On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Australian Vietnam diplomatic relations, TFA is thrilled to be part of a photo exhibition showcasing the development achievements of Australian partner non-government organisations in Vietnam. The exhibition is open from the 9th -16th of November at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. Our journey, documented over 15 years, is a testament to the transformative impact NGOs bring to individuals, communities, and organisations. Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski speaking at the exhibition opening, expressed his pride in the work of Australia&rsquo;s NGO partners. &ldquo;NGOs are a key partner in Australia&rsquo;s overseas development assistance globally and in Viet Nam. Australia&rsquo;s NGO partners bring a deep understanding of local context, close relationships with local authorities and innovative development approaches. These are assets that contribute to the warm relationship that Australia and Vietnam celebrate in our 50th anniversary year&rdquo; he said.

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Australian Vietnam diplomatic relations, TFA is thrilled to be part of a photo exhibition showcasing the development achievements of Australian partner non-government organisations in Vietnam.

IMG_5144.jpeg

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Australian Vietnam diplomatic relations, TFA is thrilled to be part of a photo exhibition showcasing the development achievements of Australian partner non-government organisations in Vietnam

Celebrating 50 Years of Australian Vietnam Relations Through NGO Development Achievements

Meet Hường Na, one of the Vietnamese students to complete the Speech and Language Therapy course organized by TFA in collaboration with Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in 2016 - 2017. In this personal account, she reveals the transformative role this opportunity played in shaping her career and its profound impact on the lives of children with developmental delays or disabilities.&nbsp;

After graduating in 2017, I returned to my work place at the Center for Special Education and Development at Hanoi National University of Education, to work as a professional assistant with expertise in Speech and Language Therapy. There, I had the opportunity to intervene with many children with developmental disorders and delays. I was also fortunate enough to help guide and support social work students, and assume the role of a Clinical Supervisor for a group of students in the Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy course in Hanoi (conducted by Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine). Concurrently, I also participated in the fieldwork supporting human resources in several provinces including Phu Tho.

Following COVID-19, I accepted a new job at the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population (CCIHP - operated as a non-profit organization in Vietnam). I&rsquo;m in charge of expertise for the organization&rsquo;s lab and have worked as a project officer in fieldwork for a project run across three provinces: Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Tri. In this project, I participated in the process of capacity enhancement for the multidisciplinary team (MDT) at six hospitals. I was a consultant in speech therapy for the SALTs here as well.

In addition, my participation involved coordinating and teaching the Caregivers Skills Training (CST) for the families of children with developmental delays or disabilities in these three provinces. As someone who directly guided, supported and trained those affected in these project provinces, I have gained great satisfaction and passion for my career through each step I took. Day-by-day I apply the knowledge as well as the skills regarding Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy that the lecturers from Australia taught me. I am so grateful for what the teachers and Trinh Foundation Australia along with Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine have brought to us and our beloved Vietnam!

Many thanks,

Huong Na

Meet Hường Na, one of the Vietnamese students to complete the Speech and Language Therapy course organized by TFA in collaboration with Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in 2016 - 2017. 

IMG_5143.png

Meet Hường Na, one of the Vietnamese students to complete the Speech and Language Therapy course organized by TFA in collaboration with Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine in 2016 - 2017.

Empowering Speech and Language Therapy in Vietnam: A Graduate’s Story of Impact and Growth

The International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) held its 32nd World Congress from the 20th-24th of August in Auckland New Zealand. This year&#39;s theme was &quot;Together Towards Tomorrow&quot; and brought together approximately 1000 researchers and clinicians from across the world. The conference provided TFA SALT graduates with the opportunity to share the research being conducted in Vietnam, network and learn from colleagues in the field. TFA Directors Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister and Kate Margetson also attended on behalf of the organisation.&nbsp;

MSc. Luong Thi Cam V&acirc;n, a lecturer from the Rehabilitation Department at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy and MSc. Doctor Dang Thi Thu Hằng, a lecturer from the Rehabilitation Department at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy were invited by the IALP Organizing Committee to report&nbsp;on their research. &nbsp;

Mrs V&acirc;n shared she felt&nbsp;extremely honored to have attended the IALP World Congress on behalf of the research team. &nbsp;

