Strengthening International Collaboration: RTCCD and University of Saskatchewan Students Finalize Training Materials for the “Family” Project

On 5–6 August 2026, the Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD), in collaboration with the Thuy An Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities (Thuy An), conducted a working session to review, update and develop additional learning materials for the “Family” Project. The activity brought together two final-year students from the Master of Physical Therapy program at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

The “Family” Project is funded by SPOON, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, with technical support from International Social Service (ISS). The project is being implemented by RTCCD in collaboration with Thuy An across 10 communes/wards in Hanoi and Ninh Binh Province. The project aims to strengthen families’ capacity to provide home-based care for children with disabilities, contributing to ensuring that every child has the right to live, be loved, and grow up in a family environment.

The activity focused on reviewing and finalizing the training materials developed under the initiative “Supporting Families of Children with Disabilities in Home-Based Care”, while adding new content and instructional videos to better respond to families’ needs during the implementation of the Family Project. Once finalized, the materials will be used in in-person training sessions for parents and caregivers and integrated into the project’s online learning platform.

In addition to the learning-material development activities, the two University of Saskatchewan students had the opportunity to visit and learn about the care, education and rehabilitation model at Thuy An. They observed intervention activities, visited vocational training classes, and took part in several activities with children with disabilities. The visit provided the students with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of practices in care and rehabilitation for children with disabilities in Vietnam, while also promoting professional exchange and knowledge sharing among RTCCD, Thuy An and the University of Saskatchewan.

This activity represents an important preparatory step ahead of the implementation of the “Family” Project in Hanoi and Ninh Binh. Once finalized, the training materials will support both in-person training and online learning activities for families of children with disabilities under the project.