posture, amongst many other activities.

Travel and Accommodation

Your accommodation during the placement is in a student dorm on a college campus where there are rooms especially reserved for the participants in the project. The rooms are single-gender for 8 to 16 people and you will share showers and western-style toilets. In the common areas, such as the terrace, you can enjoy a view over the city or you can have some down time and read one of the available books or magazines in the “office” room. On the same floor you can find the café where you can buy a smoothie or soda and sit at the desks and tables. If you want to engage in some form of creative activity, you can paint or use materials for crafts, or you can play some music on the piano or guitar. For some sports, you can head to the pool or gym.

You will have wifi access in the dorms; however, the quality of the connection is dependent on the weather conditions.

You will be served three meals per day in the restaurant on campus which consist mainly of typical Vietnamese food but also of some Western dishes.

In the area around campus you can find ATMs as well as taxis to take you anywhere in Ho Chi Minh. In the city you can find anything that you may need.

Arrival is on a Sunday and departure/check-out is on Saturday before 12:00 pm during the last week of your program.

Requirements

• Minimum age 18.
• Passion and enthusiasm to get to know the country, lots of energy and creativity, and not afraid to get involved.
• No previous skills are necessary, however, you will need to speak English at a conversational level.
• Minimum 2 weeks commitment – 30+ hours a week
• CRB Police check (or equivalent) showing that you have no previous criminal convictions
• Necessary vaccinations.
• Necessary flight & visas.
• Full travel & medical insurance. Full assistance will be provided in getting everything you will need ready if you choose our Premium Support.

Costs

€400 Euros per week

* Check the latest currency conversions with xe.com
** All payments incur a 5% bank transfer fee
*** Placements are confirmed with a 1 week deposit

What’s Included:

Project Fee includes food, accommodation, airport pickup, orientation, in-country support and project activities.

Private rooms are available for an additional €100 per week.

What’s not included:

Flights, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged if you choose our Premium Support.

Premium Support Upgrade

We understand there’s a great deal to plan and organise for your trip. When booking a Placement, many of our participants choose to purchase our Premium Support Upgrade to benefit from the expertise, knowledge and experience of our Project Coordinators.

We can provide the personal advice you need to ensure your trip is organised with excellence and planned with efficiency; ensuring the very best experience possible. Read more about how we can help you.