A place to help special students continue to pursue their dreams.

Accompanying children

One day at the end of March, the first members of the Gia An Club - VIP's Career Guidance Center (located at 59 Ngo Van So Street, Vinh City) received their first envelopes containing "March Salary." The amount in each envelope wasn't large, but it represented the fruits of their labor after days of diligent work, meticulous attention to detail in every drawing and every stitch.

Receiving their salaries brought mixed emotions not only to the club members but also to the teachers and parents. This joy was truly wonderful!

Previously, over a considerable period of time, under the skillful hands of Hung, Nguyet, Phu, and others, many handcrafted products bearing personal touches were created.

Although the quantity is not large, many people have been amazed by the hand-painted bags, the small, pretty notebooks bound in fabric covers, and the paintings created with watercolors and acrylics.

Recently, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country, members of the club launched a product: straw bags painted with the red flag and yellow star and the slogans "Independence - Freedom," and "Vietnam - Happiness," which also received attention. After each product is well-received by buyers, the group earns additional income, which they set aside to pay salaries to their members.

Hung, Phu, Dung, and Nguyet... are all special children. Nearly 18 years ago, when they were born, they were all healthy and had intelligent, bright faces. But then, 6 months, 12 months, and 15 months after birth, their parents began to notice abnormalities in their children.

Nguyet's mother is a middle school teacher, and when she started noticing her daughter becoming less talkative, shy, and slower to walk and talk than other children her age, she became very worried.

Over the years, thanks to her mother's support, 18-year-old Nguyet has been able to attend school and integrate with her peers. However, at this new stage of her life, her mother hopes that she will have a place where she can be recognized, work, and live like a normal person. That's why she sought out the Gia An Club.

Phú is also a special child; from the age of two, he was diagnosed by doctors with symptoms of ADHD. Not wanting their son to be at a disadvantage compared to his peers, his family took him for intervention and integrated learning until the end of 9th grade. Simultaneously, Phú also studied at the Provincial College of Culture and Arts, majoring in both Painting and Music. Currently, although described as quiet, Phú is a sensitive boy, a talented artist, a skilled musician, and possesses many other talents.

To help their child develop his talents, Phu's family has enrolled him in the Gia An Club, where he has a supportive teacher and peers his own age. Here, the children also participate in various activities such as career guidance, life skills training, drawing lessons, and many experiential activities. After each class, they create handicrafts based on orders...

Multiplying hopes

We understand you! We are here for you! We believe in your child! We create a safe and friendly environment – ​​that's the message that the Gia An Club – VIP's Career Guidance Center aims for from the moment it begins operating. This is a club exclusively for...autistic childrenand developmentally delayed children are being supported under the first vocational guidance model in Vinh City.

The initiator and developer of this project in Hanoi is Ms. Phan Thi Lan Huong, M.A., who works at the Department of Children (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs). In fact, previously, not only in Nghe An but also in Hanoi and many other provinces and cities, vocational training projects and centers for autistic and developmentally delayed children often operated in the form of independent training. Meanwhile, upon reaching adulthood, what these children need and what their families desire is a place where they can learn a trade, live, and work.

Ms. Thu Phuong is the person who brought the model to Nghe An and, more than anyone else, understands the feelings of parents with children suffering from autism spectrum disorder and developmental delays.

Truong Hung, her second son, born in 2006, was diagnosed as "abnormal" when he was almost two years old. Over the years, she has been by his side, and after many sleepless nights and agonizing thoughts, she realized that "there can be no miracle to change things," and that she herself must change for her son. She cannot run away or hide, but must help people see children with special needs differently, so that they can be respected, understood, and loved.

Therefore, to help her son become stronger, she tried to help Truong Hung integrate with others. At age 6, he started first grade, and at age 12, he began studying intermediate-level painting at the Provincial College of Culture and Arts. She participated with him in sports, community activities, and other inclusive activities... At the age of 18, Hung and his mother took their first steps in the Gia An Club as members.

Sharing more about her decision, Ms. Thu Phuong said: "For families with autistic children, many families can support and provide for their children's lives, but that doesn't seem to be everything. These children need to learn life skills, self-care skills, and social communication skills... Besides that, they need to work and create value in life like normal people... Therefore, by participating in this club, they will be given the opportunity and confidence to express those abilities."

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Currently, we have many places that provide support, education, and early intervention for young children with autism. However, the needs of older children who need to identify their abilities and receive career guidance are still not being met.

In reality, over the years, Vietnam has had hundreds of thousands of people with autism, many of whom are of working age, but very few have found suitable employment.

Another important thing that older autistic children need to learn is life skills, self-care skills, self-protection skills, and skills to protect themselves from abuse.

Gia An Club was founded with the desire to give children the opportunity and confidence to express their abilities and, most importantly, to eliminate the prejudice that autistic people are a burden to their families and society.

Ms. Thu Phuong

Because this is a completely new model in Nghe An, Ms. Thu Phuong believes that success cannot come overnight. Instead, with perseverance and patience, she and the teachers here are working hard every day to provide the boys and girls with many meaningful experiences.

Here, children not only learn skills and work experience, but also get to play and express themselves through music, movement, and art.

As a teacher with nearly 10 years of experience educating students with autism spectrum disorder, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy said: "Many people think that these are special students, but I see them as any other normal students, each with their own personality and identity, and we all respect the differences of each child. Teaching them requires not only knowledge and skills but, above all, love and compassion. Their academic achievements are reflected in their daily progress, and this is a great source of motivation for us to believe in our journey."

Speaking about the Gia An Club - VIP's Career Guidance Center, Ms. Thu Phuong also shared that she and the boys and girls there are ready to embark on a new journey, a journey of love, understanding, and hope. Furthermore, they believe that even though the children here are not like other children, when they are born and grow up, they are still wonderful children – in their own way.

My Ha