Care and physiotherapy for children and adults

Volunteers work at three centers in Da Nang – the Social Support Center, the Red Cross Children Home and the Rehabilitation and Education Center for Children with disabilities. The children and adults suffer from Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning difficulties, Paralysis and Deafness. 

Childcare: There are 30 abandoned babies at the centers. There are only 04 care-givers who look after the children 24/7. You will help by holding the babies, playing with them, cleaning, changing nappies and teaching them how to sit, craw, stand if possible. 

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy : You will assist with local physiotherapist and occupational therapist  to conduct the care and treatment to around 50 disabled people. You will help with positioning, movement, standing, etc...or developing the recover helping the patients with daily basic activities. You can also help with the speech therapy by helping the patients to make sound or singing. 

Education for children with special needs: You will assist with local teachers to provide education to around 10 children with special needs. As per the teachers`s instruction, you work one by one with a child and give necessary education and training needed for their development of physic and emotion. 

Activities for disabled people: You will assist with our staff and local social workers to provide enrichment activities for around 50 disabled people. This includes dancing, singing, playing sports with the patients. Sometimes, you assist with taking them out for outdoor activities in the community such as swimming in a pool or visiting temples, market, park, etc...

In general, you do not need any special qualification and skills to work for this program. However, it would be excellent if you could have some experience in nursing or caring sector, but it is not essential. It is essential that you have patience are willing to learn and understand the local perspective in handling disabilities. 

We provide a support staff team to work with you during your stay. Here you can see a short overview of our team:

Viet: Founder and director of Volunteer Vietnam since 2004

Vy: Coordinator and Head of Therapeutic/Physiotherapy

Ly: Social worker and all rounder 

Hiem: Interpreters and planners 

Co Hai: Cooker

Volunteers work from Monday to Friday morning and have a long weekend from Friday afternoon to explore Da Nang city and the nearby areas.

Here is the schedule for a typical day

• Morning session starts at around 8:00 AM: Volunteers assist our staff and social workers at the Social Support Center with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, sport activities, education for special needs to the disabled children and patients.
• Lunch time: You come back to the volunteer house to have lunch with other volunteers and have a little nap 
• Afternoon session starts at around 2:00 PM; Volunteers assist our staff and social workers at the Red Cross Children Home and the Rehabilitation and Education Center to give childcare and do activities with the disabled children. 
• Evening session: most of evening is free for volunteers to relax or go out to explore the city. Some evenings, volunteers have a meeting with our staff to plan lessons or activities for the next day. 
• Some mornings or afternoons: Volunteers assist our staff and social workers to take the children and patients for outing trips such as playing soccer, swimming in a pool or at the beach, taking the old people to the park, to dance with them or just spending time to pray at a Buddhist temple.

During the weekday, volunteers will have some free time in the evening and this can be filled up with the following activities: 

• Hanging out at cafes near the Green House to see the local way of life
  
• Visiting the Da Nang's city center, e.g. Dragon Bridge (including fire shows on the weekends), Asia Adventure Park, or booking a night tour boat on the river
• See some of the famous beaches in Da Nang and grabing a coconut
• Shopping at the local night market & sampling Vietnamese foods 
• Having movie nights with other volunteers in the Green House living room
• Planning lessons and activities for the next days with volunteers and staff 

On the weekends: 

• Volunteers love to explore the many attractions in and around Da Nang such as: Marble Mountain, Lady Buddha Temple, Han Market, Dragon Bridge, Ba Na Hills and the beaches. 
• Daily motorbike trip at the Son Tra Mountain, known as the monkey mountain
• Make the short drive to Hoi An, a preserved port town recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hoi An is perfect for a relaxing weekend getaway where volunteers get clothes tailor-made in the day and explore the lantern-filled city at night.
• Take the 2-hour train ride up to Hue, another UNESCO world heritage site and former imperial city. The train ride takes you along the coast and through the mountains of the Hai Van Pass.