Involvement Volunteers International WHY we need you in Thailand
- Although Thailand's economy is improving, there is still a wide gap between the rich and the poor.
- The majority of Thailand's poor live in rural areas, with a lack of education being a main contributor to poverty.
- Due to economical developments, environmental degradation is evident. The decline of biodiversity and deforestation is increasing.
- The expliotation of animals in Thailand is a big problem. With many being beaten and held in small cages for the tourist trade.
HOW can you help?
- Bring your energy, creativity and encouraging nature to assist at local childcare centres
- Teach kids from 2.5 to 6 years old in beachside Hua Hin
- Help local staff with daily tasks
- Install confidence, creativity and individuality within the students as they practice their new skills
WHAT can you do?
- Play games, singing and dancing are very popular!
- Help kids with creative tasks like drawing and painting
- Teach and play through games, songs, art, sport, music
- Help with hand washing and supervising lunch
Why Involvement Volunteers International?
- Non Profit Organisation & Charity
- Over 35+ Years Expertise Globally
- Low Program Fees - From US$295
- Excellent Safety Record, In-Country 24/7 Support & Emergency Assistance
- 1 Application Fee - Multiple Countries
PROJECT NAME: CHILDCARE SUPPORT
LOCATION: HUA HIN
START DATES: WEEKLY (SAT/SUN ARRIVALS)
ACCOMMODATION: VOLUNTEER HOUSE (SHARED ROOMS)
MIN DURATION: ONE WEEK
MIN AGE: 16+
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Criminal background check required
Overview
During your time on the childcare program, you’ll engage with children aged 2.5 to 6 years old at a nearby children’s development centre/kindergarten in Hua Hin. Hours typically are from 09:00 to 11:30 AM.
A shortage of teachers is a challenge faced by many childcare centres and kindergartens in Hua Hin. Some classrooms accommodate up to 30 children, making it difficult for one teacher to provide individual attention.
Your role is crucial in supporting local teachers and assisting in classroom activities. Utilising your creativity, you’ll use songs, dances, games, and repetition exercises to aid children in learning, practicing English, and grasping basic educational concepts.
Tasks may include feeding, playing, organising activities, and occasionally aiding in cleaning. You may also assist with children’s care routines, such as meal preparation, grooming, and hygiene practices.
Since many local teachers may not be fluent in English, your presence offers them an opportunity to start learning English early. Exposure to various English accents enhances children’s learning experiences and boosts confidence in communicating with foreigners.
Location
Hua Hin, is a lively fisherman-town and popular tourist spot these days offering all the standard beach stuff like snorkeling, swimming, sunbathing and with plenty of restaurants and tourist things like spas, water park, golf, shops and markets. There is a mountain at the end of the beach called Khoa Tekiab, with a temple that overlooks the beach. Surrounded by national parks, it’s a mountainous region where you can explore waterfalls and caves on various adventures. Buddhism is very prominent here and you will certainly get a good taste of the Buddhist way of life.
Project Tasks
- Interact with the kids, teaching basic English
- Gain practical experience in teaching and caring for young children
- Help and support the local teachers and staff
Food & Accommodation
You will be placed in one of our two centres in Hua Hin: Lotus House and Sunshine House (roughly 7km apart). Allocation is random and requests cannot be made in advance. Both are located in a village closer to Hua Hin with easy access to all daily necessities so that the participants can be at ease. The centres include a canteen, an outdoor swimming pool, and a garden. All rooms are equipped with bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and air conditioning. Rooms are single gender and sleep 4-12 people. The accommodation has wifi, hot showers, and western toilets. There are also private room options available.
*To ensure the security of our facilities, a key deposit of 300 THB (in cash) is required from every participant. This needs to be paid at the check-in time of your upon arrival at the accommodation and then you will receive your keys. This deposit will be refunded when the keys are returned, provided none are lost. If any keys are lost, the deposit is non-refundable. We advise you to bring a padlock if staying in Lotus house and for Sunshine house you will get a locker key.
Hua Hin centre has access to local shops, and laundry and easily get a transport facility by using the app GRAB.
