HANOI, MARCH 2016

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Dear Volunteers,

In this document you will find the general description of all the projects that we have in the North of Vietnam for both long-term (6-12 months) and short-term programs (2 weeks – 5 months). The minimum stay requirement is mentioned in each placement description.

All the projects are divided into three main types: education projects (teaching English or French to local students); social welfare projects (taking care of disabled children); and community development projects (working with local non-governmental organizations – NGOs). At the end of each part, there will be a few words of guidance for volunteers.

Please be informed that volunteers need to pay a program fee to join the projects. The fee may differ depending on the agreement between VPV and the volunteers’ sending organizations. The fee is to cover the airport pick-up, the orientation/on-arrival

training,

food

and

accommodation,

local/public

transportation to work, administrative cost and regular support from the local team.

Please feel free to contact us for more details.

We look forward to welcoming you to our programs!

Best regards, ICYE Vietnam/ VPV team Address: No.56, lane 99, Nguyen Phong Sac street, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, Vietnam

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INDEX

OVERVIEW OF INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (IVP) This program offers volunteers an opportunity to give back to the local communities as an individual while learning and improving necessary skills for life in a multicultural environment. It is up to the volunteers to decide the length of their stay, ranging from 02 weeks to 01 year. Joining this program, volunteers may not see immediate impacts, but together will all other individual volunteers, they are making long-term impacts on local projects.

MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM 

Pick up from Noi Bai (Hanoi) international airport

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Accommodation (Food and lodging) at VPV Dormitory

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2 to 3-Day Orientation o Presentation of aims and structure of VPV o Short introduction to Vietnam and local area o Practical Information and Arrangements o 2-3 hours of basic Vietnamese o Sightseeing and exposure tour in Hanoi o Visit to Host Placement(s)

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Mid-term Evaluation (for those who stay for 6 months and over)

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Final Evaluation

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Ongoing support and supervision during the program

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Local transportation to the volunteer site

Starting dates: Every Monday, except for holidays or otherwise endorsed. Program fee: The program fee may differ depending on the agreement between VPV and the organisation that the volunteer go through. Therefore, it is advisable to double check with your sending organization, or VPV, if necessary, about the fee upon each specific case.

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EDUCATION PROJECTS Please note that, in some special cases or periods of time, and based on the needs of education projects, volunteers may work at more than one project during their volunteer duration.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Nghia Tan Primary School (English Teaching)

LOCATION

Hanoi

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide English language speaking environment for children to practice and improve their confidence in using a foreign language in communication.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Nghia Tan Primary School teaches about 3000 children aging from 6-11 years old who start learning English and French at grade 1 (6 years old).

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

Nghia Tan Primary School is located in Cau Giay district, Hanoi, which is about 8km from the Old Quarters. There is very little chance for the children and teachers to meet foreigners to practice English and exchange communication skills even though they have received great support of the government in infrastructure.

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers should like to work with children, maturity and initiative spirit. - Fluent English - Age: 18 and over.

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- Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn more about the country and adapt to different and working style in Vietnam.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:  Improving listening/speaking skills for children  Improving pronunciation for children  Organizing games and other activities in classrooms  Assisting local teachers in managing the classes. Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June – July - August). Volunteers will always work with a local teacher. Travel to work: about 15-20 minutes walking.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

3 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by themselves. During working-days food is provided by the host placement.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Nghia Tan Primary School (French Teaching)

LOCATION

Hanoi

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide French language speaking environment for children to practice and improve their confidence in using a foreign language in communication.

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PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Nghia Tan Primary School is one of many public primary schools in Hanoi. There are about 3000 children aging from 6-11 years old who start learning English and French at grade 1 (6 years old). Teachers and children had not had many chances to meet and talk with foreigners until VPV sent its volunteers to help there.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Nghia Tan Primary School is located in Cau Giay district, Hanoi, which is about 8km from the Old Quarters. There is very little chance for the children and teachers to meet foreigners to practice French and exchange communication skills. Volunteers should like to work with children, maturity and initiative spirit. - Fluent French - Age: 18 and over. - Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn more about the country and adapt to different and working style in Vietnam.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:  Improving listening/speaking skills for children  Improving pronunciation for children  Organizing games and other activities in classrooms  Assisting local teachers in managing the classes Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June – July - August). Volunteers will always work with a local teacher. Travel to work: about 15-20 minutes walking.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Sometimes project stay may be arranged. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by themselves. During working-days food is provided by the host placement.

