OpenmindProjects- Volunteering Abroad
Encyclopedia
OpenmindProjects located in Nong Khai
Province, Thailand
is a developmental aid organisation focused helping communities in Thailand
, Laos
, Cambodia
and Nepal
by the creation and management of ground roots projects in the areas of e-learning
, education
and environment
. The main focus of the organisation is using information and communication technologies
(ICT
) to educate individuals in schools, orphanages, national parks and villages. Projects rely on volunteers to facilitate change within these communities.
OMP was founded in the year 2001 by Swedish management consultant Sven Mauleon. Since then OMP has supported some 60 schools, orphanages, national parks and villages in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal. OpenmindProjects acts as a private aid organization, bringing essential knowledge about computers, English and conservation to developing countries iin the Mid Asiatic Region.
OpenmindProjects, then called IT in Isan, pioneered computer training projects in poor Thai villages in an effort to see how the digital divide
could be bridged. Computers were placed in homes and schools in villages and villagers given unlimited access to the resource. The idea was to give children and teenagers a chance to learn how to use computers and to learn other subjects with the help of computers.
2002 - OpenmindProjects introduced computer and Internet based learning to Thai villages, orphan homes and schools (where teachers and education material are scarce) to inspire students to use computers and Internet to learn English and other subjects. OpenmindProjects started inviting volunteers to teach in remote villages, schools and orphan homes.
2004 - OpenmindProjects started supporting responsible eco tourism and community development projects in Laos and Thailand, to help local people and to protect nature and wildlife. In fall of 2004 OpenmindProjects expanded to South Thailand, the Satun, Krabi and PangNga provinces. In December 2004 the first workshops with local schools, and national parks took place. On December 26 the tsunami hit these regions. OpenmindProjects was one of the first organizations whose volunteers helped local tsunami hit schools.
2007 - OpenmindProjects started supporting community, eco projects in Cambodia and Nepal. OpenmindProjects was a pioneer in arranging local teacher training workshops for Thai teachers together with international volunteers and in sending qualified volunteers to help teachers improving education at their own schools. It was one of the first organisations to advocate team teaching as a way to improve English teaching at Thai schools.
2007 - Openmind Projects was chosen by CNN
for their "Be the Change" initiative. As part of the program CNN
selected volunteers from eight organisations in various countries to report on their experiences. CNN
recommends these eight organisations as part of the initiative, of which OpenmindProjects is one. OpenmindProjects begins supporting health projects in Thailand and Nepal.
2008 - OpenmindProjects was a finalist in the prestigious Stockholm Challenge in April, 2008 for its work on ICT
for development.
2009 - Openmind Traveller, a new ecotourism
organisation was created as a sister program by OpenmindProjects to promote sustainable tourism
and travel in Laos and Thailand.
2010 - OpenmindProjects began supporting community projects in Karen villages, schools and refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. Also community projects in conjunction with Nong Khai Aquarium and Khon Kaen University.
continues to become a "world language", English language skills are becoming increasingly more important for people all across the world. This is especially true for people in developing countries, where having a good English ability can open up many new job and education opportunities. OpenmindProjects has English teaching placements in northeastern and southern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Nepal. Placements include such things as primary and secondary schools, nurseries, orphanage homes, national parks, and more. By teaching English in poor communities language skills, lives and future prospects are improved.
It is not a requirement for volunteers at OpenmindProjects to be a teacher to teach English. Volunteers are required to have a certain level of English. The main criterion are willingness to teach, flexibility and adaptability for working in a developing country. Team teaching is the preferred teaching method promoted by OpenmindProjects and prior to teaching, volunteers undergo a three day training program at the Openmind Training Center in Nong Khai, Thailand (see 3-Day Volunteer Training) to teach them about team teaching.
and wildlife volunteers can go to projects in national parks and villages to teach English, create ecotourism
information and help improve community-based ecotourism
services. The eco volunteer explains the advantages of community-based ecotourism
to the local community and provides ecotourism
training to gain from ecotourism
in the community. Most of the ecotourism
revenue too often stays with travel agencies and tour operators.
Responsible ecotourism
and conservation is a means to help the local community, national parks and villages to preserve and prosper from a living nature. Ecotourism in Thailand and Laos is tourism that that avoids damages to the environment that commonly occur with mass tourism. It also involves the local population, helping offer an alternative source of income to communities.
