Care Work in Thailand with Projects Abroad

  Thailand

Krabi

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: All Year Round (you choose the start and end dates)

Description: Thailand is an amazing place to spend time as a care volunteer working with children and those with special needs. Over the last two decades Thailands popularity as a tourist destination has ensured that a steady stream of foreign investment has been entering the country. It is a beautiful country to explore and there are a variety of great projects in Care!

Whatever your age, abilities or level of experience you are welcome to join a volunteer Care project in Thailand, whether you are on a college break, gap year - or even a gap month - from further education, or are coming to us during a career break or even during your retirement. All we ask is that you have energy and enthusiasm and a commitment to the work. Our local staff will provide you with the very highest level of support throughout your time with us.

Volunteering with Special Needs children with Projects Abroad

Many volunteers find that a Care project is one of the most rewarding types of overseas voluntary work they can get involved in. The majority of volunteer care projects in Thailand are in kindergartens with children aged from about 3 to 6 years old. This phase of a childs life and the support they receive at this time is incredibly important, and the positive influence a volunteer can have on a child in their pre-school years will hopefully last them for the rest of their lives.

The kindergartens are located in Krabi Province with most placements in and around the towns of Ao Nang and Krabi, where Projects Abroad Thailand is based. Krabi is a one hour flight south of Bangkok and is located on the beautiful Andaman Sea coast of Thailand, which is a particularly popular destination for diving and rock-climbing.

As well as projects in kindergartens, up to two volunteers can work at a special education centre for children with disabilities in Krabi. The age of the children in this placement varies, but may range from babies to children well into their teens or even adulthood. Whilst ultimately rewarding, this project demands a lot from volunteers and can be tough. This placement prefers to accept volunteers who already have some experience of child care or who have previously worked with handicapped children.

We also have some care placements located in Chumphon, three hours drive from Krabi on the east coast of Thailand. Here volunteers work within kindergartens and a school which also have some children with special needs.

Volunteering Abroad with Children on a Care Project in Thailand

Please do not imagine Thailand to be your typical poverty stricken third world country. The Thai people are hard working, very intelligent and incredibly friendly, the kindergartens are well organized and the children are disciplined, although sometimes the institutions may be understaffed.

The main way in which the volunteers can assist in Thai kindergartens is through providing creative and educational activities that will expose the children to and give them a familiarity with the English language. In a country that receives so much income from tourism and where knowledge of English can double your salary, surprisingly few people speak it. Sometimes not even 'English teachers' or their equivalents in kindergartens have any knowledge of the language. From this point of view, your knowledge of English is invaluable. Any activity that you do with the children, whether it is drawing, singing, puppet playing, painting or colouring, will prepare the children better for today's widespread globalisation.

Care volunteers at a kindergarten will find themselves playing games and singing songs with the children, as well as talking to them naturally in English. While some children won't understand much of what's being said, they definitely pick up from their environment enough to know what you mean! In fact we notice a huge difference in the childrens language ability between the kindergartens where we have had volunteers for a year or two, and those with whom we have just started working with more recently. Through having this daily interaction at an early age, you will be building strong foundations for a childs future relationships.

Volunteers take part in a wide variety of activities within the kindergartens and your own ideas for games, songs or new activities will be greatly appreciated. If you require extra resources to help you then we are happy to help; just ask the local Projects Abroad staff.

The Care placement in the special school also involves a range of work; from helping to feed and wash the very young children, to helping children with disabilities to learn basic life skills and supporting them as they undertake everyday activities. Games and songs are also popular and helping the children socialise and have fun is very important.

All of the volunteer Care projects in Thailand are keen to have volunteers with fresh ideas and energy to help the permanent staff. We try to take advantage of any particular skills or talents our volunteers have and match them to the placement where they can have the greatest impact. However, it is important to let the local staff know about your ideas and any extra activities you would like to try out, the Thai staff can sometimes be reluctant to ask you to do too much work, so please show them your enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved. Finally, set yourself achievable goals for your time in Thailand and remember that you are contributing to an ongoing process.

The kindergartens in Thailand have their main holidays during April and the start of May, with a shorter holiday in October. During these times care and teaching volunteers will often work together and we organise a variety of holiday programmes including an adventure camp in Chumphon, basic English lessons and fun educational activities in Ao Nang and teaching some English classes to adults in the local community.   

Highlights: Thai culture is one of the strongest in the world. As their country was never colonized Thai people eager to keep hold of their uniqueness. The generosity of Thai's is sometimes unimaginable and can take some getting used to. People are always willing to help and can go to extraordinary lengths, such as accompanying you on a two hour bus journey to make sure you get there safely!

All accommodation is organized, paid for, and monitored by Projects Abroad. All project placements are regularly visited and checked. We require high standards of supervision and accommodation, which are verified before you arrive in India.

This project offers the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications: No qualifications and experience required

Cost in US$: From US$ 2,545 up

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range: 16-70

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Thailand Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992