Volunteering For Grown Ups - Himachal Pradesh

  India

Rural Areas

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks and 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: Nestled in the valleys of the Himalayas, the State of Himachal Pradesh is known for its beautiful nature and pleasant climate during the harsh Indian summer. Volunteers can not only enjoy beautiful snow capped mountains outside their windows, but also take up adventure activities like trekking/rafting or cultural trips to places like Dharamsala, home to the Dalai Lama and center for Tibetan culture.

The volunteer activities relate primarily to education and child care. Possible volunteer opportunities include; teaching in rural schools, childcare work, community visits, maintenance of rural facilities, working with adolescent girls and rural women, special care and education to mentally challenged children.

Specifically, some of the activities available to older volunteers include:

- Teaching English and Math in the schools.
- Creating a playful environment and enhance the creativity of the children through painting, playing games and singing.
- Working with local teachers in creating low cost teaching material and to train them in making education more fun for the children.
- Ensuring regular health check ups of the children in each school through cooperating with the local doctors and hospital staff.
- Creating basic hygiene awareness among the children on a regular basis.
- Making and feeding the children a specially prepared nutritious meal everyday with the help of a local worker.
- Continuous survey of all pregnant women and newborns in the area for regular health check ups and vaccination.
- Creating a colorful and enjoyable environment for the children with games, stories and other creative activities.
- During some afternoons, the volunteers can take up maintenance, renovation and decoration of their various work places like schools, daycare centers, etc.
- Computer training for young girls.
- Recreational activities for enhancing self-esteem.

The program includes a visit to the Taj Mahal and sightseeing of Amber for in Jaipur with an Elephant ride. A 1-night, 2-day excursion to Amritsar, the holy city of Sikh religion is included in the price of the program. The famous Golden Temple in Amritsar is the holiest shrine of Sikhism. Volunteers can also visit the "Wagah border closing ceremony" betwen India and Pakistan.

There will also be workshops for volunteers on Indian cooking. Yoga classes are available each day along with basic and advanced Hindi. Indian massage is available at highly subsidized rates.

Highlights: This volunteer program is set up with the needs of volunteers, aged 30+ in mind. This includes shorter programs, more private space, greater interest in learning about local society and culture, need for organized travel possibilities, and more stringent quality control on the work placement.

Qualifications: All volunteers must be 30 years old or older. Volunteers need to have a desire to learn about another culture and teach about theirs. All interested participants must complete a GeoVisions application.

Cost in US$: 2005 for 4 weeks. Please visit our website for additional information.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: There is not a typical volunteer at GeoVisions. Volunteers are college students, retired people, professionals who want to give back in volunteering for a short period of time. Volunteers are interested in conservation, children, poverty, teaching, computers, sports and so much more.

Age Range: 30-65

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to India Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

GeoVisions's Mission Statement: GeoVisions is committed to help individuals develop global skills to succeed in the twenty-first century. These skills will ultimately lead to greater cooperation and understanding among nations and peoples of the world. We are committed to treating every person on a GeoVisions program with respect, and devoting our energies to helping participants meet their individual and collective goals.

Year Founded: 2001