Speech Therapy Internship in Vietnam

Are you a speech therapy student or graduate? Looking to gain practical experience in a country different from your own? Want to enhance your CV with a unique, altruistic work placement? If you answered yes, then this internship is ideal for you.

You will have the chance to help people while putting your knowledge into practice and preparing for your future career in the field. You’ll gain insight into speech therapy practices in Vietnam and learn about different methods and techniques.

In order to join this internship, you need to have completed at least two years of speech therapy studies or training. This is because you will work independently at your placement.

Our start and end dates are flexible, so you can choose a time that suits you.

There is a lot of room for you to take initiative on this internship. Some of the things you can do include:

• Assist with speech therapy sessions
• Provide training for local staff
• Keep track of children’s progress
• Help with the daily running of the rehabilitation centre

Your speech therapy work in Vietnam will focus on the following areas:

Assist with speech therapy sessions

You will work alongside local speech therapists to conduct therapy sessions for children with speech impairments. There may also be the chance to conduct these sessions independently. This is a great way for you to gain hands-on experience. Some of the issues you will work on include cluttering, apraxia of speech, dysarthria, and articulation disorder.

If you would like to bring toys with you, you are more than welcome to do so. These will be greatly beneficial for the patients you will work with. Good examples include:

• Toys that light up or have music
• Toys that involve fine motor skills such as pulling apart or piecing together
• Tongue depressors
• Bubbles
• Balloons

Provide training for local staff

Some of the local speech therapy staff have not received extensive training in their field. You will help to provide training to these staff by organising workshops or simply sharing your knowledge. By improving the skills of the local staff, you’ll ensure that the children in their care benefit from the latest techniques, even after you have gone.

Keep track of children’s progress

Monitoring the progress of the people we help ensures that we can track improvements and target problem areas. This also ensures continuity between interns, so that the next person can pick up where you leave off.

Help with the daily running of the rehabilitation centre

Quite apart from your speech therapy-related work, there is also plenty that goes into the daily running of a rehabilitation centre. You may find yourself providing extra stimulation and interaction for the children. This may entail teaching them basic skills, such as maths or colouring in. You can also take the children out for daily walks, play games, and assist in the classroom.

After breakfast, it’s time to head to work. If you’re based in Hanoi, you’ll travel from your host family to your placement via taxi. On your first day, our staff will be there to show you how to get there. For those who have chosen to work at a rural rehabilitation centre, you will be living on site.

A typical working day runs from 8am – 4pm, Monday to Friday, with around two hours for lunch. Specific tasks will vary according to which placement you choose.

Whichever placement you choose, you will spend your day working alongside local staff, assisting with the therapy sessions for children with speech impairments. There is room to be very proactive and independent on this internship, so use your initiative where you see fit.

There is also room to help with related tasks. These include measuring each child’s progress, teaching basic skills, helping with daily running of the centre, and training staff.

After the working day has come to a close, it’s time to enjoy all that Vietnam has to offer. Those based in the rural rehabilitation centre will be able to travel to Hanoi on the weekends. Spend time getting to know your fellow interns and making new friends from around the world.

There are two main aims to this project: to provide you with an educational, practical internship and to improve the quality of specialised care available to disabled people.

Many of the interns who join us are looking for practical work experience in an international environment. We ensure that you are able to learn from local professionals and take part in a variety of related tasks for a well-rounded time abroad. You’ll take part in valuable cross-cultural exchange, sharing knowledge and ideas.

Vietnam has a large number of disabled people due to war and disease. Many of these people do not have access to the specialised treatment that they need, due to limited facilities and lack of funding. We have partnered with two organisations in the country that work to address these needs.

You will work with patients to improve their speech, which in turn aids their sense of wellbeing and independence. You’ll act as an additional pair of hands in under-resourced institutions, ensuring that patients receive dedicated and specialised care.

We have identified several core goals for our medical work in Vietnam. These include:

• Improving hygiene standards
• Improving the quality of overall healthcare to patients
• Improving the quality of specialised healthcare available to patients
• Improving access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
• Promoting the exchange of medical knowledge

Join us as an intern and gain speech therapy work experience in Vietnam. This will allow you to prepare for your future career, while helping those who can benefit from your training.