Volunteer in Vietnam - Hanoi with Volunteer in Vietnam for Community Development (VVCD)! VVCD has a wide range of projects in Hanoi, including Teaching English/French, Special Needs/Childcare and Working with NGOs.

About the Vietnam - Hanoi program

Vietnam - Hanoi volunteer reviews

Visit our Volunteer Testimonials page to read more reviews from VVCD volunteers in Vietnam - Hanoi.

TRAVEL & TOURS: Attractions you can visit while on this program

  

Vietnam - Hanoi volunteer project descriptions

Although Vietnam has now been at peace for many years, the effects of war continue to haunt not only the adult population of this country, but also its children. Volunteers on this project have the opportunity to work in institutions caring for children and young people affected by Agent Orange, or in community clinics, care centers and orphanages looking after mentally disabled and abandoned children. Work is somewhat varied depending on the institution where the volunteer is placed, however typical examples of tasks include; assisting local staff in providing rehabilitation exercises and therapeutic treatments for children, playing with children and entertaining/educating them with games, music and arts, renovation work, such as painting murals, helping to develop fundraising initiatives to ensure on-going funding for these institution, and teaching English to local staff.

Teaching English volunteers work in local Vietnamese schools, kindergartens, hospitals or community centers, assisting local staff and students with their English learning. Many schools in Vietnam lack teachers with sufficient English competencies to extend the students’ level of English beyond basic writing and speaking skills. Volunteers help to improve the student’s pronunciation, listening and speaking skills, as well as organizing games and other activities within the classroom. The Teaching English project requires all volunteers to commit to their assigned placement for it to operate successfully. Please note, in order to be placed in a public school, it is necessary to volunteer for 2 weeks or more and have some teaching experience. For other Teaching English placements, as volunteers work with the support of VVCD's local team and placement staff, they do not need to be qualified or experienced teachers to participate. However, we encourage volunteers to come prepared by completing some relevant training.

Working with a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Vietnam is a rewarding and valuable experience for volunteers who would like to appreciate how these organizations are organized, managed and supervised. There are many locally-run NGOs in Vietnam, contributing to development projects in both urban and rural areas of Vietnam. These NGOs, being typically newly established, are often in shortage of funds, human resources and experience. A motivated and resourceful international volunteer working within the organization helps to improve the communication skills of staff, faciliating effective exchanges with existing and potential partners in English-speaking countires. There are currently placements in local NGOs in the following sectors: public health, community development, sustainable development and natural conservation. Typical volunteer work can include: writing proposals and reports, improving English language proficiency and communication skills of staff, assisting with fundraising initiatives and networking with international partners. It is worth noting that volunteer roles will vary depending on the type of organization they are working with. Please note, in order to participate on the project, volunteers must be staying in Hanoi for a minimum of 8 weeks and have some experience in the field they wish to work in. This can either be university study or relevant working experience. Volunteers on the Working with NGOs project also need to be fluent in English and will need to bring a laptop for the project. Volunteers are required to provide their CV/resume to VVCD as soon as they are registered onto the program. Volunteers who do not send their CV/resume through, at least 2 weeks prior to their program start date, cannot be guaranteed an NGO placement and should expect to work within another project if a suitable NGO placement cannot be arranged.

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION

Orientation is taken by our Vietnamese team at the volunteer offices in Hanoi. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and runs for half a day. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Vietnam – Introduction to Vietnam, Vietnamese Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities in Vietnam, Introduction to your Project and Placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

VOLUNTEER WEEK

First Day: On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.

Weekdays: A typical volunteer day is as follows:

7.30 AM Breakfast.

8.00 AM Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at.

11.30 AM - 2.00 PM Lunch Break.

2-4.00 PM Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.

6.00 PM - 8.30 PM Dinner.

11.00 City Curfew

VOLUNTEER WEEKENDS

During the weekends, volunteers have spare time to just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Hanoi and North Vietnam. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield and engage in tourist activities, such as trekking in Sapa, experiencing Vietnamese history tours and visiting Ha Long Bay.