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HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Pascal secondary school

LOCATION

Hanoi

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Students

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide English language speaking environment for students, especially those from difficult background.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Pascal Secondary School is a private school founded in 2010. It is situated in Dong Anh district, surrounded by the country side. The school teaches around 150 students, ranging in age from 11 to 15 years. There are 4 English teachers who follow the governmental English teaching plan. The children do have some knowledge of English, but as it is often the case with Vietnamese students, they have poor pronunciation due to their lack of contact with English speakers.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

Pascal school is located in suburban area there is limited access to modern and qualified teaching institutes. It aims at creating and providing a friendly and inspiring learning environment for the students in that disadvantaged area. Thinking of the difficult backgrounds of the majority of the students in the area, the school just applies a similar school fee with public ones, which is based on the living standard of local people. With the modest income, the school’s management board is still managing to provide adequate facilities to create favorable conditions for the students to study, focusing on learning English – one of the necessary tools for the students to further develop in the future. Our top priority for support is public sectors, not private one. But with Pascal school, we understand that, “private school” is their status, but what they have done so far is not private at all – it is for the sake of all the students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Convinced by the compassion and dedication of the management board of Pascal school, and after having positive feedback from several volunteers who have gotten the chance to work at the school, VPV decided to cooperate with Pascal school to give them as much support as possible to help the students have a chance to learn and improve their English in different ways.

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VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers should like to work with students, maturity and initiative spirit. Volunteers should be able to work independently in the classroom. - Fluent English - Age: 20 or over - Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the followings:  Improving listening and speaking skills for students.  Improving students’ competency in communication.  Teaching students following the school’s curriculum.  Organizing games and other activities in classrooms or outdoor in more flexible classes. Normally volunteers will teach about 20-30 hours a week. No placements available in summer time (June – JulyAugust). Travel to work: The manager of the school will pick up the volunteer(s) and drive them to the school everyday. The ride takes up to 40 mintues depending on the traffic.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by themselves.

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HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Tan Dan Primary School

LOCATION

Phu Tho

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide foreign language (English) speaking environment for children to practice and improve their confidence in using a foreign language in communication.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Tan Dan Primary School is a public school located in Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province. There are about 700 students, ranging in age from 6 to 10 years old. Among the teachers and staff members, there are 4 English teachers. The children do have some knowledge of English, but as it is often the case with Vietnamese students, they have poor pronunciation due to their lack of contact with native English speakers. Teachers and children had not had many chances to meet and talk with foreigners until VPV sent its volunteers to help there.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Tan Dan Primary School is in Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province, which is about 80km to the North West of Hanoi. There is very little chance for the children and teachers to meet foreigners to practice English and exchange communication skills. That’s why international volunteers are highly welcome and appreciated here. Volunteers should like to work with children, maturity and initiative spirit. - Fluent English - Age: 18 and over. - Minimum stay preferred 3 months. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be able to work independently in the class. - Be willing to learn about the country and integrate into local community.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:

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    

Improving listening/speaking skills for children Improving pronunciation for children Organizing games and other activities in classrooms Assisting local teachers in managing the classes Orgnizing English club for the children

Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week (or less if combined with another project). In summer time (June – July - August), volunteers will only work with the English club. Volunteers can work with a local teacher or sometimes on their own. NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

When choosing this project, volunteers will likely to work in combination with another project, either Hung Vuong high school for Gifted students (Edu7) or College of Pharmacy (Edu8), and thus will stay in a guest room of the high school or the college with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by them.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Phu Thuong Primary School (French Teaching)

LOCATION

Hanoi

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide French language speaking environment for children to practice and improve their confidence in using a foreign language in communication.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Phu Thuong Primary School is one of many public primary schools in Hanoi. There are about 1200 children aging from 6-11 years old who start learning English and French at grade 1 (6 years old). Teachers and children had not had many chances to

