India Overview

Get involved with teaching and assisting in dance, sport, music, English and Art at a friendly nursery/primary school and organising activities in the local community out of school hours.

Volunteers stay together in pairs and small groups and share the experience and activities together supported by the school teachers and the school's director. Bring lots of enthusiasm and a can-do attitude!

And when not busy with the children, the spectacular Indian coastline is not too far away for a long weekend break away from the week's activities. The beaches on the southern coast of India are spectacular for relaxing and both cities of Chennai (formerly Madras) and Pondichery are reachable with large urban populations of around half a million offering all the usual cafes,restaurants,banking,healthcare services of any large city that you might want for a weekend getaway.

This project is as much about volunteering as a cultural exchange, with the emphasis on the visitor learning as much about Indian way of life rather than solely the other way round so do get involved with the festivals and Indian way of life as much as you can to get the most out of your experience!

We expect this project to be booked up quickly - call now to book a space, we do not need exact dates at this stage, just the month you plan to arrive. You can stay over into the next month.

Images from India

Image title goes here

Click on a thumbnail to view image

 

India placement map

Click to expand

Click to see all countries >>

Book now on 01603 627 007 and contact people travelling to the same project!

Your memories

We have been sent some of the most lovely photos from volunteers at play and at work, they are truly inspirational.

What next?

If you would like to book over the phone or simply ask more questions please call us on 01603 627 007 See related video ' How to book'
If you know where and when you want to go, then you can book online.
You can also change your date of arrival or country at any time.

Change lives and volunteer in India2012 - 2013

Volunteer in India

Volunteer at this typical Indian village school and immerse yourself in the Indian way of life. This project is great for volunteers who are looking for a real Indian experience and who are happy to live the life of a local with basic resources and facilities. The right volunteer could really make a difference in this rural village and in return they would get a life-changing experience in beautiful surroundings.

This relatively new project is flexible and variable with no set schedules or timetables. Simply have a willingness to get stuck in and you can make a difference from day one.

Volunteers can choose their preferred volunteering activities on arrival, whether it is assisting in the wider community or teaching at the local school. Most volunteers get involved in a number of the following:
Taking Dance and Music lessons - Sports Coaching - Classroom assistance - Helping at the nursery/ play-work Helping with the village daily routine - Teaching English at the school/ in the community to adults Organising Arts/ Craft activities - Taking part and helping with local traditional festivals Learning handicrafts - Assisting with agricultural activities

School Teaching

This Nursery and Primary School was founded in 2004 to provide basic and global standard education to children living in underprivileged rural communities aged between 3-8 years, who cannot afford a good education. The school aims to teach the children a range of academic subjects as well as teaching them to love and respect each other.

The project needs to collect enough fees to pay the teachers’ salaries and to cover the running of the school building. Approximately 5% attending students do not pay fees and around 25% of students get discounted rates. There are a team of five trained teachers at the school so they are in need of all the help that they can get, with just over 100 pupils currently attending daily. Subjects which are currently taught at the school are: English, Tamil, Maths, Science, History, General Knowledge and Computer Science (without computers).

Volunteers are invited to help the teachers and children supporting their daily activities and sharing their knowledge. No special educational background or work experience is needed in order to work successfully at this school. All knowledge and experience that volunteers bring with them is highly valuable.

So far volunteers have been responsible for the annual school trip, colourful wallpapers and paintings, new school materials, songs, new games and teaching the children (and teachers) many more activities.

No formal teaching is required, anything will be appreciated even if you teach just a few words, sing songs or follow a text book.

Cultural Exchange

Volunteers may choose to focus their volunteering duties in the wider local community, in and around the village where the project is located.

The village is located about 15 km from the nearest town and most of it’s working population are engaged in agricultural labour as a means of making a living for their families. There are around 100 acres of agricultural land available in and around the village and there are also a number of cattle, goats and poultry animals, which are owned by some of the villagers. A few families own a tractor, a bullock cart or cycles.

A hut constructed from mud and coconut thatches is the most common type of housing used in the village. Nearly all families cook their daily meals on village stoves outside of their dwellings and there are a few hand-pumps and tap points in the village, which draw water from a government overhead tank. For washing and bathing; water from the village well or from a nearby lake is used instead. There are no formal bathroom/ toilet or drainage systems in the village although around half of the families have constructed their own bathroom of sorts using palm leaves as material. The village does have it’s own Primary Health Centre, but for people with anything more than simple wounds and infections, they have to visit the main hospital in the nearby town.

