Volunteer

Volunteer placement

Friendship Village volunteers are placed through Vietnam-based NGOs that specialize in volunteer placements and have staff who provide extra support to volunteers for the duration of the volunteer stint. Please contact these organizations directly for more information:

Learn more: Download “A journey of growth at the Friendship Village” [PDF file], an October 2014 article by Julie, a long-term Friendship Village volunteer who is now an CSDS volunteer coordinator.

Time commitment / Friendship Village needs

Anyone interested in volunteering at Van Canh Friendship Village should be prepared to work for a minimum of one week. To get the most out of your volunteer experience, two weeks or longer is preferable.

Volunteers with professional training and credentials in the fields of special education and physical rehabilitation are especially welcome as long-term volunteers. Nonprofessionals are welcome for shorter periods (two to three weeks) to help clean, work in the garden, and assist in the special education class.

Timeframe

Be aware that for several weeks before and after Tet (Vietnam’s Lunar New Year festival, which usually falls in late January or early February), most residents and staff leave the village to spend the holiday with their families, and volunteers are not needed during that time.

Lodging

Due to new regulations imposed by the Immigration and Customs office in Hanoi, overnight lodging is no longer available at the Friendship Village. Volunteers are permitted to work onsite during the daytime, but must leave the village at the end of the workday to return to their hotel or hostel.

A room located in a small building near the front gate is available for volunteers who wish to take a rest during the noontime break. There is also an internet café nearby.

Support

To financially support the staff and teachers as they teach and care for the residents of the Friendship Village, please consider making a donation.