Ecovolunteers have the options of training local guides, rangers, host families, and children in the English language, designing and drafting English ecotourism brochures and pamphlets, preparing English information for national parks and assisting local ecotourism projects by developing local resources such as accommodation, transportation, trekking, guide services, and food. All ecovolunteers can participate in trekking and siteseeing whilst on placement.
Eco volunteer placements are located all across Thailand and Laos. Some are located in jungles, mountains, wildlife sanctuaries, by the sea and on islands. Volunteers with the specific qualifications are also needed for webdesign of national park and ecotourism sites, GIS, mapping, surveys and scuba dives.
(Isan
) and South Thailand (Krabi
). Camps are targeted at students interested in learning English regardless of social status, money and grade in the class. Students at multiple schools are chosen by their teachers based on the level on motivation to learn English. Camps are run free of charge, by volunteers and staff usually over a period of five days. Over a three week period during the school holidays each site can have up to three camps, with a rotation of about 100 children per site.
Nong Khai
Nong Khai is a city in North-East Thailand and is the capital of the Nong Khai Province...
Province, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
is a developmental aid organisation focused helping communities in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
by the creation and management of ground roots projects in the areas of e-learning
E-learning
E-learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching. The information and communication systems, whether networked learning or not, serve as specific media to implement the learning process...
, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
and environment
Environmental quality
Environmental quality is a set of properties and characteristics of the environment, either generalized or local, as they impinge on human beings and other organisms...
. The main focus of the organisation is using information and communication technologies
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
(ICT
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
) to educate individuals in schools, orphanages, national parks and villages. Projects rely on volunteers to facilitate change within these communities.
OMP was founded in the year 2001 by Swedish management consultant Sven Mauleon. Since then OMP has supported some 60 schools, orphanages, national parks and villages in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Nepal. OpenmindProjects acts as a private aid organization, bringing essential knowledge about computers, English and conservation to developing countries iin the Mid Asiatic Region.
History
2001 -OpenmindProjects, then called IT in Isan, pioneered computer training projects in poor Thai villages in an effort to see how the digital divide
Digital divide
The Digital Divide refers to inequalities between individuals, households, business, and geographic areas at different socioeconomic levels in access to information and communication technologies and Internet connectivity and in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the information...
could be bridged. Computers were placed in homes and schools in villages and villagers given unlimited access to the resource. The idea was to give children and teenagers a chance to learn how to use computers and to learn other subjects with the help of computers.
2002 - OpenmindProjects introduced computer and Internet based learning to Thai villages, orphan homes and schools (where teachers and education material are scarce) to inspire students to use computers and Internet to learn English and other subjects. OpenmindProjects started inviting volunteers to teach in remote villages, schools and orphan homes.
2004 - OpenmindProjects started supporting responsible eco tourism and community development projects in Laos and Thailand, to help local people and to protect nature and wildlife. In fall of 2004 OpenmindProjects expanded to South Thailand, the Satun, Krabi and PangNga provinces. In December 2004 the first workshops with local schools, and national parks took place. On December 26 the tsunami hit these regions. OpenmindProjects was one of the first organizations whose volunteers helped local tsunami hit schools.
2007 - OpenmindProjects started supporting community, eco projects in Cambodia and Nepal. OpenmindProjects was a pioneer in arranging local teacher training workshops for Thai teachers together with international volunteers and in sending qualified volunteers to help teachers improving education at their own schools. It was one of the first organisations to advocate team teaching as a way to improve English teaching at Thai schools.
2007 - Openmind Projects was chosen by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
for their "Be the Change" initiative. As part of the program CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
selected volunteers from eight organisations in various countries to report on their experiences. CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
recommends these eight organisations as part of the initiative, of which OpenmindProjects is one. OpenmindProjects begins supporting health projects in Thailand and Nepal.
2008 - OpenmindProjects was a finalist in the prestigious Stockholm Challenge in April, 2008 for its work on ICT
Information and communication technologies
Information and communications technology or information and communication technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology , but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of...
for development.
