General Info
which is arguably one of the most spectacular regions in India and not surprisingly the Dali Lama holds residency in the area. iSPiiCE base camp (where volunteers live during their stay) is set in the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, offering magnificent views of the snow capped peaks and lush green forests.
With breathtaking scenery, clear air, and friendly, welcoming local people, Dharamsala is the perfect destination for your volunteer work in India.
Education Volunteer
Education volunteers play an important role in raising awareness about the need for regular schooling and offer much needed support to local teachers. iSPiiCE work in partnership with local primary and secondary schools and volunteers can work alongside the local teacher or deliver their own lessons daily. The most commonly requested subject of teaching is English and we encourage volunteers to create their own lesson plans with teaching materials available for this purpose. You may also bring your own teaching materials such as reading and picture books and teaching flash cards. For teaching English it is not necessary for volunteers to have past experience and in-depth knowledge of grammar and vocabulary and for the children to have the chance working with fluent English speakers is invaluable on its own. For those with a professional interest in teaching this is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your skills in a new and very different environment. Working with the children daily you will bring about a sense of professionalism and dedication and this is extremely valuable for children’s confidence and also for your learning of the local culture.
Childcare Volunteer
iSPiiCE work alongside the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Service) scheme which is a government initiative addressing both early childhood development, health and malnutrition in India. The services provided by the scheme are made available through local child care centres (anganwari) and they offer nutritional food and health education to mother and child as well as non formal preschool education. Although these centres do provide a valuable service in the community they suffer from a lack of funding and poor management affecting their ability to meet specified objectives, especially in the area of preschool education. This is where volunteer assistance can make such a difference and along with local staff you will be responsible for providing a safe, hygienic environment for the children to play and learn, play games and develop arts activities designed to enhance their motor skills and encourage creativity, also you will introduce the children to their ABC’s and nursery rhymes creating a colourful and enjoyable learning environment.
Women's Empowerment Volunteer
With the introduction of the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women in 2001 the Indian Government has said ‘Our vision in the new century of a nation where women are equal partners with men’ but in reality Indian women struggle to gain empowerment through society. Education is the most influential tool to raise the status of women and at iSPiiCE they run a variety of educational and confidence building activities to benefit women and adolescent girls in the local community. English teaching and computer classes impart much needed skills to the ladies, increase their self worth and offer a platform for social interaction, ultimately increasing their social status and employability prospects. One good technique for building rapport and empowering the local women is to ask them to teach you basic Hindi at the same time as you are teaching them. You’ll come back with fond memories of an unforgettable experience.
Requirements:
There are no educational requirements for this project; anyone with a heart to help is welcome on this project! Patience, commitment and a willingness to learn is essential. There is no maximum age restriction for their volunteer placements, but the minimum age requirement is 16 years unless accompanied by an adult.
