Long-Term Volunteer Program in Vietnam

For many Americans the word "Vietnam" evokes strong emotions and carries heavy historical baggage.  But those who have had the opportunity to visit or live in the country over the past two decades know that Vietnam is a youthful and forward-looking nation in the midst of rapid development.

The Vietnam Long-Term program offers volunteers a diverse range of experiences in English teaching or English resource work. Volunteers must possess a college degree, English fluency, and an interest in deepening their understanding of Vietnam and Vietnamese people. 

Applicants to the Vietnam Long-Term Program with a demonstrated and ongoing commitment to Vietnam or the Vietnamese-American community may be eligible for a Vietnam Community Fellowship.

Why go to Vietnam through VIA? 

VIA's History in Vietnam

In 1990, VIA was one of the first American organizations invited to send volunteers to Vietnam, five years before relations between the U.S. and Vietnam were normalized. At that time, VIA gained unprecedented permission to operate in the country. Since then, our dedicated service has strengthened this mutual partnership and earned VIA a reputation for building cross-cultural understanding, reconciliation, and valued community service.

Over the 19 years VIA has operated in Vietnam, our 200+ volunteers have trained future secondary school teachers, worked with local officials and non-profit staff members, advised students on study abroad, coordinated campus English clubs, wrote successful grant reports for community development projects, edited scholarly journals, and much, much more. Read the Fall 2009 issue of Nho Vietnam, the newsletter for alumni and friends of the VIA Vietnam Program.

Work with Underserved Populations

There is an enormous need for native English speakers to help train students, teachers, and community leaders. As such, all VIA volunteers in Vietnam currently provide English language support in some capacity. Our partners recognize the need for VIA teachers, who not only help improve students' and faculty's English skills, but also foster cross-cultural understanding in the classroom and their communities. VIA recognizes that with Vietnam's rapid economic development comes a rising discrepancy in access to educational resources. VIA prioritizes posts in rural areas and with underserved populations who would not otherwise have the access to native English speakers.

Every time you step into the classroom, students will greet you with a chorus of "Good morning, teacher!" Students are enthusiastic learners and teachers are deeply revered in Vietnam.

Post Opportunities

English Teaching (ET) Positions

ET volunteers in Vietnam currently teach at schools, colleges, and universities in the following places: the Mekong Delta, Nha Trang, Dalat, Hue, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and Hanoi.

ET volunteers teach English conversation, reading, writing, journalism, business communication or literature, among other subjects. Almost all volunteers also lead extra-curricular campus activities such as regular film nights or a campus English club. ET volunteers teach a maximum of 16 hours a week and may receive four hours of Vietnamese instruction depending on the partner institution.

English Resource (ER) Positions

ER volunteers work with non-government organizations to build staff capacity. Duties may include writing and editing grants and reports, networking with other NGOs and funding organizations, and helping staff improve their English language skills so they may apply for scholarships, study abroad, or develop professionally. These positions may also include some English teaching or tutoring. VIA currently has one full-time ER position at An Giang Dong Thap Alliance for the Prevention of Trafficking (ADAPT). ER posts are generally full-time and may require special qualifications or background.

Combination ER/ET Positions

Some volunteers with work with non-government organizations in a primarily English teaching capacity with the opportunity to provide English resource support on special projects or programs according to their interest and skill sets. Combination ER/ET posts are at the Friends of Hue Foundation Xuan Phu Shelter, Thien Chi Community Development Center, and Dalat University.

Read more about VIA's Vietnam posts on the Post Descriptions page. Back to top

Orientation and In-Country Support

The Vietnam Program has a full-time Program Director based in the U.S. and a full-time In-Country Representative. After cross-cultural and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) training in Thailand, volunteers arrive in Hanoi for a two-and-a-half week in-country orientation which includes three hours of Vietnamese instruction daily and visits to nonprofit organizations, community leaders, and cultural sites. In the fall, the In-Country Representative visits each post to see how volunteers have settled in. After this visit, volunteers gather together for the Vietnam program's annual meeting. In early winter, the Program Director visits each post to renew contracts. The annual meeting is a great time for volunteers to reflect on their in-country experiences and to set program plans and priorities for the next year. VIA Volunteers are considered important stakeholders and have a crucial voice in the direction of the Vietnam program.

Living Arrangements

In small cities, partner institutions provide accommodations in on-campus guesthouses or in private homes. Typical accommodations consist of a room or house with private bath and space for a hot plate, or sometimes, a shared kitchen. In Hanoi, most volunteers receive a housing stipend and are responsible for finding their own housing, usually a room with a Vietnamese family or in a shared house with other volunteers. Volunteers buy food daily at the local market to cook their meals, or eat meals at local food stalls or in small restaurants. Transportation is by bicycle - most partner institutions provide a bicycle for volunteers. Commuting from home to school may take anywhere from a few minutes on foot to a half-hour by bicycle each way. Some volunteers in Hanoi purchase or rent a motorbike with their own funds.

Questions?

Call (415) 904-8033 or email VIA's Vietnam Program Director, Lillian Forsyth, with questions or ask to be put in touch with current or former volunteers!

See a list of important dates or download a 2010 Application (available soon).

Take a look at what volunteers in the field are doing!

• Read the most recent Vietnam program newsletter, Nho Vietnam (PDF file).
• View photos of former volunteers in the field. Click here.