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meet and talk with foreigners until VPV sent its volunteers to help there. There are 40 teachers, of which two are English teachers and two French teachers. English teachers are in charge of 15 classes and are more crowded, with about 40- 50 students per class, meanwhile there are only 2 French classes with 30 students per class.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Phú Thượng primary school is situated in Tây Hồ district of central Hanoi; just close to West Lake. The local area has many cafés and charming shops in the neighborhood. You can have relaxing walks with fresh ice-cream on the warmer afternoons. Volunteers should like to work with children, maturity and initiative spirit. - Fluent French - Age: 18 and over. - Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn more about the country and adapt to different and working style in Vietnam.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:  Improving listening/speaking skills for children  Improving pronunciation for children  Organizing games and other activities in classrooms  Assisting local teachers in managing the classes Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June – July - August). Volunteers will always work with a local teacher. Travel to work: about 1 hour by local buses.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Sometimes project stay may be arranged. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by themselves. During working-days food is provided by the host placement.

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HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Phu Thuong Primary School (English Teaching)

LOCATION

Hanoi

COUNTRY

Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Language Development for Children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to provide English language speaking environment for children to practice and improve their confidence in using a foreign language in communication.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

Phu Thuong Primary School is one of many public primary schools in Hanoi. There are about 1200 children aging from 6-11 years old who start learning English and French at grade 1 (6 years old). Teachers and children had not had many chances to meet and talk with foreigners until VPV sent its volunteers to help there. There are 40 teachers, of which two are English teachers and two French teachers. English teachers are in charge of 15 classes and are more crowded, with about 40- 50 students per class, meanwhile there are only 2 French classes with 30 students per class.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Phú Thượng primary school is situated in Tây Hồ district of central Hanoi; just close to West Lake. The local area has many cafés and charming shops in the neighborhood. You can have relaxing walks with fresh ice-cream on the warmer afternoons. Volunteers should like to work with children, maturity and initiative spirit. - Fluent English - Age: 18 and over. - Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn more about the country and adapt to different and working style in Vietnam.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Volunteers will be expected to help with the following:  Improving listening/speaking skills for children 12

  

Improving pronunciation for children Organizing games and other activities in classrooms Assisting local teachers in managing the classes

Normally volunteers will teach about 20 hours a week. No placements in summer (June – July - August). Volunteers will always work with a local teacher. Travel to work: about 1 hour by local buses. NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Sometimes project stay may be arranged. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule. Volunteers, especially those who are vegetarian may be required to do some cooking by themselves. During working-days food is provided by the host placement.

Useful Tips for Volunteers Teaching English Vietnam Educational System The national education system consists of formal education and continuing education and includes the following levels: 1. Pre-primary education with nursery and kindergartens; 2. General education with primary education, lower secondary education, and upper secondary education; 3. Professional education with professional secondary education and vocational training; 4. Higher education with college, undergraduate, master and doctoral degrees. Schools in the national educational system are organized in the following forms: 1. Public schools; 2. People-founded schools; and 3. Private schools. Typical characteristics of the current educational system

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Teaching method • •

•

Most teachers in Vietnam apply the old and traditional teaching method in which the teacher is the primary speaker and the learner is the primary listener. This method creates boredom in learners and encourages a passive study habit. On the other hand, teachers are also under high pressure to strictly follow the curricula governed by the Ministry of Education and Training, which are dense and out of date. Such a curriculum limits the creativity of teachers and constricts teaching capabilities and effectiveness. Moreover, large class sizes in schools also create challenges for teachers who are learning to apply new and modern teaching methods in the classroom. Such activities such as group work, role playing, and out-of-classroom activities are more creative ways of teaching, but may be affected by the size of the class.

Shortage of teachers • • •

Vietnam has a serious shortage in teaching staff - in both quantity and quality. Many teachers do not meet the requirements of teaching and are usually overloaded. Teachers often do not have time to do any further research, improve their skills, or broaden their knowledge to improve their teaching skills.

Examination • •

Examination is really a burden to all learners. Fortunately, with the issuance of the 2005 Law, graduation examinations for pupils completing the primary and lower secondary schools have been removed. In the future, when teaching and learning quality has been improved, graduation examination required for upper secondary school students and university entrance examinations should be removed as they are extremely rigorous and costly.