- – 10 Km from the accommodation to Hua Hin airport (15-20 mins)
- – 11 Km from the accommodation to the Bus stop to go to Suvarnabhumi airport
- – 8 Km from the accommodation to Hua Hin night market/ mall
- – 9 km from the accommodation to Hua Hin Private Hospital
- – 5 Km from the accommodation to medical center
You will receive 3 meals on weekdays, and 2 on weekends. All the meals served inside the accommodation are homestyle, vegetarian-friendly and you can expect that they will be typically Thai, including plenty of rice or noodle dishes with vegetables and occasionally some meat will be provided as well, along with seasonal fruits for dessert.
While we do our best to accommodate our participants, what we provide for most meals is local cuisine. If you are a picky eater, have dietary restrictions, or if you think that you will not be satisfied with the local dishes provided, you might want to consider supplementing our menu with your own western type foods and snacks that are more to your liking.
*Accommodation may be in our local centre or in close proximity, depending on availability and time of year.
Standard
Projects
- Childcare, Hua Hin
- Beach & Environmental Conservation, Hua Hin
- English Teaching, Hua Hin
- Sports Coaching, Hua Hin
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1 Week - $445
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2 Weeks - $500
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3 Weeks - $645
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1 Month - $845
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2 Months - $1845
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3 Months - $2705
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals
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Airport Pickup
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Local Transportation
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1 Day Orientation
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24/7 In-Country Support
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Project Materials & Equipment
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Pre-departure Expert Advice
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Preperation Tools & Checklists
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Certificate of Completion
- Application fee is one off per person (unlimited placements)
- Click Here to convert the below prices to your local currency
- Discounts may apply if travelling in a pair or group!
- All credit card /international fees included in below pricing! 🙂
Testimonials...
FAQ
If you love working with young people, are energetic and want to inspire the furture generation, then yes absolutely! No teaching qualifications are required for this project.
- Accommodation
- 3 meals p/day weekdays / 2 meals p/day weekends
- Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
- Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
- 1 day orientation
- Daily transportation to project
- In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
- Fundraising support
- University course credits (where applicable)
- Certificate of Completion
- Airfares
- Travel Insurance
- Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
Most of our programs will include a 1 day orientation on the first day, which will include things like a walk around the local area, explanations of where everything is, ATMs, how to get local sim cards, etc, and lessons on cultural norms and what to expect.
Programs begin every Monday, and volunteers are required to arrive the day prior, for orientation before the project. Your accommodation on the Sunday is included in the program fees.
A free airport pickup is included when arriving to Bangkok BKK (Suvarnabhumi) Airport, Level 2, Entrance 4. You must arrive between 06.00 and 16:00 on Sunday.
If arriving outside the pickup times, you can book a private transfer and any extra nights accommodation for an extra fee.
Alternatively, if arriving early you could wait at the arrival’s terminal for the pickup time, book accommodation at the airport and meet us during the pickup times or make your own way to the project (we will advise on how to do this).
From the airport to the accommodation in Hua Hin, it takes around 4 hours by public bus and then a shuttle bus.
Monday
- Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents and Signing of Documents.
- Thai Do’s and Don’ts, Thai Culture Lessons and Thai Language Lessons.
- Lunch
- Project Meeting, Preparation, Visit and Observation alongside Local Coordinator
- Dinner
Tuesday to Friday
- Breakfast at Hua Hin Center
- Working at Child Care/Kindergarten
- Lunch
- Lesson Planning and Preparation
- Dinner at Hua Hin Center
Note: There are other activities that you may enjoy during your stay that are outside of your programs that include going to the night market, having a mall experience and of course relaxation and chillin to the beach.
***This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.***
Tuesday & Wednesday Evening
Volunteers have the option to go to the night market in Hua Hin city. Try some of the delicious local food that is freshly cooked in front of you. The street food is super cheap and tasty!
Friday Evening
You can go to the Cicada Market, a colourful night market offering freshly cooked food from different stalls. Look around the many art exhibitions, see the local handmade products and souvenirs and listen to live music featuring local artists.
Apart from chilling out at the beach, on weekends you can also try snorkelling, eat at the many seafood restaurants, play a game of golf, relax at a spa, go shopping, visit local markets (including a popular night market), and Hua Hin’s Vana Nava water park.
Khao Tekiab, a mountain at the end of the beach with a temple above, is also a popular spot, overlooking the beach. Hua Hin is also surrounded by beautiful national parks. A little further away is the Pa La-U Waterfall and the mystical Phraya Nakhon cave for the more adventurous!
