Trip Highlights
- Experience the diverse cultural and traditional nuances of India.
- Visit the number of heritage sites and ancient monuments in Delhi; such as the Qutub Minar, Red Fort, India Gate, etc.
- Explore the bustling markets of the city.
- Enjoy the tangy taste of authentic Indian cuisine.
- Chance to be a part of one of the highly chosen volunteer work projects in India.
- Get the opportunity to bring about a positive change in the lives of several disadvantaged kids.
- Take weekend trips to Agra to visit the world famous Taj Mahal, and other famous weekend getaways from Delhi.
- Try your hands on learning some common Hindi phrases.
- Interact with the locals and get to understand their daily life challenges and struggle.
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Start Date
All Year Round -
Duration
1-18 Weeks -
Program Location
Delhi -
Minimum Age
17 years+
Overview
There are about 100 million street children in India who do not attend any school and spend most of their time on the streets. In Delhi, the capital city, it is estimated that there are close to 1,75,000 street children of which 10% are runaways. In fact, there are more than 25000 children who live in and around railway stations in Delhi. They can be seen scavenging the rubbish heap for a meal, sleeping between the tracks, often beaten and sexually abused, falling prey to drug peddlers and child traffickers. Through extensive volunteer work in the street children program in India - Delhi this situation can be tried to be dealt with. Volunteers work at the various contact points or shelter homes, being run by various organizations, which serve as day care centers for these street children.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
The street children volunteer program in India requires a high amount of dedication and personal involvement from the volunteers. A generic list of tasks to be done by the participants under this program includes work, such as;
- Taking informal education classes for the children
- Playing recreational and fun games with the children, while introducing them to different and new activities.
- Help make them aware and imbibe some good habits in the children; such as, cleanliness, hygiene and greetings.
- On some of the days, volunteers can, also, plan a trip with the children to a museum or zoo in Delhi. Such educational trips are very useful for the children where they love spending time and playing with the volunteers.
- Volunteers can assist in providing love, care, basic literacy, recreation and most importantly spend time and shower affection on them.
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteers joining the street children program in India are required to follow a basic routine on a daily basis. This covers everything from meals to volunteer work and back. It must be noted that every placement functions at a different pace and on separate time-lines making the schedule slightly differ at times. A generic daily schedule for volunteers is as follows;
Weekends : Free to explore the city (No meal is provide on Sunday, as volunteers are encouraged to try the local cuisines.)
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
- Sunday : Arrival in Delhi
- Monday : Orientation + neighbourhood familiarization tour. Orientation session will
- be conducted by the local coordinator, covering topic areas; such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behaviour, food, and other suggestion over things to do in Delhi. Those who chose the Language and Orientation Week will carry on with the same for the entire, rest of the volunteers will begin their volunteer work from Tuesday.
- Tue to Fri : Volunteer work
- Breakfast - 08:30 am onwards
- Working hours at the placement - 10:00 am (volunteers leave the accommodation by 09:30 am) to 04:00 pm
- Lunch - anywhere between 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm (volunteers have to manage lunch on their own expense)
- Dinner - 06:00 pm onwards
Weekends : Free to explore the city (No meal is provide on Sunday, as volunteers are encouraged to try the local cuisines.)
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
Living
When you choose to volunteer in Delhi, we make sure that your altruistic journey is comfortable and enjoyable. As a VolSol volunteer, you will not have to worry about the airport pick up, your accommodation or your stay. Besides these, your dining, local travel is also taken care of by us.
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Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from the Indira Gandhi International Airport by a member of the local coordinating team in Delhi. Pickup will be provided between 6:30am - 10pm on the program start date. Participants already in country or arriving early can also be picked up from a designated meeting point decided beforehand as well.
Accommodation
While volunteering in Delhi you would be staying at one of our Volunteer home base in South Delhi. The accommodations are neat and clean and provide volunteers a home away from home experience. Our homes are equipped with wifi internet, filtered drinking water, geysers, air conditioning, satellite television, modern toilets and comfortable beds. The homes are close to useful amenities like banks, ATMs, currency ex-changers, restaurants, cafes and shopping arcades. All placements are around 10 - 30 minutes from the homes and volunteers travel to the placements everyday and come back home in the evenings.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by our staff on the next day after your arrival. We cover areas like culture, greetings, locations, transportation etc. Start your volunteering experience by taking the 1 week Language & Culture Orientation Program in Delhi.
Meals
Indian food is famous around the world for its diverse flavours, colors and aroma. While staying at the homes, you would be provided with freshly cooked breakfast and dinner, we have cooks at the home who prepare meals for the volunteers. A sample of the meals you can expect are mentioned below.
Breakfast - Parantha, Bread, Tea (chai), Jam, Butter, Porridge etc.
Dinner - Dal (lentils), vegetable, rice, roti (indian bread), pickle, yogurt may be provided along with some sort of curry.
