Occupational/Career Therapist

Requirements

• A minimum of 13-month commitment to service
• 21 years or older
• Proficient in spoken Spanish
• Licensed in Occupational Therapy or Ergo Therapy
• Experience working with children and special needs children
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team, but can also take initiative and work independently
• Flexibility and Creativity
• Organizational and time-management skills to plan and maintain patient schedule, as well as documentation and reports

Overview

The Occupational Therapist/Ergo Therapist provides individual and group therapies for our children in NPH. Therapies can take place in the school or in the Occupational therapy room (depending on the home). Therapists work with a range of cases, as evaluated from past therapists, but also evaluate and diagnosis new children in the home.

Responsibilities include providing individual and group therapies, diagnosing new children, collaborating with the other therapists, working with teachers and caregivers, training local staff and developing new programs and activities to meet your therapy needs.

Most therapy, depending on the child’s needs, focuses on: gross and fine motor skills, concentration and attention, activities of daily living, basic concepts, memory skills, sensory stimulation, and speech and language therapy. Some of the homes have an occupational therapy classroom at the school or in the clinic, which is filled with materials, art supplies, and games. Others have only recently provided OT and have limited supplies.

Other Responsibilities

Each volunteer chooses an hogar (group of children of the same age living together) at the beginning of their year. Each home’s Volunteer Coordinator will communicate the expectations for hogar time. Usually, it is six days a week, 6 to 8 p.m., but this might vary per home. This has been described as the most fulfilling part of volunteering, the bond and relationships formed with their hogar of children.

Volunteers have every other weekend off, as well as up to 22 days of vacation time after four months of service. Vacation must be arranged according to the specific home’s policies.

NPH Volunteers must be at least 21 years old and commit for a year.  All NPH volunteers receive room and board, access to medical care, international health insurance, and a modest monthly stipend. NPH USA pays for health insurance (up to $500/year). Volunteers are responsible for paying their transportation to and from the country where they will serve, as well as any pre-trip expenses like vaccines and language school (if needed).

For more information, please write to the Director of International Engagement, Dr. Jennifer Foster, at jafoster@nphusa.org.