Volunteer in India School Project
India Overview
A few spaces remaining for August / September
Get involved with teaching and assisting at a 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 reachable for a long weekend break away from the week's activities. The beaches on the southern coast of India are spectacular for relaxing or visit Chennai (formerly known as the spice city of Madras) and Pondichery (relaxed French styled colonial town complete with street cafes and continental bistros). For anyone also thinking about extended travel in India after their volunteering, this school experience will provide great preparation.
Images from India
Country: India
Book your placement with £125. Then stay for free with a once only programme contribution to the school of £150.
Your memories
We have been sent some of the most lovely photos from volunteers at play and at work, they are truly inspirational.
Photos by volunteer Chloe Baker
Photos by volunteer Gillian Phair
Photos by volunteer Hayley Day
Photos by volunteer John Flemming
.jpg "Volunteer Abroad with Original Volunteers")
Photos by volunteer Sandeep Singhe
Photos by volunteer Nichola Holgate
Photos by volunteer Phoebe Gatehouse
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.
Trip info for India
Country: India
Book your placement with £125. Then stay for free with a once only programme contribution to the school of £150.
Change lives and volunteer in India 2013 - 2014
Volunteer in India
Volunteer at this typical Indian village school and immerse yourself in the Indian way of life. This project is for volunteers who are looking for a real Indian experience and who are happy to live the life of a local with very basic resources and facilities. The right volunteer could really make a difference in this rural village.
This relatively new project is flexible and variable with no set schedules or timetables. Simply have a willingness to get stuck in.
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.
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, simply following a text book is enough.
Skills and Experience, no specific experience is required. For the India project all you need to do when working with children is bring enthusiasm and plenty of energy. Helping the children in India can be rewarding and you may soon find yourself expressing new skills that you didn’t even know you had. This project is diverse and you have the chance to learn and take part in many different activities and ways of life.
What's included
Accommodation:Volunteers stay together in a volunteer house, local support from teachers and the school's director.
Pick-up and transfer from Chennai airport is automatically organised for all Chennai airport arrivals for approximately £40, paid on arrival.
We consider this project ideal if you...
- Want to get involved with a typical Indian village school and get to know the 'real' India
- Don't want to be too far away from the stunning Indian beaches for longer weekends away or at the end of your stay for a well earned rest before coming home!
What's not included
Flights
Insurance
Return Airport transfer
Local Transport around India
Meals (organised with other volunteers or eat in town)
Visa
Support
All volunteers are provided with in-country support from their on-site English speaking coordinator, who at this placement 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 through the OV Buddy List. 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 coordinators.
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 very basic accommodation at the village school. Most of daily living in this part of rural India takes place outdoors but for sleeping there is one large room volunteers share together. There is plenty of outdoor space and during busy periods extra accommodation will be found where necessary and this could include camping. Many may choose to sleep under the stars in anycase on warm nights as per the Indian custom. There are no formal bathroom/ toilet or drainage systems in the village although many locals have constructed their own facilities and a private squat toilet and bucket style shower is available at the school for volunteers.
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 September to November, although the rainy season in Tamil Nadu is nowhere as heavy as the rest of India so should not interrupt travel as much as the rainy season might in Goa/Mumbai/Delhi.
Time difference from UK: GMT + 5.3hrs
