Physiotherapy work abroad, Nepal
| country: | Nepal |
| departures: | Departures can be arranged at anytime to suit you |
| price: | From £845 - £1595 (2 - 12 weeks) excluding flights. Price depends on length of project. £495 for each additional month. Price includes all accommodation & meals, transfers, insurance and support from project staff |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
There is a real shortage of physiotherapy skills in Nepal. So we provide volunteers of all abilities to help local doctors and physiotherapists. Initially you'll shadow local staff, but as you become more confident and comfortable in the role you will take more of a hands-on role. You will find that the experience you can gain will really help you to get an idea of how a busy physiotherapy department works. If you are a trained physiotherapist, you will find yourself busy and in demand from your first day.
We also work with the Royal Nepal Orthopaedic Hospital. This was set up to provide medical care - in the fields of trauma, orthopaedics and rehabilitation - to Nepalese people who cannot receive these services through the standard government-run hospitals, due to overcrowding. This programme is one where you can really improve your CV - gaining experience impossible to get in the west - and help out these short-staffed institutions.
Nepal has very few qualified physiotherapists and they are keen to have assistance from volunteers where there is lots of work that needs doing especially with children. You don’t need to be a qualified physiotherapist or studying physiotherapy to join this programme. You need to be willing to work alongside local staff and be able to fit in. It is a great way to really be able to help as well as getting to know the local children.
the project
You might work in the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children - the HRDC - which is based on a hilltop beside a quaint village on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The only hospital of its kind in Nepal, HRDC takes in children from all over the country. Many have been born with polio or had accidents that haven't been treated correctly. All have physical disabilities. You'll come across neglected orthopaedic conditions such as TB, polio, post-burn contractures and cerebral palsy. Volunteers work with inpatients and with outpatients who attend a couple of times in the week, sometimes travelling many hours for a visit to this important centre. We also work with the Royal Nepal Orthopaedic Hospital. This was set up to provide medical care - in the fields of trauma, orthopaedics and rehabilitation - to Nepalese people who cannot receive these services through the standard government-run hospitals, due to overcrowding. This programme is one where you can really improve your CV - gaining experience impossible to get in the west - and help out these short-staffed institutions.
Nepal has very few qualified physiotherapists and they are keen to have assistance from volunteers where there is lots of work that needs doing especially with children. You don’t need to be a qualified physiotherapist or studying physiotherapy to join this programme. You need to be willing to work alongside local staff and be able to fit in. It is a great way to really be able to help as well as getting to know the local children.
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you are looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
|
We take seriously our responsibilities towards the communities we work with in Nepal. We have full time local staff on the ground that will meet you from the airport, give you an induction on arrival and support you from our local office throughout your stay. They are local people who we pay a good local wage and can give you all the information and support you will need during your stay. They have been trained by us to work with visiting volunteers. In Nepal you will be staying with a local family or in a local hostel. We pay the family or the hostel where you will be staying. This means that the money goes directly into the local economy. The meals you eat, the chairs you sit on have all probably been made in Kathmandu. Living in Nepal will give you an opportunity to be a real part of the local community. Most of the money that you spend during your time at the placement will be at grassroots level going into local Nepali businesses. Our organisation is environmentally responsible. We recycle at our offices and offset our carbon emissions from staff flying to our destinations around the world. We believe that actions like this can be the first step towards preserving the planet for future generations. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |