About

The PSU Volunteer Center, located within the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) Hat Yai Campus in Songkhla Province, Southern Thailand, is a dynamic student-led hub operating under the Student Development Division. Established to cultivate a “Spirit of Giving and Public Consciousness”. The centre serves as a bridge between the university’s academic community and the diverse social landscape of the Southern Thai border provinces. Unlike traditional academic departments, the PSU Volunteer Center functions as an experiential learning laboratory where students from various faculties—ranging from Medicine and Engineering to Liberal Arts—collaborate on multi-disciplinary social projects.

The centre currently coordinates a vast network of student volunteers and youth leaders across PSU’s five campuses (Hat Yai, Pattani, Phuket, Surat Thani, and Trang). Its initiatives are deeply rooted in the university’s motto, “Our Soul is for the Benefit of Mankind”, focusing on community development, disaster relief, and educational outreach in underserved rural areas. Many of the student volunteers come from the multicultural provinces of the Deep South, and the centre plays a critical role in fostering peace-building, cultural exchange, and civic engagement, providing students with the leadership skills necessary to become socially responsible citizens in a globalized world.

Volunteer Requirements

• Speak English fluently
• Be open to interact with children, students and local communities
• Be interested in intercultural communication

Location

Hat Yai, Songkhla Province

Accommodation

Participants will stay at university dormitory with shared rooms and rest rooms.

Volunteer will receive a budget for meals. Breakfast and dinner will be at the university canteen. And Lunch will be at the working place.

Child Protection

Please note that you when working with children, you will be required to sign ICYE’s policy Care to Engage on Safeguarding Children.

Volunteer Tasks

International volunteers at the PSU Volunteer Center serve as vital catalysts for social change, bringing global perspectives to local community challenges in Southern Thailand. The primary role of the international volunteer is to act as a cultural ambassador and co-facilitator, working alongside Thai student leaders to drive the centre’s key social impact pillars. Rather than being mere observers, international volunteers are integrated into the “active citizenship” framework of Prince of Songkla University, ensuring that global solidarity translates into tangible local benefits.

Key Responsibilities and Core Tasks

Educational Equity: The “Railway Community” Project

Volunteers support the Volunteer Teachers for Railway Community Children initiative, which provides non-formal education to underprivileged children living in informal settlements along the train tracks.

Tasks: Organizing creative “Pop-up Classrooms, “teaching basic life skills through play, and providing mentorship to children who face barriers to formal schooling.

English Literacy for Small Rural Schools

Recognizing the “language gap” in remote areas, volunteers travel to small primary schools in Songkhla and neighbouring provinces to facilitate English immersion.

Tasks: Designing interactive lesson plans (games, songs, and storytelling), conducting “English Camps” and encouraging students to speak English in natural, low-pressure environments.

Community Resilience & Disaster Recovery

Southern Thailand is frequently affected by seasonal flooding. The centre plays a leading role in Disaster Relief and Community Rehabilitation.

Tasks: Assisting in the distribution of relief packages during emergencies, participating in “Big Cleaning” days for schools or community centres post-flood, and helping develop sustainable community maps for disaster preparedness.

Internationalisation of the Volunteer Centre

Volunteers help the PSU Volunteer Centre connect with the global volunteer movement.

Tasks: Creating English-language social media content, documenting project impact through photography or blogging, and facilitating “Global Talk” sessions for Thai students to practice language and exchange cultural values.