Volunteer in Vietnam

Food Outreach in

For many locals in Ho Chi Minh City, food is expensive and unaffordable. However, local soup kitchens are available to all and provide a high value meal every lunchtime. Volunteer assistance is important to help keep these kitchens open and serving meals to those who need them.

Meals are available for a fraction of the price of other options. Locals prefer to pay for meals, even if it’s a very low price, to avoid the stigma of accepting free food. The soup kitchen is popular and busy, serving up to 800 meals to low income workers, the elderly and anyone who requires lunch.

Your role on this project is to provide assistance with food preparation, cooking, serving and cleaning the area after meal times. Lunchtime can be very busy serving meals, but energetic volunteers with good initiative will be well suited to the fast pace.

As you will be volunteering alongside our local team and placement staff, you do not need to have prior food preparation or hospitality experience to participate on this project.

Kindergarten in

Learning English is much easier from a young age, and having a fluent speaker helping at a local kindergarten can be hugely beneficial in exposing Vietnamese children to the language. Not only that, but volunteers are able to provide valuable support to local teachers in the day-to-day operations at childcare centers.

You’ll be volunteering with children between 3-5 years old, playing games, helping with lessons, meal times and other activities. Your expertise as an English language speaker will be well utilized in English lessons in a fun and supportive environment.

This project is best suited to volunteers who love working with children and are passionate about supporting their development. You’ll be well supported by local teachers, who can guide you in your daily activities.

You can expect to be volunteering for between 4 - 6 hours per day, from Monday to Friday. Your day will be split between a morning and afternoon lesson, with children having a nap in the middle of the day.

As you will be volunteering alongside our local placement staff, you aren’t required to have experience in childcare or education to take part in this project.

Medical in

The healthcare system in Vietnam is run differently to many others in the western world, and volunteers can play an important role in assisting local staff. By volunteering in a local trauma hospital, you can help in a range of departments and get exposure to a range of treatments and roles.

Government regulations prevent volunteers from carrying out independent tasks, so you can expect to be shadowing and assisting local doctors and nurses as they perform their duties. For this reason, this project is best suited to students hoping to gain more insight into the Vietnamese healthcare system. Qualified volunteers are able to take part, but you should not expect to carry out hands-on medical care.

Medical volunteers assist with basic triage, wound care and rehabilitation. You’ll be helped by an English-speaking coordinator, and many doctors and nurses who also speak English.

Please note this project has a minimum duration requirement of 2 weeks and there is also a surcharge of $25 per week, which covers the training and resources needed. This amount will be included in the Program Fee quoted to you by IVHQ when you apply.

Special Needs Care in

The nature of special needs care in Vietnam is unique, due mainly to the nature of disabilities still being dealt with as a result of Agent Orange. The debilitating toxin was used on locals in the Vietnam War, and has had lasting effects on multiple generations.

As a Special Needs Care volunteer in Vietnam, you will be working in hospitals and community clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, providing support to children and young people, some of whom have been affected by Agent Orange.

This project is best suited to caring and hard-working individuals who are passionate about increasing access to care for young people living with a range of intellectual and physical challenges. There is also a particular need for physical therapists on this project.

Your tasks will vary based on your volunteer placement, but can include helping with rehabilitation exercises and therapeutic treatments, feeding and washing up, playing games, organizing music and arts activities, supporting renovation work like painting murals, helping with fundraising initiatives and teaching English to local staff.

As you’ll be working closely with local placement staff, you aren’t required to have previous experience or training.

Teaching English in

English language skills are highly desirable in Vietnam, as they enable students to pursue other areas of study and open up many different career options. English teachers are in high demand, meaning those who speak the language fluently are extremely valuable as experts.

This project works with much older students than many other teaching projects, with classes at a local college for those aged between 16-25. Many already have an intermediate understanding of English.

This project is well suited to volunteers who are passionate about education and are excited about the opportunity to use the English language to help enhance the career prospects of students in Vietnam. As a volunteer, you can be either taking a class as the head teacher, or assisting a local teacher with lessons.

You’ll be helping with all aspects of learning English, including improving vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and general knowledge. You’re required to follow a syllabus within a business communications textbook, which will guide you in the tasks you’re assisting with. During holiday times, you may be required to plan and run informal English lessons, with the help of the local team.

You aren’t required to have teaching experience or hold a qualification to participate on this project. However, we encourage volunteers to come prepared by completing some relevant training, like a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) course. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally-recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.