Vietnam Long-Term Program

  Vietnam

• Hanoi: 
Hanoi
• All Other Areas in Vietnam: 
Hue,  Da lat,  Can Tho,  Nha Trang city

Duration of Program: 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 years

Description: The Vietnam Long-Term program offers volunteers a diverse range of experiences, from teaching English to high-ranking district officials in a rural community along the Mekong river or organizing a film club for enthusiastic university students in the picturesque oceanside city of Nha Trang.

There is an enormous need for native English speakers to help train students, teachers, and community leaders. As such, all VIA volunteers in Vietnam currently provide English language support in some capacity. Our partners recognize the need for VIA teachers, who not only help improve students' and faculty's English skills, but also foster cross-cultural understanding in the classroom and their communities. VIA recognizes that with Vietnam's rapid economic development comes a rising discrepancy in access to educational resources. VIA prioritizes posts in rural areas and with under-served populations who would not otherwise have the access to native English speakers.

Every time you step into the classroom, students will greet you with a chorus of "Good morning, teacher!" Students are enthusiastic learners and teachers are deeply revered in Vietnam.

English Teaching (ET) Positions: ET volunteers in Vietnam currently teach at schools, colleges, and universities in the following places: the Mekong Delta, Nha Trang, Dalat, Hue, and Hanoi. ET volunteers teach English conversation, reading, writing, journalism, business communication or literature, among other subjects. Almost all volunteers also lead extra-curricular campus activities such as regular film nights or a campus English club. ET volunteers teach a maximum of 16 hours a week and may receive four hours of Vietnamese instruction depending on the partner institution.

English Resource (ER) Positions: ER volunteers work with non-government organizations to build staff capacity. Duties may include writing and editing grants and reports, networking with other NGOs and funding organizations, and helping staff improve their English language skills so they may apply for scholarships, study abroad, or develop professionally. These positions may also include some English teaching or tutoring. ER posts are generally full-time and may require special qualifications or background.

Combination ER/ET Positions: some volunteers with work with non-government organizations in a primarily English teaching capacity with the opportunity to provide English resource support on special projects or programs according to their interest and skill sets.

Highlights: Orientation and In-Country Support: The Vietnam Program has a full-time Program Director based in the U.S. and a full-time In-Country Representative based in Ho Chi Minh City. After cross-cultural and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) training in Chiang Mai, Thailand, volunteers arrive in Ho Chi Minh City for a two-and-a-half week in-country orientation which includes three hours of Vietnamese instruction daily and visits to nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and cultural sites.

In the fall, the In-Country Representative visits each post to see how volunteers have settled in. After this visit, volunteers gather together for the Vietnam program's annual meeting. The annual meeting is a great time for volunteers to reflect on their in-country experiences and to set program plans and priorities for the next year. VIA Volunteers are considered important stakeholders and have a crucial voice in the direction of the Vietnam program. Volunteers have the opportunity to take on leadership roles as summer program coordinators and to get involved in a vibrant alumni network upon return to the US.

VIA volunteers are placed in areas with few foreign residents which allows them to immerse themselves in the local culture and way of life, building long-lasting relationships with their peers, students, and colleagues.

Qualifications: VIA long-term program participants range in age from 22 to 80 and come from many different walks of life. Interest in Asia, cultural immersion and a simple lifestyle bring a diverse group of volunteers together. VIA does not require any specific educational background, prior language training, teaching or overseas experience. However, to become a VIA participant, you must meet the following requirements:

* Participants must speak English with native fluency.
* One and two year volunteers must have a B.A. or B.S. degree at time of departure. (Exceptions can occasionally be made. Contact the office with questions.)
* All participants must attend and take part in all aspects of training.

Minimum Education: Bachelors

Cost in US$: 2000

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 22-62

This Program is open to American Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Vietnam Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Scholarships are Available. Partial scholarships are available for those who demonstrate need. We also offer Vietnam Ford Foundation Community Fellowships for applicants who have shown a commitment to Vietnam or the Vietnamese American community to implement independent service projects during their volunteer term. Please call the office for more information about fellowships.

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

VIA (Volunteers in Asia)'s Mission Statement: VIA-Volunteers In Asia is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization dedicated to increasing understanding between the United States and Asia through cross-cultural exchange and service programs. Since 1963, our Asia Programs have provided US residents with the opportunity to work and live within an Asian culture while meeting the needs of Asian host institutions. Our Stanford Programs offer a wide range of short-term, international study programs between Stanford University and various Asian universities. The goal of all of our programs is to enhance cross-cultural understanding through the exchange of people. Our deep commitment to service and education drives our work and motivates students, volunteers and staff. We envision a world where people on both sides of the Pacific are appropriately equipped to build durable solutions to global problems through mutual understanding and cooperation. VIA programs have given thousands of Americans and Asians the tools and cultural literacy to help achieve this vision.

Year Founded: 1963