Thailand: Volunteer: Written English Skills Development (Mae Sot)

Volunteer: Written English Skills Development (Thai-Burma border, Mae Sot)

Position duration: 3 months minimum, preferably 3 – 6 months or longer.

Position Overview:

Burma Children Medical Fund (BCMF) seeks an energetic and organised volunteer to work in a program support capacity. The purpose of this position is to support local staff to document patient interviews; and develop and deliver capacity building activities for staff with a focus on improving English writing skills.

The key duties of this Mae Sot-based volunteer position will include:

· assessing and interviewing patients (with an interpreter) for the BCMF, BAMF and BWMF programs;

· conducting post-surgery interviews;

· documenting patient interviews;

· compiling patient stories and diagnosis for website and donors;

· enhancing BCMF social media reach;

· proofing and editing English language documents including patient interview ‘stories’ and social media;

· identifying English language training needs of local staff;

· developing materials and activities to support improvements in written English language of BCMF staff and volunteers;

• Assisting with other projects, as assigned.

Person Specification:

Essential

• Native English speaker or English language proficiency at very advanced level
• Outstanding editing and proof reading skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Attention to detail
• Interest in, and ability to work with web-based communications and social media
• Organised and energetic, with a desire to work alongside and support co-workers
• At least intermediate skill level in MS Office Suite (MS Word, Excel, etc)

• Ability to use initiative and be pro-active

• Ability to work independently with limited supervision

• Ability to cope with cultural isolation and a different standard of living and work environment

• Preparedness to work with limited resources within a challenging environment

• Commitment to team work, coaching, and mentoring others

• Awareness and sensitivity of cross-cultural settings

• Patience, tolerance and flexibility

• Volunteer will need to provide a working with children check and police check or equivalent from country of residence

Desirable

• Volunteering or work experience in the non-profit sector
• Experience working with migrants, refugees and displaced people.
• Experience providing English language support
• Experience in Communications

A BCMF volunteer placement will provide you with direct field experience working with the displaced and refugee community along the Thai Burma Border. You will work alongside staff from Mae Tao Clinic www.maetaoclinic.org and be a key member of the small but efficient team at BCMF www.burmachildren.com

For more information about volunteering with BCMF please contact Jacqui Whelan jacqui@burmachildren.com.