Work in Orphanages

Though India has been surpassing its development goals, poverty still remains a serious problem, mostly affecting the kids in the rural areas / poor families / disadvantaged sections. Luckily, efforts have been made by different social organizations to protect these children, by providing them safe and secure home environment, food, clothing and most importantly education.  As a volunteer, you will share your time, energy and skills to support these Children and show them the path for a better tomorrow. 

The Volunteer's jobs includes: Teaching Children basic English in NGO organised schools (balwady), ordinary school, drawing, organizing games, singing, dancing, theater, and energizers. General care of the children. And General / Special tasks / outings as assigned by the project. Working at an orphanage requires love for children, maturity, and self disciplines.

Working with Children

Teaching English for disadvantageous children or working for destitute, physically challenged, HIV/AIDS infected children

These are children who are socially and economically backward, disadvantaged, abandoned, destitute, physically challenged, HIV/AIDS infected and normal children at ordinary schools, special schools, residential schools and rehabilitation centres.  Most of the projects are a live and work situation - mostly helping the younger age groups and toddlers, teaching, learning & training, playing and living to together.

As volunteers you will be expected to teach Basic English and other subjects in English, drawing, organizing games, singing, dancing, theater, and energizers to students aged 6 to 16 in both private schools and NGO organized education centers. Volunteers are usually provided with a fixed-curriculum English book and supported by local English teachers. If you have skills such as computers, art, music, sports, professional skills you may be asked to teach these also.

Important information:

Projects working with children are normally closed during April and May and re-open in June due to summer vacation and have 15days holidays in October for the Dasara festival and 10 to 15 days in December for Christmas.

And would have holidays for festivals and as and when the Government declares a holiday.

Care for HIV/AIDS Inflected

Also care for people with other diseases like leprosy, cancer etc

Half way home and living community for HIV/AIDS infected persons run by NGO’s in the outskirts of big cities.  There is also a workshop where these affected people do handicrafts, leather goods, gardening, etc., products that are sold in the market afterwards.

This is a live and work situation.  Being part of the group is essential, help where necessary, you will understand that this is not a “9 to 5” job.    It means community life and sharing of friendship assisting the affected persons in their activities and helping them live a normal life.

Requirements from the volunteer:

(Should have a medical background or some specialization related to HIV/AIDS)

The Volunteer should have special skills like handicrafts, painting, knitting, tailoring, etc.,

The volunteers must have maturity, self-motivation and behave  friendly, loving, caring & willing to contribute at least 90% of times (8-10 hrs work a day)

As it is a rehabilitation centre for adults/youth/children alcohol and smoking is not allowed and the volunteer should be self disciplined.

A minimum commitment of 3 months is required for this project

Women & Rural Development Groups  

Women development project aims to empower rural women and women in distress and through them the entire family, so that they are healthy, economically above the poverty line, and able to analyze their own situation, and use their knowledge to make changes when necessary.

These project also has an environment program dealing very closely with the community; a children’s toy bank and library in the village; a school improvement program and conduct Art and Craft Classes for women and for children during holidays.  Chance to getting a exposure to herbal Medicine, organic farming, etc.,

The type of work that the volunteers will do, will depend on their interests, the project will allow the volunteer to make a choice after he/she comes; A minimum of 3 months is a must if you want to be involved in these kind of projects.

The working day starts at 8.30am with a 15 minutes tea break at 10.45am, a lunch break from 1 to 2 pm. Evening tea is served at 4.15/30 and Staff leaves at 5.30/6pm. Those who are working in the villages, normally take some rest in the afternoons before they leave for the villages, in the evenings.

Requirements from the volunteer:

The Volunteer should have special skills like handicrafts, painting, knitting, tailoring, etc.,

The volunteers must have maturity, self-motivation and behave  friendly, loving, caring & willing to contribute at least 90% of times (8-10 hrs work a day)

As it is a rehabilitation centre for adults/youth/children alcohol and smoking is not allowed and the volunteer should be self disciplined.