2009 - Openmind Traveller, a new ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
organisation was created as a sister program by OpenmindProjects to promote sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the...
and travel in Laos and Thailand.
2010 - OpenmindProjects began supporting community projects in Karen villages, schools and refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border. Also community projects in conjunction with Nong Khai Aquarium and Khon Kaen University.
Teaching English Overseas
As EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
continues to become a "world language", English language skills are becoming increasingly more important for people all across the world. This is especially true for people in developing countries, where having a good English ability can open up many new job and education opportunities. OpenmindProjects has English teaching placements in northeastern and southern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Nepal. Placements include such things as primary and secondary schools, nurseries, orphanage homes, national parks, and more. By teaching English in poor communities language skills, lives and future prospects are improved.
It is not a requirement for volunteers at OpenmindProjects to be a teacher to teach English. Volunteers are required to have a certain level of English. The main criterion are willingness to teach, flexibility and adaptability for working in a developing country. Team teaching is the preferred teaching method promoted by OpenmindProjects and prior to teaching, volunteers undergo a three day training program at the Openmind Training Center in Nong Khai, Thailand (see 3-Day Volunteer Training) to teach them about team teaching.
Ecotourism and Wildlife Conservation
EcoEco
- Eco may refer to :* eco-, a prefix mostly relating to ecological or environmental terms* .eco, , a proposed top-level domain for the Internet* Eco , a proposed currency* Eco , a computer simulation game...
and wildlife volunteers can go to projects in national parks and villages to teach English, create ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
information and help improve community-based ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
services. The eco volunteer explains the advantages of community-based ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
to the local community and provides ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
training to gain from ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
in the community. Most of the ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
revenue too often stays with travel agencies and tour operators.
Responsible ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
and conservation is a means to help the local community, national parks and villages to preserve and prosper from a living nature. Ecotourism in Thailand and Laos is tourism that that avoids damages to the environment that commonly occur with mass tourism. It also involves the local population, helping offer an alternative source of income to communities.
Ecovolunteers have the options of training local guides, rangers, host families, and children in the English language, designing and drafting English ecotourism brochures and pamphlets, preparing English information for national parks and assisting local ecotourism projects by developing local resources such as accommodation, transportation, trekking, guide services, and food. All ecovolunteers can participate in trekking and siteseeing whilst on placement.
Eco volunteer placements are located all across Thailand and Laos. Some are located in jungles, mountains, wildlife sanctuaries, by the sea and on islands. Volunteers with the specific qualifications are also needed for webdesign of national park and ecotourism sites, GIS, mapping, surveys and scuba dives.
Computer Training
IT volunteer placements are offered in Thailand and Cambodia at the Openmind Training Centre in Nong Khai, at schools and orphanages and on ecotourism conservation projects and include e-learning projects, IT and website projects, and teaching. Volunteers have a choice of teaching and e-learning resource development, web design for projects (schools, national parks, etc.), database, photo management, creation of promotional material, training local teachers and staff, teach IT/computer lessons to students and staff in schools.Health Education
In many developing countries, hospitols and clinics often do not have enough resources, enough training, and enough English ability to cater for patients. Health placements with Openmind are available in Thailand and Nepal. Placements in Thailand are broad. Volunteers who have experience in the health industry (doctors, nursing, pharmacy, etc.) are be placed in medical centres and hospitals and can teach in their related field. However, teaching in English is also needed and volunteers can be placed in the same placements in Thailand. Conditions on Nepal placements are challenging. Hospitals are small and lack facilities as they are located in remote areas. It is recommended that only seasoned travellers and seasoned medical professionals take on Nepal health placements. Volunteers have to pass these requirements to be fit for placements in Nepal.English Camps
OpenmindProjects offers a summer camp for local students in Northeast ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
) and South Thailand (Krabi
Krabi
Krabi is a town on the west coast of southern Thailand at the mouth of the Krabi River where it empties in Phangnga Bay. As of 2005 the town has a population of 24,986. The town is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi district...
). Camps are targeted at students interested in learning English regardless of social status, money and grade in the class. Students at multiple schools are chosen by their teachers based on the level on motivation to learn English. Camps are run free of charge, by volunteers and staff usually over a period of five days. Over a three week period during the school holidays each site can have up to three camps, with a rotation of about 100 children per site.