&quot;I presented&nbsp;the findings from our work Knowledge, Experience and Training Needs of CBR Workers for People with Communication and Swallowing Disabilities in Vietnam that was carried out from 2019 - 2021. This was conducted under the guidance of TFA&nbsp;Directors Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister and Dr Marie Atherton from Australia as well as professors from HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacy,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;

Mrs Hằng said the conference was a highly valuable opportunity for Vietnam&#39;s young speech therapists to interact, meet, share expertise and network with&nbsp;SLT&#39;s from all over the world.&nbsp;

&quot;I presented the topic,&nbsp;Developing Normative Data for Vietnamese Language Assessment (VLA) for four-year-old Children in Thua Thien Hue. It is our aim to better serve the needs of people in Vietnam with language, communication and swallowing disorders. The conference gave us&nbsp;the opportunity to share with colleagues from around the global the progress of speech therapy in Vietnam as well as being able to learn more scientific evidence in the field of language skills, to further develop speech therapy in our country. This will help to inform our development plans in the future and provide the knowledge to our colleagues in Vietnam,&rdquo; she said. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) held its 32nd World Congress from the 20th-24th of August in Auckland New Zealand. 

Dr Hang4.jpg

The International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP) held its 32nd World Congress from the 20th-24th of August in Auckland New Zealand. This year's theme was "Together Towards Tomorrow" and brought together approximately 1000 researchers and clinicians from across the world. The conference provided TFA SALT graduates with the opportunity to share the research being conducted in Vietnam, network and learn from colleagues in the field. 

32nd World Congress of the IALP 

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister, Founding Director of Trinh Foundation Australia, has been appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to the Speech Pathology Profession. This prestigious honor acknowledges her tireless efforts to advance the field, champion social justice, and empower professionals. She has made a significant impact by supporting access to speech therapy services in developing countries, particularly Vietnam. Professor McAllister&#39;s dedication to rural and remote areas of Australia has also been widely recognised.&nbsp;

Commenting on the honour, Professor McAllister expressed her gratitude, saying, &quot;Receiving the Order of Australia medal is an immense privilege and a humbling recognition of the importance of the work we do as speech pathologists. I am grateful for the opportunity to have contributed to the advancement of the profession and to have made a positive impact on the lives of individuals with communication and swallowing difficulties, in Australia and in Vietnam.&quot;&nbsp;Her exceptional service and commitment make her an exemplar of the Order of Australia&#39;s ideals. Congratulations, Professor McAllister, on this well-deserved recognition!

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister, Founding Director of Trinh Foundation Australia, has been appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to the Speech Pathology Profession.

Lindy McAllister.jpg

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister, Founding Director of Trinh Foundation Australia, has been appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to the Speech Pathology Profession. 

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia

Volunteering with Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA) is a unique opportunity to support the speech and language therapy profession in Vietnam. Here, Gold Coast based Senior Speech Pathologist Megan Nevell shares her experiences as an in-country volunteer in Da Nang, Vietnam. &nbsp;

In Megan&#39;s role as an international clinical educator, she supervised five fourth-year Vietnamese Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) students on their final paediatric placement plus a Masters of SLT graduate who was working on her supervision skills. The work involved seeing five clients per day in an outpatient hospital clinic. This was possible with the help of an interpreter who would interpret their discussions during assessments and intervention sessions as well as translate written information to English and Vietnamese such as session plans, progress notes, handouts and feedback.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Megan&#39;s impressions of Vietnam were overwhelmingly positive. She described it as a beautiful country with friendly, helpful people who try their best to communicate and share their culture with visitors. &nbsp;

&ldquo;Vietnam is a beautiful country with really delicious, flavourful and fresh food. It has a rich history with many cultural experience.&rdquo; 

- Megan Nevell&nbsp; 

&nbsp;When asked about the importance of capacity building, Megan highlighted how new the speech and language therapy profession is to Vietnam and how limited access to services is. &nbsp;

&ldquo;There is a small number of qualified speech therapists in the cities, and a high demand for services. People from regional areas do not have access to speech pathology services, or they would have to travel far, which is costly to them. The profession is not recognised to the same level as other professionals. Ongoing advocacy and capacity building of current speech therapists, clinics, schools, hospitals, and universities are very much needed.&rdquo; 