A minimum commitment of 3 months is required for this project

Working with The Elderly People

Taking care, cleaning, assisting in cooking and feeding, gardening and caring for the elderly. 

These elderly people are people that have been abandoned from their families, sent away by their children, some are left at these homes by their children due to unavoidable circumstances and for other reasons.

As volunteers you will be expected to help in the day to day activities of taking care of these elderly people, providing them basic care, nursing, keeping the elderly occupied, gardening, cooking - physical exercise, morning and evening walks, etc.,

The day starts at 7.30am with a 15 minutes tea break at 10.45am, a lunch break from 1 to 2 pm. Evening tea is served at 4.15/30 and Staff leaves at 5.30/6pm.

Special Note:

As it is a project with the elderly people alcohol and smoking is strictly not appreciated and the volunteer should be self disciplined and behave matured.

Working with the mentally challenged and schizophrenics

Residential community with mentally challenged or schizophrenics children, youth and adults, home for mentally challenged and schizophrenics provides the material and emotional resources that these special people need to lead a full normal life, such as - work, recreation, culture, friendship a family.  Some of these projects train the volunteer in taking care of these special people.

The work will be Residential Therapy to the Community and Outpatient programme for autistic children.  Therapy and counseling for schizophrenics, Occupational therapy, psychophysical exercise, and outpatient counseling.  Centre Maintenance and gardening, preparing meals, serve them, cleaning and giving company to the inhabitants of the house, educating them (you will be guided by the project).

Conditions:

A minimum commitment of 3 months

Project's requirement from the volunteer/participants: Maturity, self-motivation, creativity, friendliness, loving, caring & willing to contribute at least 90% of times (8-10 hrs work a day)

Work with the Visually Impaired

A Residential community with Visually Impaired –children and youth, provides education, the material and emotional resources that these special people need to lead a full normal life, such as – education, work, recreation, culture, friendship a family. 

A work and live situation, work will involve giving tuitions, reading out the contents from the text books so that they understand and learn, preparing the inmates to face exams, moral support and providing company to the inhabitants of the house and also educating them (you will be guided by the project as and when required).

Environmental Projects

Organic farming, watershed management and sustainable development

Being involved in doing experimental and Research work in sustainable development through organic farming, training programme in alternative traditional medicines.

Work involves various agricultural activities like planting, watering, weeding, Pruning, harvesting and dairy. Non-formula and adult literacy education programs, field visits, research and documentation work, training programs are also carried out and volunteers are expected to participate actively

The volunteers willing to work in these project will have work for the full programme year, Working here will be challenging and rewarding and volunteers will have plenty of opportunities to acquire knowledge on rural development, Indian traditional medicines and practices, organic farming etc During training programs volunteers will have opportunities to meet grass root workers, heads of NGO’s from many parts of India. 

Volunteers have to make a strong effort in learning the local language to understand the situation and participate actively. 

Condition:

A minimum commitment of 3 month is a must if you want understand the kind of work that is being done and the activities being carried out.

Internship Program

IVT-India organizes an internship program especially for international students in areas such as orphanages, organic farming, working with the spastics, special people and working at hospitals. For which the participants has to pay an additional 100 US$ per month / 80 Euros, apart from the participation fee.

Under the internship program, the intern is engaged in the day to day activities and exposed to to departments of the unit. The interns are assigned a certain task by the project in-charge and the intern has to make and produce a report, for which they will be certified by the organisation. The intern will also have a choice to choose a particular area of interest by working closely with project's person in-charge /staff.

Generally, a professional / staff of this project would serve's as a supervisor/person in-charge for the intern. As an intern, you will stay with a host family or at a youth hostel - near the project/institution. The director / person in-charge of the project will assist you successfully complete your report.

Please contact IVT-India if you need any help locating information and materials for your internship program.

Conditions:

Alcohol and smoking is not allowed and the volunteer should be self motivated, disciplined, punctual and have responsibility.