Volunteering Projects in India

Mid March to June is very hot and this can be a difficult time of the year to work in. Temperatures are in the 37 - 45 degree Celsius range. The monsoon season begins in July and extends through to August. Although the rain is a welcome change, lowering the temperatures to 30 - 35 C, it is accompanied by high humidity. Temperatures start to drop in November coming to the winter months and this time up to the end of March is usually very pleasant.

Volunteers have the opportunity to work with schools, day care centers, women’s empowerment, and with the Kanjar Community in urban and rural areas in and around Jaipur.

You can volunteer all year round however there may be projects that are not available for periods of time due to various reasons, eg school holidays.

At the orientation and training more detailed information is provided as to the specific placement. It is at this time that you, along with staff, will be able to look at the most appropriate placement for you.

You will need to fly into Jaipur for orientation.  You will most likely need to fly into New Delhi first and then catch a domestic flight to Jaipur.  Your placement will be arranged by our partner organisation while you are in orientation.

The Children’s and Women’s program is located in Jaipur and the Kanjar program is located in Jhalarapatan in the Jhalawar district.

Jaipur is located in the northern part of India about 258 kilometres from Dehli and 232 kilometres from Agra.

You will need to fly into New Delhi’s International airport and catch a domestic flight to Jaipur.  The flight will take about 1 hour.  From there our partner organisation will meet you and transport you to your accommodation.

You need to arrive on either the 2^nd or 4^th Tuesday of the month between the hours of 10am Tuesday – 10am Wednesday to be eligible for a airport pick up.

Orientation will begin once all volunteers have arrived on the Wednesday.

Transport to and from work each day is not covered under the program.  Volunteer will need to budget US$1-2 per day for transport costs.

Volunteers will be living in a rented house. You should expect to be sharing a room with up to 4 other volunteers. This will be shared rooms with a same gender room mate. Basic bedding will be provided. Volunteers will be provided with 3 meals everyday.

Yes and if you are vegan this will not be a problem. Jaipur, as with the rest of India, is predominantly vegetarian, and due to this there is a wide variety of vegetarian food. If you have special dietary needs please let us know and we will advise if these can be met.

There are many festivals in India; however this will not hinder your volunteering. When festivals are on you will most likely be invited to celebrate with everyone.

• Tetanus and diphtheria
• Polio
• Hepatitis A and B
• Typhoid
• Rabies
• Japanese B encephalitis
• Tuberculosis recommended if living with local people for 3 months.

You will have basic language training on arrival. It is essential that you develop your skills in Jaipur as much as possible throughout the program. It is not expected that you will become fluent in the time you are volunteering.

There may be a few possible placements where you can bring your children and this will be looked at on a case by case basis. 

The in-country fee covers your accommodation and 3 meals per day while you are working. It does not cover the cost of transport to and from work or on departure to the airport at the end of your placement. Daily transport costs on average between US 50 cents - $2 per day. You will also need extra funds to cover water, entertainment during your days off, and any personal shopping you may do.

Training covers the following areas: Program information, language lesson, cultural issues, code of conduct, health and sanitation.

When deciding what to wear in India you need to consider the temperature and environment you will be working in. Light, cotton clothing that covers most of the body is not only more acceptable in Indian culture, but it also helps to protect against sun and getting bitten by mosquitoes. Because you are there in the capacity of a volunteer it is important to be modest in your dress. Avoid exposing too much skin (particularly female volunteers) even though it is hot. Please do not wear mini skirts or shorts above the knee, or sleeveless tops. Good shoes will be essential for walking as well as for use during monsoon when it can get muddy.

There is further information specific to this question in the information pack that is provided once you secure your placement in the program.

A portion of your in-country fee will cover resources required to do the work, along with donations the partner has received. 

You do. You are required to get a tourist visa which can be issued for 6 months. More details are given in the information pack on how you should go about doing this and it is essential that you follow our advice for obtaining a visa so you are able to take part in the program.

Each GVN program has different criteria depending on our partner's requirements. Every application is reviewed to ensure that the minimum requirements (as set out on the program page) are met. Next we look to see what skills or experience you have that relate specifically to the program. We are also interested in any previous volunteer experience you may have (either local or international), travel experience, and your particular interest in the program.

After reviewing your application, should we require any further information from you, we will email you to request this.

As with any overseas travelling, insurance is recommended. The Global Volunteer Network has arranged a comprehensive travel insurance package specially designed for volunteering. It includes excellent medical and accident coverage as well as a ’loss of deposits’ cover which covers fees paid to GVN, airlines etc (up to US$8,000). If you would like to learn more just follow this link: http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/insurance/.

No, you can volunteer through the Global Volunteer Network from any where in the world.

Your application fee secures your place on the program (remember this is fully transferable to a later date or different program if you decide not to take part in the program, subject to the terms of service). Your program fee is payable to Global Volunteer Network 8 weeks prior to the 1st of the month you wish to volunteer. Please note that all charges incurred by the payment of the program fee are at the volunteer’s expense, e.g. if a bank transfer incurs a bank fee at the point of origin, that is at the expense of the volunteer. Eighty percent (80%) of your program fee is refundable until one calendar month before the 1st of the month you are due to begin your program. Refer to GVN's legal terms of service for full details.