Educational trends • •

•

The policy of the “socialization of education” has been promoted in recent years since the issuance of the 2005 Law. The State shall play the dominant role in developing the mission of education; carry out the diversification of school types and educational structures, encourage, promote and facilitate organizations and individuals to take part in the development of the mission of education. It is the responsibility of all organizations, families, and citizens to take care of education, to cooperate with schools to realize the goals of education, and to build a sound and safe educational environment.

Some basic tips when teaching o Speak slowly, repeat often o Write things you are saying on the board

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o Walk through the class during class, explain the task again to single students, make them work and take away Math books, comics, letters... o Give examples o Explain the task from the book in your own, more simple words o Don’t let them use their solution books (or you’ll have exactly the same dialogue and same opinions from all students). o Don’t let them do what they are not supposed to do with the other teachers. You might want to be their friend but then you’ll lose their respect as a teacher. o Don’t be surprised about the partly strange English in the school books o Ask if you can watch a local teacher o The students are competitive. Divide the class in two or use rows. They love teams. o They are intelligent students. Keep varying lessons but do not overdo the games. o Hangman can be used to introduce a topic o Ask for word lists relating to the topic from each group o Use word searches, make them difficult and (remember one word search per group) o Use the time to talk to the students about themselves, their ambitions etc. o Ask groups to write longer sentences; 10-12 words minimum and ask other groups to spot mistakes o Just because they are intelligent teenagers doesn’t mean that they don’t like praise or rewards. At least clap winning teams, but sweets may also be used. o They are interested in you and your country, talk about this from the front but try to find time to walk around the class and talk to them individually. o Give reading material about European topics o Use the ESL web sites to find materials and word search maker sites to give relevant word searches o Do not put up with mobile phones, talking over other students o Do not put up with bad behavior. The school teachers will deal with it if you ask for their help. Challenges and recommendations The volunteer can ask to observe the teachers’ lessons during the first week. We kindly recommend doing this short training to understand the dynamic of Vietnamese classes and to learn some tricks from the local teachers in big size Vietnamese classes. Teachers have some specific program to teach and sometimes they do not have enough time to finish it on time, which is the reason why the speaking and pronunciation part of the class is reduced in order to have more time for the book exercises. It is common to use the speaking part of the class to correct pronunciation problems instead of giving the volunteers the opportunity to prepare games by themselves. Be patient and proactive; even if you can not prepare activities every day do not lose motivation to propose new games or activities for the class. Remember that your support to the local teacher is also really important for the development of the children’s English skills.

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Prepare games to practice pronunciation and speaking skills related to the English program, it will be easier to apply in the class and the children will understand the vocabulary or grammar better. Use funny games or songs but remember that the English level in general is not high so try to prepare activities without complicated instructions or rules and with vocabulary and grammar according to their level. It is useful as well to bring material about your personal life, your country or your hobbies to make them more interested in the class. Try to be active when you are assisting the English teacher. Some previous volunteers recommended not to stand in front of the class because the children might be embarrassed or they could pay less attention to the teacher. It could be better to walk around the class to help the students with the exercises, correcting them when necessary, helping the teacher to keep them quiet and sit or wait in the back of the class when the teacher is explaining something. If you want to photocopy material bring it at least one day in advance and show it to the teacher. They will help you with printing it. Be aware that the school has a limited budget so be sensitive to this. During the journey the volunteer joins different classes. It is possible that he/she will repeat the same lessons several times per day. This is the normal way of working in schools, in Vietnam and in western countries as well. The volunteers have a detailed schedule about the classes they should join every day. Although, sometimes there can be changes in the schedule, the teachers will usually try to inform you the previous day. Moreover, there are many classrooms in the whole school so it could be confusing arriving there. It is useful, instead of going directly to the next class, to go to the staff’s room and wait there. The teachers will help you decide which class is best to join and you can follow them to the classroom. Working in another country always is challenging because of the cultural and organizational differences. You will probably find even other challenges that we did not describe; you have to/will discover them by yourself. Try to be as positive, patient and creative as possible in order to solve it. Do not doubt to ask your coordinator for any help you need, we are here to support you. As a volunteer you can be really meaningful in helping the children improving their speaking skills and motivate the teachers to learn a more participative and funny way of teaching. Enjoy your volunteer experience!

