Program Reviews

I loved my time in India, most of which was spent up north in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. During our month there we made awesome and unforgettable memories - some of the things you would wish you could forget, but those were the reasons I chose to go in the first place, and I hope I don't forget them as they are the memories that made India a life changing experiences.

Many of the funny experiences we had in Palampur involved the buses, whether it was everyone staring at us, one of us falling over, falling out, or getting on the wrong bus and surviving a massive detour... But one day a group of us girls were on our way home from town for the day, and as the bus went past a group of the street stalls it slowed right down, the side door quickly opened and slammed shut again, and there was a news paper parcel all bound up under the front seat. In our heightened states of paranoia we all jumped to the instant conclusion that the parcel was a bomb and we were about to die. It took a reasonable amount of self control and rational thinking (for me at least) to stay on the bus until we got home, and convince ourselves that it was unlikely to be a bomb..midday..on a half empty bus...in the quiet town of Palampur.

That night when we told our in country partners about what had happened on the bus they laughed at us and explained that it would have been a good parcel - and a sneaky way of transporting between towns was via buses... A bit different to how we do things back home :)

Hi I'm Grace, a nursing student from New Zealand. I spent a month volunteering in Palampur through volunteering India and Antipodeans.

Volunteering in a country very different to my own was a challenging and rewarding experience. As usual, you go with the expectation that you will be able to make a difference in people's lives, and they end up teaching you far more than you could offer them. I spent 3 weeks working in Karan Hospital in Palampur. It takes a bit of time to get over the culture shock, get used to the hospital routine and gain the trust of local staff, but after awhile we started to slot into the life and rhythm of the place. This meant we were able to go beyond observing and asking questions, to assisting with minor procedures. Not being Hindi speakers ourselves, it was harder to make a real difference for the people coming through the hospital but what we learned from the experience is priceless.

Palampur itself is nestled up in the mountains, and we had a lovely view of them from our volunteer house. It was great living with other volunteers and getting to know them, as well as living in a community with such friendly people. It was a great experience being able to live in, and be a part of the local community.

During our time off we also got to go on great adventures, seeing a bit more of the Himachel and surrounding regions, and getting to do things like Paragliding and mountain walks. The local partners, Bobby and Amit were great at doing all they could to make sure our placements were the best they could be for us, as well as giving us a good game of badminton and keeping us well entertained in the evenings.

Overall this was a great experience, and a good way to both, get to know some of the culture and people in the area, and to see this part of India. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone wanting to learn lots and meet new people, as well as those who want to experience the everyday India, as well as it's attractions.

I am a management consultant, taking a break from work. I am an extensive traveler, and India has always been the goal destination for me. I found a great program where I could travel and feel the culture / country on a more personal level, at the same time doing some meaningful activities during my stay. I was in Delhi for 2 weeks, for a street children program. The program involves teaching English and math to children from a slum area in Delhi.

1) Program
The placement is located in Okhla Phase I, which is a slum area, which is typically not a destination for tourists. Despite the high English level and easiness in getting around in Delhi, what I experienced in Okhla was something completely new. The neighbors of Okhla were first wary of my visits, but soon after were all welcoming with great smiles whenever I walked down the narrow paths of the colorful buildings. Children were caring and giving, despite their young ages. They were accepting me from day one, sharing anything they could, to make me feel at home. They even offered me to live in their houses, so that I didn't have to go back to Korea.

The children are easily inspired and motivated with even the slightest encouragement to their work and effort. They all have passion and find joy in learning. Even during the 2 weeks of time, with some personalized tutoring and lessons, they even showed great improvements in their class work. It was even possible to see their engagement and attendance level to class was higher. It is a great motivation not only for children, but also to the volunteers. They motivated me in a way to see the areas I have never seen before, and find beauty and passion there. It was truly a magnificent experience.

2) Local staff
Before coming to the trip, and throughout, I was in very good care from all the staff at Volunteering India. The level of care I got from them were so personal and considerate, I feel like I have made good friends in India as well. From accommodation, getting a sim card, photo copies, groceries, buying school supplies, tours within Delhi, and even tours outside of Delhi - all the staff took my problems as their own and did their best to make my stay enjoyable and easy.

I personally thanked all the staff as well, because through them, I feel like I understood the real sides of India, not just as a tourist. I feel like the understandings I had regarding the culture and history made me experience India on a much deeper level.

3) Overall
The time in Delhi has made me realize and experience so many things about myself and the world around. Although it was a 'volunteering trip', I feel like I received so much more from India, than what I could give during the trip. This has inspired me greatly to get involved continuously and plan my next trip around. I would definitely recommend to others who are searching themselves, and figure out what they want to do to add value to their surroundings.

Hi, I'm a Speech Pathology student from Sydney and I just got back from one month of volunteering in Palampur, India. I went through an Australian company whom are affiliated with the organisation, 'Volunteering India'.

After returning just two weeks ago, I can't help but rave about how amazing my experience was in India. Even though I have travelled to India before with my family, this was a totally different and so much more special experience for me.

The guys who work for volunteering India in Palampur, know Palampur inside out and have years of experience running volunteering programs in their beautiful town. They are definitely not short of knowledge and are so friendly, so there's no way you feel left out. They set you up at placements suited to your field of study and are happy to hear what you're interested in and work with you to ensure you have the most rewarding experience for yourself and the most beneficial for the community. Since I am studying speech Pathology, I volunteered at the Rotary School for children with disabilities. However, there are plenty of ways you can volunteer in Palampur depending on your area of study. For example the other students who travelled with me had backgrounds in nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy, so they were allocated placements at the various hospitals and medical clinics in Palampur. There was also a group of school students while I was in Palampur who had come on an expedition camp and their goal was to paint three Childcare centres within a few days! It was incredible what they had achieved in such a short space of time. There really is so many ways to volunteer in this small town, and every experience is so rewarding!

