Volunteers in this program work in local day care centers or “Anganwadis” as they are locally called, located in and around Palampur.Since the area is a rural area, there are not many qualified and well trained caretakers for the children. Our volunteers play a significant role by providing the children with the much needed attention , love and care. Volunteers provide one on one attention to each and every child and help in the overall holistic development of the children. Volunteers also help the day care centre staff by helping in daily jobs, such as feeding , cleaning, clothing, teaching and playing games with the children.

 

Since the inception of this volunteer program , we have seen a gradual change and development in the working of the day care centers in the area of Palampur. Volunteers have played a big role in their development by lending a helping and caring hand.

Typical volunteer activities include:

 » Ensuring attendance by the children of the area to these centers.
 » Keeping the parents informed about the activities their children are doing at the centre.
 » Help, prepare and, serve nutritious meals for the children every day with the help of a local worker.
 » Create a fun, colorful, “Play Way” environment for the children through games, stories and other  creative  activities.
 » Decorating and painting the day care center with charts, colors , papers to make it look attractive and inviting for more children to join these centres.

Volunteers are assisted by the local staff and team for any kind of help they need in their work.

Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the beginning of the program. Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.

Project Location
Volunteer Projects are located in and around the city of Palampur located in the state of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Palampur is well connected by road and air from Delhi. Volunteers have the option of taking a direct flight from Delhi to Dharamshala , from they are picked up by the local staff. The other option is to take an overnight bus from Delhi to Palampur. Our local staff in Delhi assists the volunteers in booking the ticket.  

Language & Cultural Orientation Week in Delhi
You have the option to start your volunteering with a week long Language & Culture Orientation week in New Delhi. (Starts 1st and 3rd Monday of every month). The week aims to provide important Language instructions, safety tips, and cultural knowledge before volunteers start their work. Volunteers would also be given a 2 day tour around Delhi to see the beautiful sights it has to offer.
Volunteers joining the program in Palampur are recommended to join the Orientation week in Delhi as it gives you a good head start where you can learn some basic Hindi and also get to see the historical sites in Delhi before leaving for Palampur.

Airport Receive/ Transfer:  Volunteers are picked up from the airport (in Dharamshala) or the bus terminal in Palampur and are transferred to their home stay accommodations.

Orientation: A half day orientation will be provided by our staff. We cover areas like, culture, safety, locations, transportation etc. Start your volunteering experience by taking the 1 week language & culture orientation week in Delhi

Lodging:  Accommodation is provided in a safe and comfortable homestay. Accommodation is shared along with other volunteers. The home stay has all the modern facilities available to ensure a comfortable stay for our volunteers.

Food: 3 Indian Vegetarian meals will be provided in this project. Typical lunch and dinner meals include Dal, Rice, Vegetables, Salad, Yoghurt, Roti (Indian Bread). Breakfast includes Bread, butter, jam, cornflakes, tea, and different Indian dishes.The meals will be tasty and healthy.

Insurance: All participants are covered for full comprehensive Travel and Medical insurance for their time of stay in our project. To view a copy of the Insurance Coverage provided, please click here.

In – Country travel assistance :  Volunteers are assisted by the local staff and coordinators for any kind of assistance they need for their travel arrangements. Volunteers plan trekking trips to Dharamshala on weekends and the coordinators provide full support.

In-country support: 24 hours support provided by our local staff. You will be provided with the contact details of the local coordinator and staff who will be contactable 24 hrs once you are in country.

Pre-departure information: After we receive full and final payment all participants are provided by a pre-departure information booklet by e-mail which will have all vital information about your program. The Pre Departure Information Booklet provides the complete details of the country, project locations, Visas, Immunizations, Things to Pack list, Accommodations, Contact Information etc.
 
During Your Free Time Volunteers can go and explore the market in Palampur and take long pleasant walks. The area in and around Palampur is very safe and volunteers generally prefer to walk to all the areas. You can also visit the beautiful tea gardens, temples and Tashi Jong monastery which is located in Palampur.

Start Dates
Volunteers can begin their project placement on any Monday of the month. Project duration varies from one week to six months. (Unless you join the Language and Culture week in Delhi, which starts 1st and 3rd Monday of every month throughout the year, followed by volunteer program of your choice in India).

Volunteers need to arrive a day prior to their project start date.

Program Costs
Volunteering Solutions strives hard to keep costs low and offer you the lowest prices with professional services to volunteer abroad. Compare our prices and services to other organizations and you would be surprised to see the difference.

What are you Paying For ?
» 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
» Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
» Airport Pickup
» Orientation
» Food
» Accommodation
» Travel & Medical Insurance

 What's NOT Included ?
» Airfare
» Visa and Visa extension fee
» Airport drop, airport taxes and local transportation
» Any personal expenses (You would need around $30 per week for your personal expenses)