Bachelor and Masters Degree Courses

Commencing Soon

We are all prepared for the start of 2 speech and language therapy (SALT) degrees

commencing in Vietnam later this year! The students have completed their foundation

year of studies in the Bachelor degree, and start their SALT subjects in September at

Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy. The Masters degree will

commence in December 2019. This course will have 20 students, all of whom are

already health academics, retraining as SLTs so they can lead bachelor degrees in

SALT in their home universities at the completion of their masters. The first Australian

volunteer lecturers start teaching from October onwards in the Bachelor, and from

December onwards for the Masters, alongside Vietnamese academics and Australian

Volunteers Program SALTs already in Vietnam. It’s an exciting time!

Professor Emerita Lindy McAllister with students taking part in foundation

subjects for their upcoming Masters SALT course

Developing Clinical Placement Opportunities

Leah Paice has been living in Da Nang, Vietnam since January this year. She is

currently completing a 12 month assignment as a volunteer speech pathology

advisor with the Australian Volunteers Program, part of the broader Australian

Aid program. Leah has been working in the role of Clinical Coordinator at Da

Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP), alongside

fellow Australian volunteer, Sarah Day. The university will be the first in Vietnam

to offer a Bachelor of Rehabilitation (SALT) with students commencing their first

SALT subjects in August this year. Both Leah and Sarah work closely with Trinh

Foundation Australia to support the development and implementation of this

course.

As Clinical Coordinator Leah’s role is to assist the university to plan and develop

student clinical placement opportunities throughout their degree. This involves

fostering partnerships with external organisations, such as local hospitals,

schools and clinics, to ensure students participating in the Bachelor have a range

of high-quality clinical training experiences. Leah also collaborates with

Australian volunteer clinical educators who will travel to Vietnam to supervise

students alongside Vietnamese speech pathologists during these placements.

Leah will continue to support DUMTP in the development of clinical placement

opportunities for Vietnamese SALT students until January 2020.

Interpreter Training Course for Speech and

Language Therapy held in Da Nang

In June, a 4-day Interpreter Training Course was conducted in Da Nang. This

course, was funded by Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA) and scholarships were

provided for some of the participants to attend. TFA and the Rehabilitation

Department at Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy

supported Australian Volunteer, Leah Paice, and TFA Interpreting Coordinator,

Ms Quyen Pham, to present this workshop

The course provided training in the areas of Speech and Language Therapy

(SALT) and interpreting skills. Thirteen participants attended the training course

and will provide valuable interpreting and translating skills in the future, which will

support the implementation of the Bachelor of Rehabilitation (SALT),

commencing in August 2019.

Participants shared some really positive feedback about their experience

attending the course:

“The course has been really helpful for us to gain knowledge as well as have

access to further learning about the topic. It also equipped the participants with

essential skills for working as an interpreter in Speech Therapy”

“This short course provides a platform to share practical experience and expand

the expertise knowledge in speech therapy and interpreting skills.”

TFA looks forward to working with this group of enthusiastic interpreters in the

future.

Refection from a Long-Term Volunteer

Carla Mira reflects on her past and current volunteering experiences with TFA.

"I still remember my first volunteering role with Trinh like it was last week. But in

fact, it was nearly 6 years ago. The slight nerves I felt whilst waiting at my hotel

for my taxi to arrive and take me to a foreign hospital to go and meet a bunch of

unknown Vietnamese speech therapy students instantly turned into excitement

as I immediately feel in love with Vietnam and its people.

During that placement, I ended up developing lifelong international friends,

travelled with some to the picturesque terrace rice fields of Sapa and spent most

of my evenings post supervision singing karaoke and eating some of the best

Vietnamese food of my life.

Since that placement, I have returned another two times to Vietnam to volunteer

and each experience is unlike the other. Not only do I leave with a strong sense

of achievement, knowing that through supervision I am contributing to the speech

and language therapy discipline within Vietnam, but I also return to Australia with

my batteries recharged to dive back into my own busy therapy caseload.

Last year I was pregnant and living in Paris and unfortunately physically going to

Vietnam and participating in clinical supervision was not an option. Thankfully

Trinh Foundation had just rolled out their Beyond Border’s Online Mentoring

Program and it meant I could participate as a volunteer from the comfort of a

Parisian boulangerie (croissant & café allonge in hand). Mentoring Diem, a newly

graduated speech and language therapist, was such a pleasure. She was

matched to me through her professional interest and experience and the monthly

mentoring sessions were also a nice way for me to engage in some professional

development through my role as a mentor.

I was so happy I could continue my involvement with Trinh when I was

approached to be this year’s coordinator for the ‘Beyond Border’s’ online

mentoring program. Having participated in the program already, I hope my

experience will help support both the mentees and mentors along the way so that

they are able to enjoy the program and the mentoring relationship as much as I

did last year."

If you are interested in volunteering see further information about

volunteering available on our website or email volunteers-

tfa@trinhfoundation.org

TFA well represented at the Speech

Pathology Australia Conference in Brisbane

Trinh Foundation Australia again joined forces with Speech Therapy in

Cambodia at the recent joint conference for Speech Pathology Australia and New

Zealand Speech-language Therapists Association, held in Brisbane.

We had a very busy stand within the exhibitor's hall and signed up 44 new

potential volunteers. Our fundraising puppets were very popular with untold

numbers of giraffes, elephants, puppies and more heading off to therapy centres

and homes across Australia, New Zealand and even Peru.

Many of the TFA board members were present this year, lending their knowledge

and support to a number of scientific papers and a lunchtime meeting about

working within majority world countries.

A highlight of the week was of course our fundraising dinner. Nearly 40 new and

old supporters gathered to enjoy some Vietnamese fare and wonderful

conversations.

With the funds raised from our raffle, merchandise and dinner we will be able to

support some upcoming clinical education placements and continuing

professional development sessions.

Farewell to Sarah Day...but not for long

Since March 2018 Sarah Day has been

volunteering at the Da Nang University of

Medical Technology and Pharmacy

(DUMTP) as a Speech Pathology Advisor

with the Australian Volunteer Program.

Her current assignment recently finished,

and Sarah and her family have returned to

Australia.

Sarah intends to return to Da Nang in mid-

August and begin a new assignment with

DUMTP at the beginning of September.

However due to the complex approval

process for Sarah and her family to complete

in Australia we cannot confirm definite return

dates. We will keep you posted on when she

returns.

TFA Welcomes New Board Member

TFA welcomes Dr Gwendalyn Webb to the

board. Gwendalyn is a Lecturer for the

Bachelor of Speech Pathology (honours)

program at the University of Newcastle

(UON), Australia. Her interest in Vietnam

began with students from UON undertaking

international clinical placements which were

initially facilitated by Trinh Foundation

Australia. Since then Gwendalyn has

continued her involvement in Vietnam

through student supervision, mentoring of

Australian volunteer speech pathologists

working in Vietnam, provision of workshops

to teachers and parents and developing

resources.

Trinh Website

TrinhTFA

TrinhFoundation

trinh_foundation

Trinh Foundation Australia is proud to be a partner for Project J594 Vietnam

Speech-Language Program with Global Development Group. GDG (ABN 57 102 400

993), an Australian DFAT approved Non-Government Organisation [NGO]

carrying out quality humanitarian projects with approved Partners

Our mailing address is:

Trinh Foundation Australia

18 Gilbert St

Dover Heights, NSW 2030

Australia

Add us to your address book

unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences