Description

Kaya provides many English teaching placements but we also provide alternative education programs such as working with blind, deaf and children with Down syndrome. Education for these minority groups is poor and they are in great need of outside help. Be ready for minimal teaching aids and know now that you will be the main teaching resource. It is a great opportunity for the children to learn from a native speaker and hear the correct pronunciation, and all you need is a good level of English to participate in many of the placements.

*Work in a Disabled Children's Centre in Vietnam

Volunteer in Vietnam and focus on assisting children suffering from autism, down syndrome and cerebral palsy. This centre was founded by a female doctor and psychiatrist who works round the clock to run this highly efficient centre, catering for over 240 children. The centre has 10 classrooms; a treatment room - a small outside play area and a treatment pool. There are 56 staff from security guards to cooks, nurses and teachers.

*Teach English in an Orphanage and Community Shelter

You can work in the Tay Dang Orphanage and Community Shelter, which aims to provide a home whilst caring for orphans who have lost one or both parents, as their relatives are often too poor to take care of them. The centre also cares for older people who have been abandoned by their families or have no relatives to take care of them, but this wing of the centre has its own separate facilities. Currently, there are about 87 orphans from a few months of age to 18 years old. There are about 30 abandoned babies, over 100 homeless old people and people with mental illness. As a direct result of the improved level of English amongst the children attending volunteer classes, 3 pupils in 2010 were chosen for a scholarship to join a hospitality program which trains disadvantaged children for jobs with the worlds top international hotels.

Highlights

*Cycling from Saigon to Angkor:
The ultimate cycling adventure taking you along roads less traveled into the heart of Cambodia. On this amazing journey you will meet friendly Cambodians who still view foreigners as a novelty and encounter landscapes untouched by tourism. Good for those wanting to see more of the Mekong Delta and Cambodia, get off the beaten track and see it from the locals pace of life.

*Climb Mount Faspian:
At 3,143 metres Mt. Fansipan is Vietnam's highest mountain. Although only 9 km from Sapa town, it takes at least three days to get to the peak and back. The top is accessible year-round to anybody, so long as they are in good shape. As there are no mountain huts on the way, we will be camping. Our porters carry the equipment and food. No ropes or technical climbing skills are needed, just endurance and plenty of energy. The terrain is rugged, wet and often cold.

*Cuc Phuong National Park:
Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam. Located only 120km southwest of Hanoi and nestled between the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa, Cuc Phuong boasts engaging cultural and wildlife heritage and enchanting scenery. Magnificent limestone mountains rise up majestically from the green rice-terraces and traditional stilt houses of the Muong hill-tribe. Covered in a dense forest they form a habitat for some of Asia's rarest species. It is no wonder that researchers, naturalists, enthusiasts and conservationists alike are drawn to this corner of the world.

Qualifications

Experience and passion for working in the community and interacting with the people are needed. Participants must also possess enthusiasm and a willingness to learn about the environment and the place's culture.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

Please visit the website for more information.

Cost Includes:

• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Language instruction
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees

Program Fees Include:

* Accommodation: Shared room in a guest house
* Airport pick up and drop off
* Training: Pre-departure packs, on-site orientation, a basic language class and a local phrase book for the remainder of your stay
* Support: 24 hour support including a local guide for the first 3 days.
* Excursions: Staff will help plan cultural visits to temples and archeological sites, local hikes, and cultural outings (activities cost extra).
* Vietnamese phrase book
* CRB- Criminal background check for UK residents. Other nationalities will need to supply police check forms

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

A Kaya volunteer shows enthusiasm, spirit and life to stimulate and bring something new to the residents; love, patience and a listening ear for the people; and a good motivator with a positive and optimistic attitude.

Age Range

Must be more than 18 years old

This Program is open to

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

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

Kaya Responsible Travel's Mission Statement

Kaya's mission is to promote sustainable social, environmental and economic development, empower communities and cultivate educated, compassionate global citizens through responsible travel.

Year Founded

2008