International Short Term Program - Phu My Orphanage, Vietnam
Faculty of Science
School of Community Health
Topic Area: Occupational Therapy
"My placement at Phu My was one of the greatest learning experiences I have ever had. I feel that this placement really gave me a chance to grow as a person in many ways. It taught me patience, not only with my co-workers and with the children, but with organisational restrictions. It taught me understanding and flexibility with my practice and plans. This placement also gave me insight into how to work with children with disability and it provided me with an opportunity to learn more about certain disabilities."
CSU Occupational Therapy participant 2005
Phu My Orphanage provides care for over 300 orphan children with disabilities. The program aims to build the capacity through education and training of Vietnamese staff in the orphanage (Vietnamese trained physiotherapists, paediatricians, teachers and carers) to improve the quality of life of the children through:
optimising feeding, communication, play, mobility and other activities of daily living with children with physical and intellectual impairments.
Program Dates: June/July, 2012 (exact dates to be confirmed)
Number of places:12 Students
Cost:TBA
Costs Include:
Eligibility: 4th year students in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology
Credit: Please contact your Course Coordinator for credit details.
Application timeline:
- Application closing date: TBA
- Successful students notified: TBA
- Passport submission for visa processing: TBA
- Payment date: TBA
- Pre departure session TBA
An application form will be available here once the program is confirmed
Program Outline:
Up to six weeks will be spent at Phu My Orphanage, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Students accommodate themselves in local hotels and travel daily to and from the orphanage via motor bike, bus or taxi. Work at the orphanage starts at 8:00am and finishes after 4:00pm each day. Students are encouraged to use their weekends to further explore the cultural, historical and economic aspects of Vietnam and its' impacts on lives of people with disabilities. The placement concludes with finalizing documentation related to the placement and conducting informal group evaluations of the staff and interpreter's experiences of the students' presence in the orphanage environment.
click here for further information regarding the program