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SOCIAL WELFARE PROJECTS

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Vietnam Friendship Village

LOCATION COUNTRY

Hanoi Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Taking care of disabled children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to jointly bring care, love and happiness to the children through volunteers’ activities.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

The Vietnam Friendship Village opened in 1998 and was established to treat and care war veterans and children who are suffering from the effects of Agent Orange, a herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. Armed forces in its herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War. There are currently around 120 children and 40 veterans living in the 11 houses that comprise the Village. Established by George Mizo, an American Veteran of the Vietnam War, in collaboration with American, German and Vietnamese governments, the Village aims to provide rehabilitation through medical care and physiotherapy, as well as basic education and vocational training for children. In 2004, an organic gardening project was started at the Village with the aim of increasing awareness of the consequences of war, and to demonstrate strategies for healthy living among those still suffering its effects. The garden now provides around 60% of the vegetables eaten at the Village. It is hoped that in the future the garden can provide all the fruit and vegetables needs for the Village, and eventually grow enough to sell and raise further funds for this much needed community center. The aim of Friendship Village is to give every effected child the chance and opportunity to lead normal, happy and fulfilled lives. Clearly, given the circumstances this is no easy task, and although, thanks to the dedicated work of those at Friendship Village, tremendous advances have already been made, there still remains much work to be done.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

Friendship Village is about 8 km far from the VPV

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headquarters and 15km from Hanoi center. Since bus connection from VPV house to the village is not very convenient, the common transportation to work is bicycle. Other ways to work will be discussed upon volunteers’ arrival. VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Volunteers should like to work with handicapped children and maturity and initiative spirit. Preference: Volunteers with background or experience in medical/ social work or special education. However, volunteers without experience or background will still be able to join in different work as children are very excited with foreigners. Besides, volunteers should be patient, creative and active in that working environment. - Age: 18 or over - Minimum stay preferred 4 weeks, maximum stay 3 months. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn about the culture and integrate into local community.

VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Here are some possible tasks that you can do there: -

Caring for and playing with disabled children

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Assisting teachers in special education classes

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Assiting the teachers and children during lunch time

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Gardening

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Calling for charity or Subscription (depends on volunteers)

Working hours: There is no fixed timetable for the volunteers, their working times depend on the tasks they choose for themselves. A usual working day could be from 9 am to 4 pm with a lunch break from 11 am to 2 pm.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT HOST SITUATION

4 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.) Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation or project site. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the

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daily cooking schedule.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Peace Village

LOCATION COUNTRY

Hanoi Vietnam

THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Taking care of disabled children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to jointly bring care, love and happiness to the children through volunteers’ activities.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

The Thanh Xuan Peace Village provides supervision and care for over 110 second and third generation children who are victims of Agent Orange, an herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. The center has about 50 staff members amongst which are caretakers, physiotherapists, massage therapists, teachers, cooks and doctors. Facilities at the Peace Village include dormitory residence, two physiotherapy treatment rooms, an aquatherapy pool, a playground, a communal dining hall, classrooms, technical training workshops, computer lab, and health clinic. The aim of Peace Village is to give every affected child the chance and opportunity to lead normal, happy and fulfilled lives. Clearly, given the circumstances this is no easy task, and although, thanks to the dedicated work of those at Peace Village, tremendous work has been made, there still remains much work to be done.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

Peace Village is situated in Thanh Xuan District in South West Hanoi, close to Ha Dong district. It is a 30 minute bus ride from the city centre. There is easy access to the internet and other services that the volunteer may need in the area. Volunteers should like to work with handicapped children and maturity and initiative spirit. Preference: Volunteers with background or experience in medical/social work or special education. Besides, volunteers should be patient, creative and active in that working environment. - Age: 18 or over

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- Minimum stay preferred 2 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn about the culture and integrate into local community. VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Here are some possible tasks that you can do there: -

Caring for and playing with disabled children

-

Helping the children eat during lunch time

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Calling for charity or Subscription (depends on volunteers)

