India - Teaching and Child Care in Delhi
Volunteer in Delhi, one of the world’s top global cities, and become immersed in the unique Indian culture. Give back to the communities you are visiting by volunteering in their orphanages, schools, or shelters for local children.
Fast Facts
| Location of Project | Delhi, Northern India |
|---|---|
| Project Length | Min 2 weeks - Max 12 weeks |
| Arrival Airport | Indira Gandhi International Airport |
| Volunteer Work | Teaching, childcare, orphanage work |
| Number of Participants | Up to 25 international volunteers |
| Age | 18 - 80 |
What's Included
| Accommodation | Shared rooms in volunteer house or host family |
|---|---|
| Food | Breakfast and dinner provided daily (excluding Sundays) |
| Support | Pre-departure assistance, local in-country team and 24hr emergency support |
| Airport Transfers | Pickup included from 06:30am to 10pm on start date |
| Orientation | Optional cultural orientation week with excursions in Delhi (extra fee) |
| Pre-Departure Kit | Full project details will be sent following registration |
What's Not Included
Location
Delhi is located in Northern India, consisting of Old Delhi and New Delhi, and is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in the world. It stands on the bank of the beautiful Yamuna River.
This fascinating imperial city serves as the main gateway to India; is comprised of spacious, tree-lined avenues; and is home to numerous national institutions, museums and landmarks. Rich history, a diverse range of cultures, and numerous exhibitions make Dehli an extremely popular attraction for those interested in business, tourism, or volunteering.
Humayun's Tomb in Delhi
About the Project
This project aims to extend a helping hand to children in need all throughout Delhi. There are three settings that volunteers may choose to participate in during this project:
Schools: the teaching program takes place in local community schools. Volunteers are given the opportunity to both teach in a traditional classroom setting or to teach groups of students in an informal 'open air classroom.' This is often challenging, but presents an opportunity to present the kids with creative, fun, and interactive learning techniques.
Orphanages: another project volunteers may contribute to is orphanage work. Here, volunteers provide disadvantaged and orphaned children with education, warmth, affection, and care. This is an opportunity to make a real impact on a child in need of inspiration and a strong adult role model.
Shelter homes: the final setting option takes place at a shelter home for street children in and around Delhi. These children face harsh realities of life at a very young age living on the streets. The volunteers who contribute here have the ability to leave lasting impressions on these children in need of optimism and support.
Volunteer Work and Contribution
Teaching Program:
Teaching program volunteers will be engaging and assisting in various activities mainly in community schools set up by the government. Daily work is 5 days/week for 5 hours each day and responsibilities include:
- Teaching basic English and other subjects to children from various backgrounds including slum areas and underprivileged families.
- Engaging children in different activities such as arts and crafts, games, and storytelling.
- Teaching them the importance of maintaining personal hygiene and good manners.
- Helping the teaching staff with general tasks.
The distance from volunteer accommodations to this project can be between 30 and 45 minutes.
Orphanage Program:
Volunteers at the orphanage program will be working with a large number of children in India who are without homes and come from various difficult circumstances. Participants here are encouraged to bring their own skills, such as art and games, to incorporate fun, warmth, and enjoyment into their lives. Daily work is 5 days/week for 5-6 hours per day and duties include:
- Assisting with children's education through organizing extracurricular lessons and helping with homework
- Helping the children with life skills including general education.
- Undertaking any administrative tasks allocated by staff.
The distance from volunteer accommodations to this project can be between 30 and 45 minutes.
Children's Shelter Program:
The third option is to volunteer with street children working at various shelter homes in and around Delhi. This program can really make a world of difference to a child's life. Daily work is 5 days/week for 5-6 hours per day. Responsibilities include:
- Providing basic reading help and assisting with informal education classes such as math and geography.
- Playing games and introducing them to new activities.
- Teaching them the importance of good manners and maintaining good personal hygiene.
- Most importantly, spend time with them and show them affection.
The distance from volunteer accommodations to this project can be between 30 and 45 minutes.
In all programs, days off are usually Saturday and Sunday.
Orientation Week
During the first week upon arrival in India, volunteers will have the option of participating in an extensive and fun orientation week in India's exciting and bustling city, Delhi - for an extra fee of US$250. This week will focus on a cultural introduction to the country, basic language instruction, familiarization with the cuisine, introduction to the popular attractions, and a brief history of India in order to give volunteers a better context for their volunteering projects and their time spent in this unique and beautiful country.
During this week, volunteers will have the opportunity to visit the Dilli Haat ethnic craft market, tour the the Akshardham Temple (the largest Hindu temple in the world), take Hindi language classes, learn about cultural topics such as the arranged marriage system and family systems in India, watch a Bollywood movie, and eat at an authentic Indian restaurant.
This is a fun opportunity to familiarize volunteers with the country they will be contributing to, while also meeting other like-minded volunteers from all around the world.
Please note that if you wish to participate in the orientation week, the minimum required project length becomes 3 weeks; 1 week for orientation and 2 weeks for your volunteer work.
Living Arrangements
Accommodations: volunteers will stay in either a volunteer house or host family accommodations in Delhi and share their room with up to 5 people. Volunteers are placed in the accommodations depending upon the distance from the project and the type of program they are doing. The accommodations are comfortable and volunteer houses have electricity and running, hot water. In the volunteer house, a basic bed, mattress, pillow, bed sheet, blanket and a quilt are provided. Dehli has an excellent transport system (buses, rickshaws, and Delhi Metro), and usually it takes around 30 minutes to reach the project sites from your accommodations. For the orphanage program, accommodations may be provided in the orphanage itself.
Food: breakfast and dinner are provided daily (excluding Sundays)
Laundry: no laundry service, but very cheap to send your clothes to a laundry shop.
Internet: free wi-fi is available at volunteer house.
Travel Highlights
After work, volunteers will have ample free time to explore and travel around Delhi. The city has a lot to offer in terms of shopping, culture and global cuisine. New Delhi has a thriving nightlife and is home to many leading personalities in art and literature. There is an optional introduction week offered on the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month ($225). The week offers in-house sessions on the cultural and historical background of India as well as Hindi language classes. There are also guided tours of many of the Indian attractions, such as Dilli Haat, the Akshardham Temple, Lotus Temple, Humayun's Tomb, Qutab Minar and many more. There is also an optional trip to the Tal Mahal (extra $100).
Minimum Requirements
- Motivation to work with children and experience new cultures
- Creativity and the need for improvisation in teaching methods
- Full travel & medical insurance
- Immunizations (consult your doctor)
- CV / Resume
- Must be 18 years old and above
- Basic level of English
Important Notes
A tourist visa must be applied for and obtained before travelling to India. A visa cannot be obtained for a stay exceeding 180 days. It is the sole responsibility of the participant to have the appropriate visa before travel. Please consult your local Indian consulate.