It's so easy to build friendships with the town people. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly. We were looked after well by our in-country partners Bobby and Amit who work for Volunteering India. They are two very kind and approachable people whom I’m very happy to call my friends. Not just them, but so many wonderful people I've met in Palampur will be my friends for life!

I am having withdrawal symptoms and just want to go back right now!! Looking forward to planning my next trip there in the near future! If you do go, make sure you stare at the mountains for a little bit longer every time...It’s worth it! After all, it’s not every day that you get to wake up to the Himalayas!!!

I definitely recommend ‘Volunteering India’ to anyone who wants to volunteer and experience India differently.

Hi, I'm a Speech Pathology student from Sydney and I just got back from one month of volunteering in Palampur, India. I went through an Australian company whom are affiliated with the organisation, 'Volunteering India'.

After returning just two weeks ago, I can't help but rave about how amazing my experience was in India. Even though I have travelled to India before with my family, this was a totally different and so much more special experience for me.

The guys who work for volunteering India in Palampur, know Palampur inside out and have years of experience running volunteering programs in their beautiful town. They are definitely not short of knowledge and are so friendly, so there's no way you feel left out. They set you up at placements suited to your field of study and are happy to hear what you're interested in and work with you to ensure you have the most rewarding experience for yourself and the most beneficial for the community. Since I am studying speech Pathology, I volunteered at the Rotary School for children with disabilities. However, there are plenty of ways you can volunteer in Palampur depending on your area of study. For example the other students who travelled with me had backgrounds in nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy, so they were allocated placements at the various hospitals and medical clinics in Palampur. There was also a group of school students while I was in Palampur who had come on an expedition camp and their goal was to paint three Childcare centres within a few days! It was incredible what they had achieved in such a short space of time. There really is so many ways to volunteer in this small town, and every experience is so rewarding!

It's so easy to build friendships with the town people. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly. We were looked after well by our in-country partners Bobby and Amit who work for Volunteering India. They are two very kind and approachable people whom I’m very happy to call my friends. Not just them, but so many wonderful people I've met in Palampur will be my friends for life!

I am having withdrawal symptoms and just want to go back right now!! Looking forward to planning my next trip there in the near future! If you do go, make sure you stare at the mountains for a little bit longer every time...It’s worth it! After all, it’s not every day that you get to wake up to the Himalayas!!!

I definitely recommend ‘Volunteering India’ to anyone who wants to volunteer and experience India differently.

I volunteered with Antipodeans abroad as a third year nursing and midwifery Student in Palampur, India. This experience was fantastic with working in a local women's hospital in the week and then being able to travel as a group on the weekends. We did lots of travelling but this led to lots of fun experiences from paragliding, to hiking, to visiting the Pakistan Border and the golden temple, visiting many markets and temples, sightseeing, eating amazing food in different places, and of course staying in comfortable hotels. Best experience would have been paragliding in the Himalayas, such a beautiful view. We even got invited to an Indian wedding and jumped in the back of a quad bike one night which was a heap of fun. You meet so many lovely people and get to stay with other incredible volunteers. This was a great experience.

Last summer I did the summer program in india with volunteering solutions. I didn't know what to expect at first, because I'm not used to book anything in internet. When I arrived I knew I did the best choice. You have the freedom to move around the cities but you have always someone to contact with and who can help you to move around. The summer program gives you the opportunity to travel cheap and see lots of places in india while volunteering. It is also a good incentive that you don't have to worry about placements or mobility while traveling because it is all included in the program. If you're a first timer traveling or going to india I recommend this type of trip to see a little bit of everything in india.

India has surpried me and changed me. Its culture, customs and people hopitality.
It was also the girls I shared this amazing journey with. We will hopefully keep the friendship for many years. I thank the company for all the support.

Have you ever wondered what would it be lije to get to know another country in all of it's essences? Well, I always do. One of th things I like the most is to travel. Trips like going to a beach with an awesome hotel and chill are ok, but if you're looking for an enriching experience while traveling, this summer program is the best for you. During the india summer program, I got the opportunity to get to know lots of the emblematic places of this country and I also could help the people who lived there by teaching the basic subjects to the children. One of the moments I will always remember will be one of the days volunteering in Delhi, a man and a girl showed us the place where all our children lived with their families. All full of dirt, dogs, kids playing around, wires hanging everywhere... This types of experiences are the ones that enrich you the most and you can't get with a conventional trip, with the summer program, you get to know the real essence of india.

I'll by saying this trip was my first outside of Australia. I went through Swinburne university with a team of fellow students. Going on a trip like has allows you to discover yourself and a place nothing like I had seen before. This trip is superbly well organised and the support is fantastic, allowing your to embrace and connect with the rich culture of India as well as think about the differences that need to be made to give a better quality of life to some of the people we engaged with. I would highly recommend this trip for 3 main reasons.

1. I have since secured full time work out of uni and global experience was a big part of that.

2. It develops your independance and ability to jump at new chance and opportunity

3. You become apart of the culture and get to live in someone else's footsteps just long enough to open your eyes