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Charity campaign for books, old clothes, old shoes for the children (depends on volunteers)

Working hours: Volunteers will work from 8.30 am to 4 pm (Mon – Fri) with a lunch break from 11 am to 2 pm. During the lunch break, volunteers will eat out and get refund for that.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

Travel to work: about 1 hour by bus. 2 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at accommodation. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Phuc Tue center

LOCATION

Hanoi Vietnam

COUNTRY THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Taking care of disabled children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to jointly bring care, love and happiness to the children through volunteers’ activities.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

The Phuc Tue Caring Center is a non-profit, nongovernment day care organization based in Hanoi for the care of mentally and physically impaired children. The

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Center was established in June 2001. There are now 2 centers around Hanoi that provide care and education for approx 50 children and young people (aged 2 to 22yrs old) who are suffering from the effects of agent orange, autism, down syndrome and Japanese encephalitis. The Centre`s aim is to look after these children and help to integrate them into normal society. Number of staff: 12 teachers. All of them graduated from Hanoi National University of Education. Ms. Huong, the director, is also the enthusiastic teacher that founded this center. Number of children: Approximately 74 disabled children divided into 4 classes. The number of children changes from time to time.

COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

The center’s mission is to provide opportunities for children with mental and physical impairment to receive an education and to feel included with their local community. In particular, the center provides assistance for those children suffering from developmental disabilities including Down's Syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy. As well as early grade academic learning, the education programs include physical education and therapy, yoga, painting and poetry. Phuc Tue center is situated in Tay Ho District in North West Hanoi, close to West Lake – the largest lake in Hanoi. There is easy access to the internet and other services that the volunteer may need in the area. Volunteers should like to work with handicapped children and maturity and initiative spirit. Preference: Volunteers with background or experience in medical/social work or disability. However, volunteers without experience or background will still be able to join in different work as children are very excited with foreigners. Besides, volunteers should be patient, creative and active in that working environment. - Age: 18 or over - Minimum stay preferred 2 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn about the culture and integrate into local community.

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VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

Here are some possible tasks that you can do there: -

Caring for and playing with disabled children

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Helping the children eat during lunch time

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Calling for charity or Subscription (depends on volunteers)

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Charity campaign for books, old clothes, old shoes for the children (depends on volunteers)

Besides, the volunteers can also help the center do gardening to provide food for the children (in the second branch). Working hours: Volunteers will work from 8.30 am to 4 pm (Mon – Fri) with a lunch break from 11 am to 2 pm. You can have lunch at the center with the staff or eat out; there are a lot of street restaurants around.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT

4 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.)

HOST SITUATION

Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at the center or volunteers can eat out. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule.

HOSTING ORGANIZATION

Volunteers For Peace Vietnam (VPV)

NAME OF PROJECT

Morning Star Centre

LOCATION

Hanoi Vietnam

COUNTRY THEME/TYPE OF PROJECT

Taking care of disabled children

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the program is to jointly bring care, love and happiness to the children through volunteers’ activities.

PROJECT’S ACTIVITIES

The Morning Star Center is a non-profit, nongovernmental organization founded in December 1995 for the early detection and care of mentally impaired children. Chaired by Professor Nguyen Tai Thu, it is a subsidiary of 22

the Vietnam Relief Association for Children with Disabilities and has nearly 70 staff members caring for approximately 240 children ranging in age from 1 to 16 divided into 19 classes. The number of children changes from time to time. The Center is to be found in Thanh Xuan district in South West Hanoi. Amongst the staff are teachers, psychologists, nurses, doctors and physiotherapists whose mission it is to promote charitable activities that help to provide opportunities for children with mental impairment to receive an education, and to feel included with their local community. In particular, the center strives to provide assistance for those children suffering from developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, Autism and Cerebral Palsy. Furthermore, the center has begun offering some vocational and pre-vocational courses for teenagers, in addition to sending them to outside vocational schools. The courses help increase the children's independence and confidence, and their abilities to get enrolled in professional training centers outside. Having recently set up a coffee shop at the entrance of the center, some of the children help out and in the process receive valuable experience in working and interacting with the public. COMMUNITY CONTEXT