For lunch volunteers usually eat somewhere close to their placement at a local restaurant, our coordinators would show you around at the time of orientation. This also gives you a chance to eat a variety of food that India has to offer. You would be able to have a comfortable lunch for around $3-$4.
During Your Free Time
During the free time volunteers can visit the local markets, visit internet cafes and the different restaurants in Delhi and try out the different Indian cuisines. During weekends volunteers visit the neighboring states of Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Our specialised Travel Desk can help you to book tours to any part of India or to neighbouring countries like Nepal or Sri Lanka.
Dates & Cost
| Week | Select Your currency |
| 1 Week | $250£205$363€228 |
| 2 Weeks | $390£320$566€355 |
| 3 Weeks | $490£402$711€446 |
| 4 Weeks | $590£484$856€537 |
| 5 Weeks | $690£566$1001€628 |
| 6 Weeks | $790£648$1146€719 |
| 7 Weeks | $890£730$1291€810 |
| 8 Weeks | $990£812$1436€901 |
| Extra Week | $110£91$160€101 |
Please Note: -An application fee of $250 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
Please Note: -An application fee of £205 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
Please Note: -An application fee of $360 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
Please Note: -An application fee of €225 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
| Months | 2018 | 2019 |
| January | 0721 | 0620 |
| February | 0418 | 0317 |
| March | 0418 | 031731 |
| April | 0115 | 14 |
| May | 0620 | 0519 |
| June | 0317 | 021630 |
| July | 0115 | 14 |
| August | 0519 | 0418 |
| September | 0216 | 0115 |
| October | 0721 | 0620 |
| November | 0418 | 0317 |
| December | 0216 | 0115 |
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FAQs
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Delhi is one of the most popular volunteering destinations, and it is advised to apply for the projects once the volunteering/ traveling dates are decided as there are limited spots available. The application fee is valid for one full year and can be sent earlier than the desired year of volunteering for timely confirmation of the seat. As soon as you decide the travel dates, we suggest you to apply for the program and hold your spot. Every program has limited spots available.
Usually, it takes around 10-12 working days for the application to be processed and placement to be confirmed. After we review your CV and documents, your booking is confirmed and the booking confirmation is updated in your My Account and you can view the information in your account. The application acceptance depends on the availability of seats in the project as well as the eligibility criteria of the program (age, skills and experience etc.).
Below are the necessary requirements to participate in the India volunteer projects:
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Medical Program volunteers must be at least 18 at the time of joining.
16-year-old volunteers can participate in Childcare projects with a Letter of Consent from their parents.
Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.
Participants must be in good health.
India is a country of different cultures and traditions, though it is modernized, the cultural sensitivities need to be kept in mind before volunteering in India. The volunteers should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Medical Program volunteers must be at least 18 at the time of joining.
16-year-old volunteers can participate in Childcare projects with a Letter of Consent from their parents.
Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.
Participants must be in good health.
India is a country of different cultures and traditions, though it is modernized, the cultural sensitivities need to be kept in mind before volunteering in India. The volunteers should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Yes, you are welcome to take part in any of the India Volunteer Programs as part of a group. We welcome families, friends, high school students, college/university and corporate groups to volunteer together in the Indian programs.
Volunteering Solutions India program has hosted large student groups as well as families coming to volunteer in the program. We have hosted groups from universities in UK, Europe, and USA as well as other countries, in Delhi.
Volunteering Solutions India program has hosted large student groups as well as families coming to volunteer in the program. We have hosted groups from universities in UK, Europe, and USA as well as other countries, in Delhi.
Yes, most definitely you can as we believe every participant brings something new to the project. If you do not have previous experience, we offer you the opportunity to have a great start with us. We make international volunteering easy – not only are our Volunteer Abroad opportunities rooted in offering you extensive support, but they are also very affordable.
All volunteers need to arrive in Delhi on the starting day of the program i.e Sunday. Participants are picked up from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi by the local coordinator or representative and are transferred to the volunteer accommodation.Orientation would be conducted the next day where you will also be shown the area around the accommodations, the nearest ATM, market, and will be given safety guidelines as well as information about your project.
Depending on the project, elected volunteers will work during the week from Monday- Friday. You will have the weekend off so you can travel on weekends. However, volunteers need to be flexible, open minded and understand that work requirements can change as well on certain occasions.
Do not worry, all the coordinators can speak and converse in English. Most of our participants are non-Hindi speakers and they’ve never had any problems while communicating. Like we say, love is expressed better through actions than the language.
To add to the project experience, you can also join the Language and Orientation Week in Delhi before beginning the program. It's an optional week, besides that we recommend participants to brush up their Hindi skills (learn basic terms and phrases, greetings) before traveling.
To add to the project experience, you can also join the Language and Orientation Week in Delhi before beginning the program. It's an optional week, besides that we recommend participants to brush up their Hindi skills (learn basic terms and phrases, greetings) before traveling.
