In Country Volunteer Blog: Professional Growth and Personal Satisfaction

Back in May 2024, our in-country volunteer Sally Howard provided 3 weeks of clinical supervision and mentoring for the BSALT at Hai Duong Medical and Technical University (HMTU). In her words, Gemma shares her experiences and what motivated her to volunteer with Trinh Foundation Australia.

I love travelling and new experiences and Vietnam is one of my favourite countries. When I saw the volunteer opportunity through the Trinh Foundation this looked like an amazing opportunity to combine my love of travel and my work as a speech pathologist.

Speech pathology is a new profession in Vietnam, and it is not yet widely recognised that speech pathologists have a crucial role in supporting people with communication and swallowing impairments across the lifespan. With improved access to speech pathology services in Vietnam it will be great to see awareness improve.

Capacity building is important for addressing the gaps that exist in an emerging profession, including training of speech pathologist’s and building awareness of the scope of speech pathology practice. By recognising the value of speech pathology and prioritising capacity building, the profession will grow resulting in improved outcomes for people with communication and swallowing impairments in Vietnam.

There were so many things that I enjoyed about volunteering in Vietnam. I enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of the local community and experiencing working in a foreign health care and university setting and being a part of their team. I also enjoyed being able to share my 20 years of clinical experience and supporting students in developing their skills and knowledge. Volunteering in Vietnam is not only making an impactful contribution to the speech pathology profession, but you will also experience professional growth and personal satisfaction. You will meet wonderful people and make connections for life. It is also an opportunity to see an amazing part of the world and experience the Vietnamese culture and food. I don’t think anything prepares you for the reality of the cultural differences of the Vietnamese and Australian health care setting, however the Trinh Foundation and MCNV are very organised and prepared in setting up a successful trip.