VOLUNTEER’S REQUIREMENTS

The centre is situated in Thanh Xuan District in South West Hanoi, close to Ha Dong district. It is a 30 minute bus ride from the city centre. There is easy access to the internet and other services that the volunteer may need in the area. Volunteers should like to work with handicapped children and maturity and initiative spirit. Preference: Volunteers with background or experience in medical/social work or disability. However, volunteers without experience or background will still be able to join in different work as children are very excited with foreigners. Besides, volunteers should be patient, creative and active in that working environment. - Age: 18 or over - Minimum stay preferred: 2 weeks. - Be open-minded and sociable. - Be willing to learn about the culture and integrate into local community.

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VOLUNTEER’S TASKS

In general, the work is quite challenging and requires volunteers to be active and patient. The possible tasks include:  Caring for Autistic children  Playing with the children with provided toys  Helping them do some movements (walking, standing up or jumping…)  Washing hand, face for the children.  Helping the children with drawing and coloring.  Cleaning floor or toilet or toy.  Guiding & helping the children go and use toilet.  Feeding the children during lunch time  Guiding the children who are not able to feed by themselves.  Helping the teacher to make teaching material as drawing, painting, modeling (depending on volunteer’s ability)  Sharing with the teacher about teaching methods.  Organizing games and other activities for children  Teaching English for the staff/teacher in leisure time  Calling for charity or Subscription, document(depends on volunteers)

editing

Working hours: Usually from 8.30 am to 4 pm (Mon – Fri) with a lunch break from 11am to 2pm, but the schedule is quite flexible.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS IN PROJECT HOST SITUATION

Travel to work: about 1 hour by bus. 4 (Volunteers need to check with the hosting organization in advance to see if the project is still available for them.) Volunteers will stay in a dormitory with rooms shared with other volunteers. Living conditions will be Vietnamese standard with separate bathroom, single bed with mattress. Food will be provided at the center or volunteers can eat out. Meals will be mostly local food, which vary from the daily cooking schedule.

Disabled Child Care in Vietnam: A Few Words of Guidance Attitudes towards the disabled in Vietnam

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Often (but by no means always) the attitude toward those with mental and/or physical disabilities in Vietnam can seem startlingly cruel to many of us. Some consider a disability to be a punishment for past crimes by the family or a sign that they represent bad luck for anyone connected to them. Unfortunately this can lead to abandonment and isolation for the family of the disabled child, and with little or no education in caring for a child with disabilities the stress can be overwhelming for the family, as well as increasing the suffering of that child. Often a family will take their child to a disabled centre as a last resort, when they do not know where else to go. Centres for care for children with disabilities are generally poorly funded by the government whereas disabled care NGO day care centres on the other hand tend to have a more positive and open attitude, being more focused on the welfare and education of the children, and direct funding for this purpose is often evident. Attitudes toward volunteers in Vietnam The idea of volunteering one's time or energy toward a cause is still a new one for many in the adult generations in Vietnam, although many in the upcoming generation are working hard toward changing this. Feelings of suspicion from local government and police authorities often surround the idea of a foreigner engaging in anything other than tourist or business activities. The attitude often persists that “if you want to help, just give us money”. We believe that it is the responsibility of every volunteer to help in the continuous and ongoing process to change this attitude, and to prove that volunteers can be a force of change and directly assist those in need. Background information about disabled care centres in Vietnam Often carers & staff are poorly motivated, poorly trained, poorly paid and grossly overworked. Staff in the centres often develop a coping strategy of negligent laziness; they let the children down together, to avoid individual blame or personal responsibility. The staff culture often operates almost as a 'closed shop', outside of the control or supervision of the directors. Staff are often trained heavily in the importance of discipline in classrooms, having been trained to teach regular school classes rather than specifically disabled children. As a result teachers can very easily become frustrated and often resort to violence to try to maintain order. Due to the way that government centres are run, the directors are often forced to concentrate on administration tasks, budget and funding, which keeps them at a distance from the actual work of the carers or teachers and contributes to the ability of the isolationist culture of the staff to persist. What to expect Despite the general attitude toward volunteers in Vietnam it is often the case that international volunteers are warmly welcomed by the directors of all centres and schools, as foreigners bring prestige and a perceived opportunity to gain contacts with potential sources of funds from