Minors traveling to Thailand
Minors traveling to Thailand with/without parents/legal guardians are required to adhere to instructions of the Thai immigration. For more information, please check here.
Motorbike Hire
Please note, motorbike hire is strictly prohibited for volunteers, including when outside the centre on weekends. If a participant is found to have hired a motorbike, this will result in termination of the program with no refund.
Additional Requirements
The following are further necessary in order for both the participants, local staff and everyones involved to have a meaningful, enjoyable and safe community program.
- Older participants or over 65 years are required to have a medical clearance as proof of their physical fitness as they may perform various activities.
- Participants below 18 years old need a signed parental consent as proof of involvement of their children for the program. If possible, accompaniment by an adult is highly advised.
Genuine interests and passion with teaching children/students
- Since you are working with students with so much energy and different personalities, a decent level of energy and patience is required.
- High level of efficiency, accuracy and responsibility and can work under pressure and is a team player.
- Excellent time management and self – organizing and a strong desire to take on new challenges and learn as much as possible.
- You are advised to purchase medical, and travel insurance before your arrival.
- Have completed or recommended the following vaccines: Polio, Hepatitis A, Diphtheria/Tetanus, Typhoid, Malaria, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis.
Additional Equipment
Teaching Materials:
- No specific equipment required for this project. However, you are more welcome to bring with you some educational materials to be used for learning activities such as games cards, coloring books, pencils, ball, musical instruments, worksheet, books/comics,cultural items and many more meaningful learning resources.
Dress Code:
- Cover up as much as possible in the spirit of the local culture to avoid embarrassment.
- Your clothes must not be too short, too tight, or too revealing. Kindly make sure your shoulders and legs are covered.
- Dress professionally since you will be working in a professional environment while teaching the children.
- It is completely fine to wear western clothes as long as they fit the local standards.
- Be thoughtful of the graphics, symbols or text printed on your clothing and avoid wearing clothing styles that might be inappropriate particularly inside the school premises.
Others:
- An environmentally friendly sunscreen or lotion is also advised to protect you from the heat of the sun and please carry with you preventive agents during outdoor activities, such as mosquito repellents for insect bites.
- Moreover, bring Medicines with you especially if you have to take specific medicines on a regular basis as well as other medicines for headaches and stomach aches.
- Refillable water bottles and hydration packs to stay hydrated throughout the day particularly during class.
For information on holidays and any programs affected, please see the following link: TH – Holidays – All Programs
With a long sandy coastline and jungle-topped islands anchored in crystal blue waters Thailand is a tropical getaway and favorite traveling destination for holiday makers and volunteers from all over the world. Thailand’s culture is generous, warm and outgoing and the cuisine is world renowned for a tropical abundance of fresh and varied flavors of spicy, sweet, salty and sour.
Thailand is a fascinating and exotic country to explore. Through volunteering, you’ll gain a love in the people, culture, scenery, cuisine and in the overall lifestyle of Thailand.
We offer diverse project options catering to many different interests. Volunteering is the ideal way of assimilating into the local Thai culture and experiencing the real lifestyle in Thailand.
November to Febuary is the best time to visit Thailand, with a pleasent temperature through most of the country. From March to May temperatures can get very hot. The monsoon rains start from about June to October. Showers usually are quite predictabe and come in short bursts, so this time of year can be great to visit, as everything is so green and there are fewer crowds!
Temperatures are around 30 degrees on average throughout the year. If in the North of Thailand in the winter, evenings can get quite chilly, so bring some warm clothes too!
Vietnam has one of the oldest cultures in South East Asia, creating a rich history with ancient traditions dating back thousands of years. It also has a large Chinese influence. Elders are very well respected in Vietnamese culture, the older you are, the more respect is shown to you. ‘Saving face’ is a concept shown by most Vietnamese people and is thought of as extremely important in their culture. This means that if you feel angered or annoyed by someone, you do not show it and remain respectful. If you lose your temper/ are rude, then this is seen as losing face and therefore a loss of reputation and self-respect.
Vietnamese is the most widely spoken language, other languages include Chinese, Khmer, Cham and tribal dialects. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism are the main religious beliefs in Vietnam, and you will find many temples dotted around the country. You will often see the local people giving fruits and burning incense to give as offerings.
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