Help Protect the Environment in India - Volunteer with Raleigh

  India

• Other Cities in India: 
Rural Areas

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: All year

Description: Raleigh is a youth charity that inspires people from all walks of life, nationalities and ages to get out there and rise to the challenges of life on expedition. We run programmes in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India. Our expeditions are a challenging, but extremely rewarding combination of sustainable community, environmental and adventure projects.

Based in India's National Parks and indigenous communities, volunteers live and work in a remote forest environment. These environmental projects allow volunteers to see the best that Indian wildlife has to offer, understand the politics of conservation and develop an environmentally founded conscience.

Here are some examples of volunteer projects you may be working on. Please be aware that these may change and are just a guide to the types of environmental projects we work on during a Raleigh expedition:

* Solar elephant-proof fencing, Anaikatty - This environmental project is based in this tribal village, home to indigenous communities. Volunteers will be helping to construct solar powered electric fences and dig elephant-proof trenches around the villages and cultivated lands to prevent elephants and humans clashing in an attempt to prevent loss of life on both sides.

These communities are dependent on collection of non timber forest products and agriculture for their livelihoods. But there is significant pressure on the forests and elephants and wild boar are frequently leaving the forest to forage for cultivated crops, which represent easier pickings than increasingly scarce food sources in the forest. This creates conflict between man and wildlife, and in particular elephants. Both elephants and people are killed or seriously injured regularly in violent encounters and the problem is very serious.

* Ranger station environmental project, Bandipur - Raleigh, in partnership with Karnataka Forest Department, will refurbish a 100 year-old guest house deep inside Bandipur National Park. The guest house was constructed in 1908 by the Maharaja and has laid empty, falling into disrepair. Volunteers will completely renovate the guest house adding sanitation and water services in order for it to be utilized by the Forestry Department as a permanently manned ranger station serving the Chowdhalli Range - an important habitat for tigers, elephant and many other key species.

Raleigh volunteers will be camping in the national park and working together on this environmental project to provide sustainable hides for Park rangers and environmental scientists to monitor natural habitat and wildlife. By volunteering on this project, they will be helping to prevent, and catch illegal poachers who poach both wildlife and wood.

Highlights: * Our permanent presence in India means that we know what is needed to really make a positive difference out there. Because of this all of our volunteer projects are sustainable and genuinely needed by the communities we work in.

* Work in a remote forest environment where you'll see India's most fascinating wildlife

* Learn about the politics of conservation and develop an environmentally founded conscience.

"I relished getting my hands dirty and doing a hard day's work. I enjoyed the real sense of team building and being part of a group that provided a worthwhile and sustainable solution to a serious problem." Charles Arnot, venture, India

Qualifications: * Venturers must be aged between 17 and 24 and up for a challenge!

* Our expeditions are tough, but enable you to develop key skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, perseverance and leadership, all of which are sought by universities and employers and will help set you apart from the crowd.

* We advise venturers to sign up between 6 and 12 months before the expedition departs, the reason being the earlier you apply the better chance you have of getting your first expedition choice. This also gives you more time to raise funds and you'll benefit from our training workshops.

Cost in US$: 1,500 GBP - 2,995 GBP

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 17-24

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to India Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 8-12

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Raleigh 's Mission Statement: We are a youth and education charity. Since 1984 we have inspired over 30,000 people from all walks of life, nationalities and ages to get out there and rise to the challenges of life on expedition. We run programmes in Borneo, Costa Rica & Nicaragua and India. Our expeditions are a challenging, but extremely rewarding combination of sustainable community, environmental and adventure projects.

Year Founded: 1984