Flights and Visa
All enrolled participants are provided information about the appropriate Visa requirements for India in the pre-departure manual. You can also contact your pre-departure point of contact to know more about the Visa requirements.
The Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi is connected with all major airports across the globe and flights are easily available. Some of the major flight carriers operating direct flights to Delhi are:
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air India, Jet Airways, Etihad Airways, United Airlines, Swiss Air, KLM Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian, Air France, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Finn Air.
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air India, Jet Airways, Etihad Airways, United Airlines, Swiss Air, KLM Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian, Air France, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Finn Air.
Health and Safety
India is a country of diverse cultures and practices. and Delhi being the capital city is home to varied ethnicities. Like in any new foreign country, participants are advised to follow the guidelines specified by the project coordinator to enjoy their Indian experience fully. The program coordinators are always ready to help and give helpful safety tips. During the first day of the orientation, you will be given safety guidelines and will be informed about the dos and dont's.
All participants are recommended to consult their physician or travel doctor before traveling to India. To view the general list of vaccinations recommended for your travel to India, click here.
Yes, for all participants, it is mandatory to have a valid travel medical insurance for their trip. Volunteers have the option to purchase Travel and Medical Insurance at a nominal extra cost from Volunteering Solutions. To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider.
If you already have a valid Travel and Medical insurance, you can email us a copy of the same. It is also advised to bring along the Insurance documents during your trip.
If you already have a valid Travel and Medical insurance, you can email us a copy of the same. It is also advised to bring along the Insurance documents during your trip.
Accommodation and Living
Your project coordinator will take you to your project placement and introduce you to everyone after giving you a basic orientation about the program/city/culture etc.
You will be told about the directions to the project from your accommodation as well as the best and the most affordable mode of transport you can use. Volunteers use a variety of modes of transport to commute to different locations in Delhi. Major modes of transport are Delhi Metro and auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk?).
You will be told about the directions to the project from your accommodation as well as the best and the most affordable mode of transport you can use. Volunteers use a variety of modes of transport to commute to different locations in Delhi. Major modes of transport are Delhi Metro and auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk?).
Volunteers are provided accommodation in a volunteer house or in a homestay (on request) accommodation managed by the local coordinating team. Two meals a day (Breakfast and Dinner) are provided to the volunteers from Monday - Saturday.
On Sunday, volunteers eat out and explore the different gastronomical delights that Delhi has to offer. Accommodation is shared amongst volunteers on the ‘same gender sharing’ basis rooms. Air conditioning facility is provided during the night in the volunteer home accommodations. Wifi internet is also available for volunteers’ convenience. Some volunteers are also provided accommodation in the project premises itself. For example - volunteers working in orphanage project can be provided accommodation in the project premises itself in a separate room that is allotted for volunteers. All meals will be provided to the volunteers in that case.
On Sunday, volunteers eat out and explore the different gastronomical delights that Delhi has to offer. Accommodation is shared amongst volunteers on the ‘same gender sharing’ basis rooms. Air conditioning facility is provided during the night in the volunteer home accommodations. Wifi internet is also available for volunteers’ convenience. Some volunteers are also provided accommodation in the project premises itself. For example - volunteers working in orphanage project can be provided accommodation in the project premises itself in a separate room that is allotted for volunteers. All meals will be provided to the volunteers in that case.
Yes, that is not a problem at all. In fact, volunteers are served vegetarian meals at the accommodations in India.
Volunteers work from Monday - Friday and have their weekends free for sightseeing. You can utilize this time to visit local markets of Old Delhi, Janpath or simply visit the Central Park (Garden) and Connaught Place. During the weekend, you have the option to take a short trip to Jaipur and Agra, and the Golden Triangle tour. Strategic placement of Delhi also allows you to take quick weekend trips to Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh as well as Amritsar, Punjab. There is a lot to do and explore, and the local Delhi office team would happily assist you in making travel plans and arrangements for short trips.
Your program fee does not cover your personal expenses. You will need to provide for yourself your personal expenses, such as bottled water, local transport, telephone, shopping, sightseeing etc. However, you should carry around $50-60 per week for your basic personal expenses. This amount can vary and you would need a higher amount if you go on different weekend trips out of town.
On arrival at the IGI airport, you can change your foreign currency to Indian Rupees (INR) at the money exchange counters. India has a modern banking system and all the major credit and debit cards are accepted without any problems. ATMs are available in plenty and you will be shown the nearest ATM from the accommodation as well.
Connect with Past Volunteers
We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to communicate with other participants.
Volunteers can also view the volunteer testimonials of Delhi program participants by clicking here.
Volunteers can also view the volunteer testimonials of Delhi program participants by clicking here.
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How To Apply
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Login To Volunteering Solutions -
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Select Your Destination & Project -
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Fill the Application Form & Make Payment to Secure your place -
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Hurray! There you go!
