Volunteer as Real Employees at a Center for the Disabled

  Vietnam

• Hanoi: 
Hanoi

Durations of Program: 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks

Description:
1. Take part in some certain stages of producing such as: sewing, cutting, ironing, decorating wedding dress, making clothes or embroidery, etc.
2. Work together with the people there.
3. To create friendly English communication environment
4. Help them to have more confidence in communicating with normal people.
5. Help the cook to prepare lunch for everybody at the center
6. To promote SJ Vietnam and this project.
7. Help the center to find out new sponsors or partners so that they will have more convenient conditions and their lives will be improved.

Highlights: This is a center where often receives the disabled, orphans, homeless children and the ones coming from wounded soldiers' families and martyrs' ones. There they are trained and supplied food, accommodation without fee. Most of them can earn living by themselves with given jobs after graduating from the center. With people who have difficulties in finding jobs, the center will help them or accept as employees because there it is also a workshop for them. The center produces many kinds of goods such as: embroidery, raincoat, bags, purse, tailor, souvenirs according to orders of customers. Their products are exported to Europe and many other countries. Money gained from that will be spent for their salaries and their daily life. At that center, they are befriended as normal ones and have communication with each other so it reduces their sorrow about their less lucky lives. The director and teachers of the center help them to overcome difficulties and encourage them to integrate with others. One more important thing is that at the center the disabled also have chances to find out their partners for their lives, which seems to be a little bit difficult for them. But one other difficulty is disabled couples do not have their own space at the center so that after getting married they often have to come back to their hometowns, and it is really difficult for them to find jobs; as a result it is hard for them to earn living especially when they have babies. The director who is so enthusiastic with the disabled and always wants to bring more fine things to them said that now he is trying to call for more sponsors, because he wants to build some new workshops and accommodation for the disabled, in which one part of the accommodation will be used for disabled singles and the rest part will be used for disabled couples; so that after having own families the disabled can still continue their work and can support for their lives. Normally in companies workers only can have around 70% benefit from their effort, 30% will be used for maintenance of the factories or for staff salary. In fact in Vietnam it is difficult for disabled to have job and this center is a necessary and important one for many disabled.

Qualifications:
* Fluent in English.
* Willing to work and stay in Hanoi
* Strong inter-personal skills, and experience in working with a wide variety of people, cultural sensitivity
* Commitment to volunteerism, considerable experience as a volunteer
* Member of a work camp organization if possible.
* Ready to live as local people (basic accommodations, transport by bus or bicycle, local food).
* High motivation and ready to be in face of many difficulties such as language and culture difference, low budget, etc.

Cost in US$: 300/month

Experience Required: no

Age Range: above 18

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Vietnam Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 5-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home
• Job and Internship Network

Solidarites Jeunesses Vietnam's Mission Statement: By developing International Volunteering, we aim to: 1. Work towards a society of justice, peace and solidarity. 2. Break cultural misunderstanding between people and nations. 3. Improve local and global environment, provide informal education, help to reduce poverty and strengthen human rights 4. Encourage young people to participate actively in the society in which they live.

Year Founded: 2004