Why volunteer with Pour un Sourire d'Enfant?
Volunteering is a unique and enriching experience, it allows you to put your skills to good use in a multicultural context. Being a volunteer means giving the best of yourself, acting with an open mind and with respect!
Helping the Cambodian team
The Pour un Sourire d'Enfant team working in the field is mainly Khmer. This is an ethical choice, made by Christian and Marie-France des Pallières, the founders of the association, who want Cambodians to be the principal actors in the development of their own country. This is also the best way to ensure the sustainability of our programmes and actions to support the children.
However, you can put your skills to work for the association in the field thanks to the different missions we offer, for all of them a good command of English is a must.
How to become a volunteer?
In order to make sure that the volunteering missions offered by PSE go as smoothly as possible, both for the volunteers and for the teams on site, the association has put in place a few conditions for applying.
Admission requirements
- Over 18 years old
- Fluent in English (oral and written)
- A good level of health
- Excellent interpersonal skills
There are different forms of voluntary work at Pour un Sourire d'Enfant
Solidarity missions
These voluntary missions respond to the precise needs of our local Khmer team based in Phnom Penh. It is necessary to commit yourself to a minimum of 6 months, which allows a good integration and an optimum satisfaction.
They are generally support missions to set up new programmes, assist teachers or help the communication department... Discover our opportunities and apply by sending your CV and a cover letter to : [email protected].
Volunteer for International Solidarity (VSI)
The aim of VSI missions is to provide expertise to associations. Selected volunteers already have at least 2 or 3 years of professional experience and bring skills that are difficult to find in Cambodia.
Missions last between 1 and 6 years within our different departments.
Find the humanitarian mission to suit you in our job vacancies!
Pour un Sourire d'Enfant' Camps
Every year, we welcome more than 200 volunteers to run camps in Cambodia for 5 weeks. The camps are designed to keep children from going back to scavenging or doing other manual work during their holidays.
Find out more about the PSE camps.
Solidarity missions with Pour un Sourire d'Enfant
Pour un Sourire d'Enfant regularly offers volunteer missions in Cambodia.
Staying involved after volunteering in Cambodia
In addition to the beautiful memories that volunteers bring back to their loved ones, there are also memories of encounters, smiles, moments of sharing and facing difficult situations.
So to keep your experience of Cambodia alive and to preserve the link with Pour un Sourire d'Enfant, there are different ways to get involved near you - on a one-off or regular basis!
- Follow us on social media and follow the association's news on the website
- Become an ambassador and tell your friends and family about Pour un Sourire d'Enfant
- Join PSE+, the group of former volunteers: share experiences, social events, fundraising...
- Get in touch with a support branch: there are committed volunteers across France and throughout the world who spread the word about Pour un Sourire d'Enfant and raise funds!
- Become a sponsor to continue supporting the poor children in Cambodia looked after by the association
« Once you have lived through such a strong experience as a voluntary mission, it is impossible to detach yourself from it. At Pour un Sourire d'Enfant we often say: we are a big family. It is very important to me to continue to invest myself with this NGO that is so dear to my heart! That's why I took part in the summer tour organised by PSE+. I went on the road for a week with 6 former volunteers to show the film Les Pépites and to talk about what we lived through in Cambodia. It was a great experience and an opportunity to relive a bit of what we had experienced during our volunteering »
Sophie, former volunteer in Cambodia for 9 months
Questions - answers on volunteering
- How can I do a Volunteer for International Solidarity (VSI) with Pour un Sourire d'Enfant?
The Voluntary Service of International Solidarity is a specific type of status defined by Europe, in agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At Pour un Sourire d'Enfant, the VSI type contracts are reserved for candidates with specific skills and expertise that the association cannot find in Cambodia. The missions last between 1 and 6 years and the remuneration varies according to the position and the profile.
- What is the difference between volunteering and voluntary work?
Volunteering and voluntary work are the result of civic commitment. In the case of volunteering, the commitment is free and does not meet any particular conditions (age or skills for example). Voluntary work, on the other hand, is a contractual and exclusive commitment with an association, for a specific duration and mission.
- Who can volunteer at Pour un Sourire d'Enfant ?
Pour un Sourire d'Enfant does not impose any particular restrictions (for example, there is no age limit for applying). However, your profile must correspond to the needs of the local team (studies, skills, minimum 6-month commitment, etc.).
Any other questions? Go to our frequently asked questions about volunteering!