VWB Projects with Maekok River Village Resort

CS Projects

Our Mission

It has been recognised that schools, and often those providing education for ethnic minorities in peripheral areas of Chiang Mai Province, have been under-funded with the result that facilities in these schools are frequently well below acceptable standards. It is also evident that it is difficult for schools to provide quality English teaching; that many able students for economic reasons are leaving school before their potential was met; and that provision for children with severe learning difficulties is very sparse. It is the need to address these issues which is the fundamental aim of the partnership of Volunteers Without Borders and the Maekok River Village Outdoor Education Centre.

MRVR 1 Teaching English  

Amongst the many projects undertaken by the Maekok River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre and its client base of international schools, has been the construction of volunteer teachers quarters at various Thai rural schools. The project was designed to ensure English language training for rural students whilst providing valuable teaching experience for potential or recently qualified ESL teachers starting out in this field.

There are three main approaches.

• Visiting international school students who enjoy the challenge of teaching as a part of their week’s activities. Lessons are either prepared before arrival or during the time they are here.
• Gap year volunteers. Young people come for 3 weeks to 3 months to assist with English teaching in local schools.
• Teachers from international schools give their time to conduct professional training for local staff. These workshops have mainly been for English teaching but also have included art, special needs support,and I.T.

Volunteers pay a basic fee for the support services - basic training module at the resort (by qualified teachers - and accommodation on site with regular visits from the project co-ordinator.

Programme Management: The Maekok River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre. Contact us here.

Duration: Minimum of 4 weeks. 

MRVR 2 - Infrastructure Projects in Schools 

School improvement projects have covered a whole range of facilities and include toilet blocks, canteens, dormitories, nursery classrooms, medical rooms, libraries, IT rooms and classrooms generally.

MRVR 3 Continuing Education Support 

Another area of support is for local students (and families) who find themselves in a difficult financial position when they have completed primary school and want to move up to secondary school. Heads of primary schools are asked to identify motivated and able children in need and visiting international schools and other individuals take on sponsorship of these young people who want to complete their schooling and indeed go onto further education. To date, some 60 students have been supported and 12 are in higher education.

View the PowerPoint presentation in the downloads & presentations section.

MRVR 3 The Thomas House Project

Thomas House is small specialized SEN School built with funds from 26 international schools. The land was granted to MRVR and after 18 months construction, opened in November 2017. We have the full support of the Chiang Mai Department of Education who provide funding for two staff and some running expenses. It provides a facility for up to 24 students, most of whom have never been to school. There is virtually no provisions for children with severe learning difficulties in rural areas. The children either do not go to school, or when at school, are offered little more than a ‘babysitting service’. The only other option is for children is to attend a special school in Chiang Mai that parents in rural areas cannot afford or are understandably very reluctant to send their children away to attend one.

The Maekok River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre in Ban Thaton (175kms north of Chiang Mai) has, with the help of its client school groups and the support of the local authorities, established a small specialized SEN School and Training Centre. Apart from the usual facilities, there is accommodation for both staff and volunteers. 

The faculty accommodates 24 students and will also act as a training centre for interested local teachers in the region and maybe, a model for what could and should be done in schools in surrounding areas. Thomas House is now a home to 18 children and adults ranging from 3-20 years. There are two classrooms dividing the children and offering an individualised learning program to suit the needs of each child. In each class, the children take part in a variety of learning activities centred around play, as well as useful skills for assistant staff.

There are occasional opportunities to volunteer at Thomas House, but in all cases,volunteers should have specialised experience and hold relevant qualifications. For further information please visit their website.

Who can get involved:

There are occasional opportunities to volunteer at Thomas House, but in all cases volunteers should have specialised experience and hold relevant qualifications. For further information please contact the manager please contact us here. 

Note* Subject to availability, the resort will provide volunteers a discounted meal and accommodation package offer. 

Programme Management: The Maekok River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre. Contact us here.
Duration: Minimum of 4 weeks.