PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS VOLUNTEERING IN CAMBODIA: 4 Reasons Why you Should Give It a Try!

Following the success of our June July 2018 Prosthetics and Orthotics, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Placement we have truly seen an impact on the local community of Phnom Penh. If you have yet to get involved, here are some reasons why Prosthetics and Orthotics students and professionals should give international volunteering a try!

Benefits of a P+O Volunteer Placement

1. Gain valuable experience – volunteering in a developing world country exposes you to a completely different approach to health care. You will gain an understanding of how health care is valued, funded and delivered in a cross-cultural setting. You will be exposes to disability and disorders which are very common in the developing world, but that you may have never seen before, such as; polio, arthrogryposis and significant congenital abnormalities. You will also learn about social, economic, gender and geographical issues associated with accessing health care that directly impacts on morbidity and mortality.
2. Employability Skills – as a P+O volunteer you will have the opportunity to enhance your cross-cultural understanding in an environment where English is not usually our clients first language. You will lean heavily on your non-verbal communication skills and develop alternate communication strategies to ensure your clients understand their treatments and take-home therapies. You will have to think “outside the box” in the way you deliver instructions and think critically about client presentations and the best way to assess and treat these conditions.
3. Meet new people – when you volunteer with Development Together you will meet people from all around the world. You will gain incredible team building skills as you work in small inter-professional teams with Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech Pathologists. You will also learn from local health professionals and meet a variety of Not For Profit partner groups.
4. Make a difference – you will have the chance to get involved in the delivery of current therapies and treatments for your clients. Be a part of a change movement as you work alongside local health professionals and demonstrate current practices. Deliver professional development education workshops for our partner groups staff in areas where technical skills require improvement.

Learn more about how you can get involved by visiting our website at https://developmenttogether.com or email admin@developmenttogether.com.

#BETHECHANGE #MAKEADIFFERENCE

Hear from our past participant Emily!

Our past participant Emily (Prosthetics and Orthotics Masters Student) talks more about how you can gain valuable experience and positively impact the local community of Phnom Penh.