Founded in 2004 in Da Nang City, Vietnam, Volunteer Vietnam is a non-profit organization that has spent over 20 years delivering crucial healthcare, social care, and education support to vulnerable populations. Local public welfare systems and social protection centers frequently face high patient-to-staff ratios and lack the resources necessary to provide consistent, evidence-based physical and occupational rehabilitation. This leaves stroke survivors, children with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury patients, and elderly residents with limited options to regain their physical independence. We solve this issue by running a community-based rehabilitation internship program. By connecting skilled international physiotherapy and occupational therapy students with local public institutions, we bridge the clinical resource gap, enhance daily care, and dramatically improve the long-term mobility and quality of life for underprivileged individuals.
This program is a structured clinical and community placement designed for physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) students. As an intern, you will dedicate approximately 20 hours per week to your primary therapy placement at the rehabilitation center.
Your core responsibilities will include:
Assisting local supervising physiotherapists with patient assessments, range of motion (ROM) measurements, manual muscle testing (MMT), and neuro-rehabilitation exercises.
Guiding beneficiaries through specialized treatment rooms: relieving pain in the Electrotherapy room, restoring functional movement in the Physiotherapy gym, and helping residents practice fine motor skills or activities of daily living (ADLs) in the Occupational Therapy room.
Conducting health education workshops on posture, ergonomics, fall prevention, and home exercise compliance for residents and local caregivers.
In your remaining time, you will also have the opportunity to participate in educational and social activities, such as teaching basic English, sensory play, or sports, to support disadvantaged children and orphans at our partner sites.
Working Location: Your primary placement is the Rehabilitation Department inside the Da Nang Social Support Center. This is a public social welfare institution providing comprehensive residential care and healthcare services for vulnerable groups. Depending on daily scheduling, you may also rotate out to support other local projects like Hope Village (disadvantaged children), local Orphanages, or specialized special-needs schools within Da Nang.
Living Location: Volunteers stay at the Green House, a clean, quiet, and fully renovated volunteer house located 5 km from downtown Da Nang. It features shared same-gender rooms (maximum 4 volunteers per room) equipped with private bathrooms, air conditioning, and comfortable beds. The house offers high-speed computers, communal working spaces, a shared kitchen, a living room with a TV, and a small artificial garden designed for relaxation.
You will work closely under the direct supervision and guidance of a professional local rehabilitation team consisting of 3 primary licensed Physical Therapists and 1 Rehabilitation Assistant.
The beneficiaries you will treat range from 6 to over 70 years old, including elderly residents without family support, individuals suffering from post-stroke hemiplegia, children with cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury patients, and individuals with various musculoskeletal or cognitive disorders. You will also cooperate and share your journey with a supportive international community of fellow volunteers and nearly 10 English-speaking local staff members.
What we expect from you: We welcome undergraduate or graduate physiotherapy/OT students (preferably 2nd year and above) who are in good academic standing. We expect strict professionalism, empathy, teamwork, and clinical ethics. Interns must maintain regular punctuality (arriving 15 minutes prior to shifts), show a proactive attitude toward assisting staff, and wear neat, professional clinical attire.
What you can expect from us: We provide full pre-arrival assistance (including official Volunteer Visa guidance), airport/station pickup upon arrival, and a comprehensive 2-day structured orientation containing a city tour, cultural introduction, and safety/methodology training. You will receive 24/7 staff support, essential physical therapy tools/materials funded by your program fee, cultural immersion lessons (Vietnamese language and cooking classes), bi-monthly social events, and an official Completion Certificate at the end of your program.
Special equipment to bring: No specialized medical equipment is required, as the program supplies essential therapy tools. You only need to bring your standard professional clinical clothing/footwear and a stethoscope or any personal assessment tools you prefer to use.
