Cambodia

Teaching, Health, Community Development, Dentistry & Sports Coaching

  Destination Profile Cambodia
  Capital: Phnom Penh
  Surface Area: 181,035 sq km
  Population: 13.9 million (2009)
  Official Language: Khmer
  Exchange Rate: A$1 = 3,359.85 Riels (Jul 2009)


Placement Information Overview
Placements are available in Siem Reap working with a local NGO. Work in the NGO may be varied so students will need to be adaptable and willing to try their hand at a mix of roles. The NGO placement includes the following options:

Teaching
The organisation holds free classes all day long for primary school children to aid them in their education and learning of English. Teaching follows a flexible syllabus based on the Lets Go series and involves conversation exercises, games and songs. Volunteers will generally teach for two to three hours a day and there is decent support for lesson planning and resources.

Sports Coaching
Students work with a number of different organisations coaching sport. These sports include mainly soccer and swimming. Many of the children live close to water, but are unable to swim. There is a large hotel in central Siem Reap where the swimming coaches will work. Each organisation will send a few of their children to the swim school. Also based at one of the NGO schools is one of the few soccer grounds. Students will be required to teach soccer as well as promote tournaments and competitions.

Organic Farming and Outdoor Work
When work is available students may get involved with projects such as maintaining the organic garden, building a football pitch or developing a workable drainage system.

Health, Physiotherapy, OT, Speech Therapy
Students choosing this option need to be studying a health related discipline. Nursing, medical or health science students may shadow staff at the chosen organisation. This may include working in different departments and where possible we can match interests and experience. Cambodian policy stipulates that students have observer status only. Students are not allowed to perform procedures on patients and students will be supervised at all times by local staff. An elective placement in Cambodia offers invaluable experience and insight into health practice in a tropical, resource-poor setting. To profit from this experience, health students must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to direct their own learning. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their resume, two letters of recommendation and proof of student status.

Dentistry
Students can work alongside a local dentist with a dental practice in Siem Reap which is open for private patients and is committed to giving something back to Cambodia. Students can gain work experience at the dental practice/lab practicing under the guidance of the dentist. They will be able to assist in surgery (root canal etc.), x-ray (including panoramic) and assist in the lab where they make ceramic, gold and resin teeth. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their resume, two letters of recommendation and proof of dental student status. Please enquire for further details.

Health Promotion
There is a need for health education in Cambodia which includes teaching and practising hand washing, teeth brushing, first aid and general sanitation. You do not need a background in health yet any prior experience of conducting health education workshops and camps will be useful.

Community Development or Fundraising/Marketing Internship
If you have skills and experience in grant proposal writing, fundraising, media campaigns or website design you may have the opportunity to be involved in the administration and business management of one of the organisations in Siem Reap. Please enquire for further details.

Tourism/Hospitality Internship
Work with one of the leading online hotel booking agencies in Cambodia whose main focus is responsible tourism. You will be helping to build the portfolio of responsible hospitality and tour operators in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Working with hotels ranging from 5 star luxury to locally owned guesthouses, you will spend time meeting hoteliers and operators discussing their responsible tourism initiatives and how they impact the triple bottom line (maximising the local economy, helping the community and minimising negative environmental impacts). These will then be graded and written up on the website and marketed to responsible travellers. This suits students with experience in this area or who are studying tourism. Please enquire for further details.

Accommodation
Students will live in a centrally located, family run guesthouse, sharing a room with other Antipodeans Abroad students. The guesthouse is a real gem in Siem Reap being well run, very clean, safe and secure. There is a restaurant on site that will provide breakfast and you will eat dinner with the family yet students need to fund their own lunch.

Language Requirements
Many of the staff in the organisations will speak English and are keen to improve their skills and standard. We highly encourage you to learn a little Khmer whilst you are in Cambodia as it is an interesting language and will help you get by, get to know the locals and get more out of the placement.

Free time Suggestions
Siem Reap is an exciting place to be in evenings or on weekends with its many bars, cafes, museums and art galleries. There are many places to visit whilst in Cambodia from the hip and happening cultural city of Phnom Penh, about a six hour drive away from Siem Reap, to the beaches in Sihanoukville or of course the Angkor temples in Siem Reap.