Long Term Volunteer Opportunities in Thailand

In your search for the right volunteer opportunity, you may have found that many organizations require a minimum commitment for their volunteers as they have to spend time, energy and manpower to train them and help them understand how their volunteer organization works and what their contribution will mean and how it will help. For those of you who have the time and desire to volunteer for a longer duration , I’m going to outline some of the volunteer opportunities available in Thailand.  All of these organizations have been recommended by friends or friends of friends who have worked with them, so it’s a sort of grassroots system we have going here. As I’ve mentioned in some of my previous articles it’s really difficult to sort though all of the volunteer organizations in Thailand and our goal is to help you find an organization that fits in with your skills and desires so that you have a better chance at having a positive volunteer experience in Thailand.

1. Grassroots Human Rights Education and Development (GHRE)
GHRE works with Burmese people living in Thailand and focuses on the following areas: children’s education, health, women’s empowerment, migrant and leadership development programs, and documentation surveys. You can contact them directly to find out more information or fill out their online application form for more details.
Website: http://ghre.org
Contact: grassroots@ghre.org or grassroots_hre@yahoo.com
Location: Phang Nga (north of Phuket)
Duration: flexible
Cost: N/A

2. Kid Launch
Kid Launch  is a small grassroots organization that is devoted to providing education opportunities for disadvantaged or disenfranchised children in Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, and Mae Hong Son Provinces in Thailand. They also work to create sustainable economic projects for the villagers so the projects are eventually self-perpetuating. They are in need of volunteer teachers who will commit to a minimum of 3 months. Check out their site or contact them directly for more information.
Website: http://www.kidlaunch.org
Contact: Davee Kongpuenphasutha or Adam Swartzbaugh
E-mail addresses: davee@kidlaunch.org or adam@kidlaunch.org
Location: Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, and Mae Hong Son
Duration: 3 month minimum
Cost: $100 USD administrative fee for accepted volunteers
Provided: Homestay with a family in the village you’re assigned to or stay in the teacher accomodation in the village

3. Baan Gerda
Baan Gerda provides homes and care for HIV and AIDS infected children. They strive to create a loving family environment for these children who are being raised by 7 HIV+ families, each with their own home. The bonds developed between the foster parents and the children are as strong, if not stronger, than as those of a biological family.
Website: http://www.baangerda.org
Contact email address: karl@baangerda.com
Location: Lopburi (250 km north of Bangkok)
Duration: varies depending on group/project
Cost: N/A

4. Curriculum Project
CP works with teachers and communities to design relevant, skills-based curricula for adult education, teacher training and support programmes, and to prepare learners for further education opportunities. All of the schools and organizations the project works with are run by and for exiles, refuges, migrant workers, and other marganized groups from Burma.  Check out their website for specific information about current projects and how you can help.
Website: http://curriculumproject.org/
Contact email address: info@curriculumproject.org
Location: Mae Sot, Tak Province
Duration: Project basis
Cost: N/A

* If you want to find out more about other organizations who work to improve the situation for Burmese people click here for more information.

5. Starfish Country Home School Foundation
SCHSF has several projects and focuses on providing educational opportunities and in some cases housing to needy children, most of whom are hilltribe children. Their current projects include the following-Starfish Country Home School which provides a quality and well-balanced bi-lingual education to its students and sponsors exception students to attend university. The Starfish Home provides students with the necessary skills to attend Thai-language schools and receive additional help with their studies as needed. English-speaking volunteers and interns can teach their special skills such as art, rock climbing, cooking or whatever else interests them. To maintain continuity we ask that a minimum 3 month commitment be made and welcome those interested to fill out an application form. For more information check out their website and all the programs they are currently involved with.
Website: http://www.schsf.org
Contact: Fill out online volunteer application
Location: Chiang Mai (2 locations)
Duration: Minimum 3 month commitment
Cost: Transportation cost to get to Chiang Mai
Provided: Accommodation and food and stipend of 4,000 month for incidentals (must stay 3 months to qualify)

6. Pakkret Babies Home
Pakkred Babies Home runs regular ‘massage for love’ programs for its youngest residents. The program runs for 20 weeks and has an orientation to teach you how to massage the babies. As it’s a fairly small orphanage they started this program with the aim of giving the babies the most love possible and allow them to form a bond with a mother-figure. Choose a day that is best for you and spend time with ‘your baby’ from 9-12am on that day.  I’ve included some links with information from people who are currently involved in this program or have volunteered previously at the orphanage. Unfortunately, many people drop out of the program and they are usually in need of ‘replacement mommies’ so you can contact them anytime to find out if you can help. The next round of the program begins February 22 (orientation) so contact them soon if you would like to begin working with them and fill out the application form to reserve a spot.
The British Women’s Group, Bangkok runs a mini-van from Sukhumvit on Tuesday and Thursday and you can contact them directly for more information. 

This is some information from someone who has worked with Pakkred Babies home which is next door to Phaya Thai Babies home. Find out more about her experience.

Website: http://www.thaihof.org/  (unfortunately it’s in Thai)
Contact name: Narissara Aromchuun (her nickname is Tarn)
Contact number: Khun Tarn 086 3385247
Contact email address: thaihof@yahoo.com
Location: Nonthaburi (about a 40 minute drove north of Bangkok)
Duration: Usually 20 weeks but other arrangements are possible
Cost: Transportation to the orphanage
Provided: lunch
Here’s a map to the location if you’d like to take a taxi.

For more information about other organizations and volunteer opportunities in Thailand click here for more listings.
Listings of organizations by category e.g education, women, children etc..
Thaiwebsites, Wikipedia, Bangkok Post

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/social.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_non-governmental_organizations_in_Thailand
http://www.bangkokpost.com/outlookwecare/index01.html

Alphabetical listings in Thailand