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abroad. The attitudes of the staff however are often markedly different, as the presence of a foreigner can be seen as an invasion of their environment. The staff are also rarely able to speak English and frequently resent what they may consider to be the additional responsibility of supervising a foreigner in the classroom. Often classes may contain children with varying disabilities and learning levels making a far from ideal teaching environment. Faced with this teachers will often do little more than place a DVD in the player and leave the children to their own devices while they go for tea. As mentioned above volunteers may witness children being disciplined in a way many from abroad would consider abhorrent. Hitting of children as well as general rough treatment is common. It is one of the many ways that volunteers can play a key role in improving the quality of care for children with disabilities in centres across Vietnam, as teachers and carers are reluctant to discipline children in such a way in front of a foreigner. It is also possible to show that love, attention and compassion can be more effective than attempts at discipline. Despite all of the above volunteers should always be prepared for the warmth, happiness and generosity of the children. The excitement that a foreign visitor creates is infectious and volunteers are rarely left in any doubt about the value of their presence or how appreciated they are by the children. Dos and Don'ts It will rarely be advisable to try to correct, prevent or persuade any member of staff or management directly in the centre. The hierarchical nature of Vietnamese society and culture will mean that in all probability you will be flatly ignored. If you see something shocking or something that you disagree with it is in the best interest of everyone involved that you approach your project coordinator first and inform her of what you have seen. VPV can then contact the centre's director to open a dialogue about whatever incident you have witnessed. As a foreigner and a volunteer you risk being shut out of the centre completely by attempting engaging in direct dialogue. The importance of relationships in Vietnamese culture means that no organisation will be able to affect change without engaging in respectful procedure. Attempts to circumvent this procedure risks the relationship between VPV and the centre and can potentially result in the centre shutting its doors to volunteers. Do however feel free to approach a child or patient directly who you see in distress. If you can offer love and care to those individuals in the most need you can help to show by direct action how understanding and care can help. Final Note Please be prepared that this is a very slow process. As an individual volunteer you are part of a necessary and ongoing process of change in attitude and working practice that contributes to assuring the well being of many lives in Vietnam. Progress is slow, and can often be extremely frustrating, but being a part of that process is in itself a tremendous help to the children and families living with disabilities throughout the country.

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HOLIDAYS NATIONAL HOLIDAYS On national holidays, people don’t have to come to work, and there may be celebration in some places. 1. New Year Day, January 1st. 2. TET HOLIDAY (Traditional New Year), about 2 weeks around the first day of January according to Lunar Calendar, which usually falls on late January or early February. This is the biggest festival in the year for Vietnamese people. This is time for families to gather and remember their ancestry. People also visit pagodas to pray for health and luck for the coming year. Officially, people get about 1 week holiday during this occasion. But Tet atmosphere may come 1 or 2 weeks before and stay with them for quite a while. Thus, the work rhythm before and after Tet holiday is rather slow. Volunteers who stay in the country during this occasion are encouraged to spend the holiday on travelling or with a host family to learn more about this tradition. 3. Hung King’s Day, March 10th according to Lunar Calendar. This is the day to remember Hung King, the first king of the country. In this day, people often go to Hung King Temple in Phu Tho province, about 80km to the Northwest of Hanoi to pray. 4. Liberation Day, April 30th On April 30th, 1975, Northern and Southern Vietnam were united. 5. International Labour Day, May 1st 6. National Day/ Independence Day, Sep 2nd On September 2nd, 1945, Ho Chi Minh, the first president of Vietnam, read the Declaration of Independence, opening the new development phase of the country. OTHER SPECIAL DAYS On these days, there will be some kind of celebration, but people still go to work as usual. 1. International Children’s Day, June 1st 2. Mid-Autumn Festival, August 15th according to Lunar Calendar 3. Teachers’ Day, November 20th (Schools are closed.) 4. International Day for People with HIV, December 1st 5. International Day for People with Disabilities, December 3rd 6. International Volunteers’ Day, December 5th 7. Christmas Day, December 25th.

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