Volunteers can get involved how they wish, assisting the locals with a range of activities. These activities could include some of the following:

Tending to livestock (walking the dogs/ milking the family goat)
Teaching English/ healthcare in the community
Assisting with the running of the health centre in the village
Assisting with agricultural activities and learning traditional farming techniques (helping in the paddy fields)
Learning handicrafts
Assisting with the daily routine of the villagers (collecting water/ cooking/ cleaning/ general construction maintenance)

Skills and Experience, no specific experience is required. For the Morocco project all you need to do when working with children is bring enthusiasm and plenty of energy. Helping the children in Morocco can be very rewarding and you will soon find yourself expressing news skills that you didn’t even know you had. This project is so diverse that you have a great chance to learn and take part in many different activities and ways of life.

Support

All volunteers are provided with in-country support from their on-site English speaking coordinator, who is the director of the school where volunteers stay. This will be your first point of contact throughout your stay on the project.

What to take

Once you have applied and registered with Original Volunteers, you will receive an Information Pack via email that will have further details on the project in India; in this email there will be a list of items to take and items that are best not to take.

How to apply

It is quick an easy to book with Original Volunteers. You can book online or call us on now on 01603 627 007 and book over the phone.
See related video ‘How to book’.

It costs £125 to book. Once book you can go to as many placements as you want within a year without having to pay the booking fee of £125 again.

The booking fee instantly books and reserves your place for any month you choose .We are very flexible. Just let us know if your plans change and spaces permitting we will put you on another list.

Not on your own

Although some volunteers travel with friends, the bigger majority travel alone. It is possible to get in contact with other volunteers before your travel, and a lot of people tend to do this. They make friends before they leave and then meet them when arriving in India or some even plan to travel together and set this up themselves. Once in India you will never be alone as you are put into groups and so always have people to support and help you; along with the support team and co-ordinators who are always nearby.

Accommodation

Accommodation is included for all volunteers on-site. The project is located in a small village, 15km north of Villapuram, which is approximately three hours from Chennai.
Volunteers stay together in basic accommodation at the village school. There is one large room and electricity in the building. There is plenty of outdoor space and during busy periods extra accommodation will be provided where necessary and this could even include camping. There are no formal bathroom/ toilet or drainage systems in the village although many locals have constructed their own facilities. Volunteers are advised to take toilet roll or wet wipes with them as this is likely to be difficult of obtain on arrival.

Volunteers are able to purchase food in the village or in the nearby town to bring back and prepare at the volunteer accommodation. Food in the region is very cheap and a budget of around £3 per day will be enough for most.

Things that you will need to organise yourself

Flights to India
Travel Insurance
Any resources you wish to bring
Food
Visa

Fast facts - Project information

Project Duration: Min 1 week - Max 12 weeks
Location of project: Southern India
Arrival Airport: Chennai airport (Madras)
Working Hours: Variable and flexible
Language: English spoken by school director
Getting to the project: Pick up and transfer from Chennai airport (Madras)
Project operates: All year
Requirements: Minimum age 18
When to apply: As early as possible as spaces limited.

India at a glance

India, in South Asia, is the seventh-largest country in the world and the second most populous! It is amazingly rich in culture and all your senses will be struck from the moment you arrive in Delhi until the moment you leave for home. Discover the inner peace of Delhi, rich with architecture, human diversity and steeped in history.

From snow-dusted mountains to sun-washed beaches, tranquil temples to feisty festivals, lantern-lit villages to software-supremo cities, it’s hardly surprising that this country has been dubbed the world’s most multidimensional. India values culture and tradition and is the perfect country to be dazzled in, as you discover the treasures that make India so magnificent.

Climate: India has three distinct seasons although the south of India is warm to hot all year: Summer is from March to June, Rainy season from June to October, Winter from November to March.

Time difference from UK: GMT + 5.3hrs

Skills and Experience, no specific experience is required. For the Morocco project all you need to do when working with children is bring enthusiasm and plenty of energy. Helping the children in Morocco can be very rewarding and you will soon find yourself expressing news skills that you didn’t even know you had. This project is so diverse that you have a great chance to learn and take part in many different activities and ways of life.