Spend a semester in Thailand learning about best practices in working with orphans and vulnerable children in the Global South!
This life changing semester is a unique opportunity to learn about some of the most pressing issues surrounding the topic of orphans and vulnerable children. You will learn about the different ways that culture can shape how people understand and care for children, what unique problems children in the Global South face, how the rights of children and human rights more generally intersect, and how individuals and organizations can respond.
You’ll also be asked to learn more about who you are, and how your faith impacts your understanding of how to work with children, address these complex issues, and care for yourself while deepening your faith.
The Semester
The semester is divided into two parts. The first part of the semester is coursework and time learning about living in Thailand, Thai culture and language, and the context and key issues facing children. The second half of the semester is a placement with an organization working on these issues, where you can learn hands-on about how best to work with vulnerable children in the Global South.
Courses
Four courses work together to provide you with an incredible and life changing semester — not just academic learning about an issue, but really digging deep into yourself to understand the lives of vulnerable children as well as yourself and your own faith.
Thai Language: This course focused on learning the Thai language, both written and spoken. The course uses a competency based approach and is designed for beginners for whom Thai is a second language. The emphasis on this course is on speaking, listening comprehension, and reading and writing skills. [Thai Syllabus]
Historical and Political Context of Thailand: This course explores the history and politics of Thailand, from its place among the ancient kingdoms in Southeast Asia to contemporary social and political issues. Special emphasis will be on understanding how contemporary Thai society and politics have deep cultural and historical roots. [Historical and Political Context Syllabus]
Orphans and Vulnerable Children in the Global South: This course examines the key issues facing children in the Global South, including cultural and legal issues, human trafficking, the mixed legacy of orphanages, challenges of fostering children, and how individuals can best work with vulnerable children without causing further harm. [ADD SYLLABUS HERE]
Internship: This course provides a cross-cultural experience of working on various development issues with an organization working in the field of orphans and vulnerable children broadly defined. This may include non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other organizations. The course focuses on guiding students to understand the issues as they integrate theory with reality by participating in a local development organization. Students are prepared for entering into their internship through discussions on stakeholder and agency analysis, culture-specific gender and diversity context, ethics, and power, privilege and faith. Through the course students will develop, defend, and challenge their own values and beliefs. [Internship Syllabus]
Faith, Self Care, and Community
Every week students will be meeting together to discuss issues of faith, self care, and community. Working with vulnerable children raises a lot of challenging issues, and this seminar will help students get the support they need, understand self-care, and how to integrate their learning with their faith.