Volunteer Nepal!

  Nepal

• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu
• Pokhara: 
Pokhara

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: February, April, June, August, October

Description: Cultural Destination Nepal (CDN Nepal) is the name of a promising organization aiming to introduce the program Volunteer Nepal! Participants will be involved in a number of different activities designed to prepare them for their volunteer work and to provide them opportunities to more fully experience life in Nepal.

1. Orientation Phase (two weeks) - In the first part of the orientation phase, participants will be given an introduction to the program's schedule, health care, cultural and social "Do's" & "Don'ts", and interactions with the Nepalese host family. This is a "Pre-Service Training" program. During this phase the participants will begin to learn about Nepal, its cultures and customs, Nepali language, and community interaction skills. Meanwhile, the participants will stay with the Nepalese family to reinforce their new language and culture. The orientation phase provides participants the necessary preparation for their volunteer work experience and the knowledge needed to deal with their host organizations and host communities.

2. Volunteering Phase (1 to 3 months) Homestay Program - The volunteering phase is the most important as well as the most challenging phase of the whole program. In this phase, participants will work at their placement site as according to their skills and interests and the needs of the host organization. We will place the participants according to their desired living situation (rural, semi-urban, and urban), and they will live with a local Nepali family. In the meantime, the participants will learn more about themselves and what they are capable of doing.

Urban: City, with modern facilities (email, fax, and phone facilities, public transportation, variety of modern shops and restaurants, etc.), and modern families. Semi-urban: Small town, limited facilities (phone and pharmacies available), more traditional families and communities.

Rural: Village, very limited facilities (electricity and public phone may be available), very traditional & conservative families and communities.

The process of giving and receiving through volunteer work enables the participants to contribute their time and skills while gaining new perspectives about the world. The personal growth experienced during volunteering helps participants develop confidence in their abilities and can help them overcome obstacles and problems later in life. Normally, placement is provided in schools teaching various subjects such as English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Environment etc and educating the children in various ways. Participants will also be able to engage in outdoor activities, excursions, and acquire general knowledge about the area. They will have the added opportunity to volunteer in other fields at their placement site.

We also provide placement in NGO working in women's issues, environment, disabled children and so on. The participant has to have special experience and educational background volunteering in such a field. The length of the volunteer phase depends on the participant's requested interest, school schedules, and the needs of the host school/organization.

3. Trekking - Village Excursion (7 to 10 days) An additional, exciting experience for participants is the trekking phase. CDN Nepal will arrange a trek through the mountains and villages of Nepal. While trekking, participants will be able to observe the traditional lifestyle of Nepalese families and enjoy fascinating views of beautiful landscapes, snowcapped peaks and Nepal's flora and fauna.

Nepal offers astonishing topographical variation with altitudes ranging from 70 meters to 8848 meters across a width of merely 193 kilometers. Within its limited boundaries, Nepal enjoys a range of climates from alpine to temperate to tropical jungle, in narrow regions determined by its incredible altitude variation. The immensely diverse, undulating topography and the different communities in Nepal combine to produce a magical attraction for the participants. The trekking phase allows the participants to use their language and cultural skills to experience the real Nepal, far beyond what most tourists are able to experience.

4. Recreational Phase: At the end of Volunteer Nepal!, there will be two recreational activities for the participants: a jungle safari, and a white water rafting trip.

During Volunteer Nepal!, participants will have a memorable opportunity to explore and experience Nepal's unique way of life, the natural beauty of this wonderful country, and the warmth of its people. When the participants leave, they will take with them what they learned from and about this Himalayan kingdom, its people, and most importantly themselves. The Nepalese people only at random express their feelings in words, but in their faces a connection will be seen that the planet is not such a big place after all.

Highlights: Cultural Destination Nepal (CDN Nepal) is engaged in service to humanity right on the spot. Therefore a special program "Volunteer Nepal!" is introduced to the participants interested in more than pure vacation-stay. This program is designed for those people who wish to visit Nepal and contribute their time and skills to benefit the community people as well as learn Nepalese culture & customs by living as member of a Nepali Family and doing volunteer work in various fields (Normally we do place the participants in a school teaching different subjects and educate the children). By participating this volunteer program, it is hoped that participants will experience personal growth as well as open communication channel among different countries and cultures.

Qualifications:
- High School Diploma
- Volunteers should be flexible, physically fit, and willing to immerse themselves in another culture.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: USD 900

Salary / Pay: All positions are unpaid.

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 to 65

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Nepal Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Resume
• Written Application

Cultural Destination Nepal's Mission Statement: Cultural Destination Nepal (CDN Nepal) is the name of a promising organization aiming to introduce the participant in individually differentiated grades to Nepal's diverse geographical and cultural environment and promote general inter-cultural understanding through experiential learning in Nepal. This organization is dedicated to the promotion of worldwide understanding of cultural differences through its "Volunteer Nepal!" program.

Year Founded: 1996