- Megan Nevell 

Megan&#39;s favourite part of volunteering abroad was the opportunity to work with locals, which allowed her to experience living there like one. She had the chance to connect with people, eat shared meals, and travel on a motorbike to get to work. Her biggest takeaway from the experience was the richness of the experiences she had, which was much deeper than a typical holiday. For fellow speechies considering volunteering in Vietnam with TFA, Megan highly recommends it, especially if you are adaptable and enjoy varied work experiences. Volunteers need to be flexible and able to think on their feet in a setting that is different from what they are used to. &nbsp;

Megan&#39;s insights and recommendations for future volunteers include being aware that Vietnamese people do not use greetings in the same way as Westerners and that they have different greetings depending on their relationship with the person. Additionally, volunteers should take advantage of the array of delicious vegetarian restaurants and coffee shops in Da Nang. Chay An Lan, Ans Vegetarian Cuisine and FM Tea &amp; Coffee were just a few of her favourites.&nbsp;

Read about Megan Nevell's experience working with local students and patients, her impressions of Vietnam, and the importance of capacity building for speech therapy services in the country.

Image (10).jpeg

Volunteering as a speech pathologist in Vietnam with Trinh Foundation Australia: read about Megan Nevell's experience working with local students and patients, her impressions of Vietnam, and the importance of capacity building for speech therapy services in the country.

Bridging the Gap: My Volunteer Journey in Vietnam with Trinh Foundation Australia 

In Vietnam, more than 64% of the population live in rural areas 1&nbsp;significantly limiting access to appropriate rehabilitation care. This is particularly true for people with disabilities who have difficulty travelling long distances. Country estimates report fewer than one physical therapist per 10,000 people, and only 2% of Vietnamese children receive rehabilitation care when needed 2. By contrast, 80% of the population uses a smartphone 3. Even families with very low incomes typically have access to a mobile device.&nbsp;

With its background in innovative humanitarian response and rehabilitation expertise, Humanity &amp; Inclusion has designed the OpenTeleRehab software as an adaptive solution to ensure both access and quality care for rehabilitation service users facing these obstacles.

OpenTeleRehab is described by HI as an open source, multidisciplinary telerehabilitation software that allows its users to access tailor-made rehabilitation treatment plans adapted to a variety of conditions. It enables rehabilitation professionals to provide continued support and follow-up via chat or video communication, including plan adherence and goal achievement tracking.

&ldquo;Patients are taught in-service by their therapist how to use the patient mobile application, then, once they are home they can access their custom treatment plan by smartphone. The treatment plan can include exercises, information and educational material and questionnaires. Therapists can organise regular follow-up audio or video calls and track patient progress and adherence to the plan,&rdquo; said&nbsp;Martin Jacobs, HI Telerehabilitation Project Manager.

TFA was delighted to contribute as a project partner through the work of our wonderful volunteer Speech Pathologist Shing Yee Chai, who developed a series of voice and speech exercises that are now available via the open access telerehabilitation library. We are confident that these valuable resources will support many Vietnamese people in their recovery.&nbsp;

[1] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS?locations=VN

[2] https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/reports/children-disabilities-viet-nam

[3] https://www.talkvietnam.com/2017/11/smartphone-users-cover-84-of-vn-population/

Humanity & Inclusion has designed the OpenTeleRehab software as an adaptive solution to ensure both access & quality care for patients living in rural areas with limited access to appropriate rehabilitation care.

0-LOGO_OPENTELEREHAB-BLEU-CMJN281%29.webp

 With help from Trinh Foundation Australia & other project partners, Humanity & Inclusion's OpenTeleRehab software is breaking barriers to rehabilitation services in rural Vietnam with an open-source, telerehabilitation software. 

Celebrating 50 Years of Australian Vietnam Relations Through NGO Development Achievements

Empowering Speech and Language Therapy in Vietnam: A Graduate’s Story of Impact and Growth

32nd World Congress of the IALP

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia

Bridging the Gap: My Volunteer Journey in Vietnam with Trinh Foundation Australia

Breaking Barriers to Rehabilitation Services in Vietnam One Click At A Time

STAY UP TO DATE

TRINH FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA

ABOUT US

NEWS

RESOURCES

GET INVOLVED