Volunteer for Teaching Program in Palampur, India

aside from being an absolutely beautiful country where i made so many fond memories, i will always remember india as the place where my awareness of other ways of life grew tremendously. spending time in the slums of delhi made me realise that not only am i incredibly fourtunate but that even if i wasnt, there are still so many things to be happy about. the children in the school we volunteered in were so full of happiness and stories to share with me, which i adored. i have never been more inspired by a group of people than i was by those children and for that i am forever thankful. as one of the youngest members of our group of volunteers i feel i learned a lot about independence and responsibility, both from my surroundings and from other group members. it was interesting having so many nationalities all together and now i feel like i have new friends all over the world! this trip opened my eyes to so many opportunities that exist in the world and it has inspired me to travel as much as i can in the future. also, maybe most importantly of all, it has taught me things i never realised about myself, and i hope to be able to apply my newfound hope and open mindedness to my everyday life. thank you

I always wanted to do volunteering work in slums so when I heard of this program I knew I definitely wanted to go! I saved money for 2 years and it was really worth it.
When we arrived in Delhi the staff was waiting for us and they brought us to the house where we stayed. Every day the staff was so nice and friendly and the food was very tasty.
We went to a school in a slum. We went there by metro and walking, shankar was walking with us and I really liked to talk with him about his life and family. In the school we did some painting and we teached the children in English an math. Also we played a lot with the children. I loved it to be at the school and every day when we had to leave I felt really sad because I wanted to stay with the children. The children are so wonderfull, they have nothing but are so happy with every little thing they've got. The energy I got from the children was really special. I miss the children every day and I really want to go back to play and dance with them more!

We also went to a few temples and to the old centre of Delhi. I liked to see something of the city and it was really nice to see the temples and the different religions.

This trip was really impressive because everything in Delhi is so different and I never saw something like this before. I think this was a great opportunity to enlarge my view at the world and think about the big differences between my life and the life of persons who live in other places in the world. I really became aware of doing something I loved to do made so many people happy and I will never forget this.

Thank you so much!

We came as a group of 17 students ( 15- 17 years) with 2 teachers to work in Delhi at some schools. We do this every year.
We stayed in two houses.
They were clean and well equiped.
Every morning breakfast was provided by Shankar en Rameesh. We were also escorted to the schools, and picked up during lunch and at the end of the day where they also provided dinner.
In short words : we were in good hands, safe and sound. Allways joyfull and helpfull. They took care of the sick students. The food was excellent.
In the meanwhile there was a very diverse cultural program, well organised.
I have only positive facts to mention and i would recommend other school to join this program.

Love and respect to all workers of the organisation and the schools.
mr Robert

It was a really nice stay. I really had the feeling that i could help the children were we have worked with. It were just the little things they were so happy with. I really liked that. The children were so happy everyday and that made me happy to. One girl of the school where we worked said to me " we don't have much but we are okay with it." After this journey i am trying to be happy with the little things. So i think it changed me in a good way.

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.

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.

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