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Fantastic 4.54rating (29)
  • Quality Education

Daily Lessons for Children in the Slums

location
4 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Plan and deliver your own sessions to two or three small groups a day - English, maths, computer skills or sports education, roughly two hours of teaching.
  • Work at a project that is funded entirely by volunteers and completely free to every family that uses it - nobody is charged for a place.
  • Add to the girls' programme too: confidence, advocacy and standing up for themselves, in daily one-hour sessions alongside the core teaching.

Highlights

  • Plan and deliver your own sessions to two or three small groups a day - English, maths, computer skills or sports education, roughly two hours of teaching.
  • Work at a project that is funded entirely by volunteers and completely free to every family that uses it - nobody is charged for a place.
  • Add to the girls' programme too: confidence, advocacy and standing up for themselves, in daily one-hour sessions alongside the core teaching.
  • Contribute to the health and environment strands as well - hygiene and preventive health sessions, waste management, tree planting and clean-ups.
  • Understand the real obstacle: many families here see a child as an earner rather than a student, so getting children into the room is half the work.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Run daily English, maths and computer sessions for children in Jaipur's slums at a grassroots project that is volunteer-funded and free to every family it serves.

    A grassroots project, not a franchise

    This is a small non-profit working in the slums of Jaipur. It is funded entirely by volunteers and is completely free for everyone it serves – no family is asked to contribute. That model is worth understanding, because it means your fee is not incidental to ...

    About the program

    A grassroots project, not a franchise

    This is a small non-profit working in the slums of Jaipur. It is funded entirely by volunteers and is completely free for everyone it serves – no family is asked to contribute. That model is worth understanding, because it means your fee is not incidental to the project; it is the project's income.

    The obstacle the project is actually up against

    The hardest part is not teaching. It is attendance. Many families in these communities see a child as a physical resource who can be earning at the same work the parents do, and would rather their children did not go to school at all. Persuading a family that an afternoon in a classroom is worth more than an afternoon's wages is the underlying work, and it is slow.

    Knowing that changes how you read a quiet session or a child who stops coming. It is not indifference; it is economics.

    The four strands

    • Child education – English (letters, numbers, basic vocabulary), maths and computer skills. This is where most volunteers spend their time, roughly two hours of teaching a day.
    • Girl empowerment – training and advocacy to help girls become more confident and speak for themselves. One-hour sessions can be arranged daily.
    • Health education – preventive healthcare, hygiene and access to basic medical treatment for low-income families.
    • Environment – afforestation, waste management and road restoration, plus environmental education for the students themselves.

    What a volunteer actually does

    • Plan educational sessions in English, maths, computing and sports education
    • Deliver them daily to two or three small groups of students
    • Set homework and assignments for practice at home
    • Research and design activities and games that keep the children interested in the subject

    Small groups are the point here. You are not managing a class of forty; you are working closely enough with a handful of children to notice who is struggling.

    Practicalities

    Five days a week, weekends free. Minimum age 18. No teaching qualification required.

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house or with your host family. Mornings are often preparation time – planning your sessions, making materials, and working out what worked and what did not the day before.

    Sessions

    You will run two or three small-group sessions in a day, adding up to roughly two ...

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house or with your host family. Mornings are often preparation time – planning your sessions, making materials, and working out what worked and what did not the day before.

    Sessions

    You will run two or three small-group sessions in a day, adding up to roughly two hours of teaching. Groups are small, which means the sessions live or die on how well you have prepared them. Games and activities work far better than a whiteboard here; the children are tired, they may have been working, and holding attention takes effort.

    If you are contributing to the girls' programme, that runs as a separate hour and is a different job again – less about curriculum, more about confidence.

    Other strands

    Depending on what is running while you are there, you may join health awareness sessions or environmental work – planting, waste-management activities and teaching the students why it matters.

    Evenings and weekends

    Evenings are yours; Jaipur's old city and bazaars are easy to reach. Weekends are entirely free for the Taj Mahal, Pushkar and the rest of Rajasthan.

    Free-time activities

    You work five days a week, so every weekend is free - and Jaipur is one of the best-placed bases in India for using them.

    Jaipur itself

    The Pink City is a UNESCO World Heritage site and you are living in it. The Amber Fort above the city is the essential half-day. The City Palace, Hawa Mahal (the ...

    Free-time activities

    You work five days a week, so every weekend is free - and Jaipur is one of the best-placed bases in India for using them.

    Jaipur itself

    The Pink City is a UNESCO World Heritage site and you are living in it. The Amber Fort above the city is the essential half-day. The City Palace, Hawa Mahal (the honeycomb "palace of winds") and the Jantar Mantar observatory are all in the old city within walking distance of each other. Nahargarh Fort at sunset, looking back over the whole city, is the one most volunteers remember.

    The bazaars - Johari for jewellery, Bapu for textiles and slippers - are excellent, and haggling is expected. Rooftop restaurants around the old city do very good Rajasthani thali.

    Weekend trips

    The Taj Mahal at Agra is about four to five hours away and entirely doable as an overnight - most volunteers go at least once. Pushkar, a small lakeside pilgrimage town three hours away, is the calmer option and a favourite. Delhi is a comfortable train ride.

    Deeper into Rajasthan: Udaipur and its lake palaces, Jodhpur the blue city, and Jaisalmer for the desert and camel treks in the Thar. Ranthambore National Park, one of the better places in India to see wild tiger, is around four hours from Jaipur.

    Day to day

    Chai on every corner, cricket with the children after sessions, and if you are here in October or November, Diwali in Jaipur is genuinely extraordinary - the whole old city is lit.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Education Requirements

    at High school level

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    Criminal background check

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    No qualification is required, but this placement rewards preparation. You plan and deliver your own sessions, so volunteers who arrive with lesson ideas and materials get far more out of it. Basic computer literacy is directly useful - the computer strand is often the hardest to staff. Patience matters: attendance is unpredictable and progress is slow.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Included

    • Transfers from the airport or the railway station in Jaipur – so arriving overland from Delhi or Agra by train is covered too
    • Accommodation in a volunteer house or with a host family
    • Three meals a day
    • Orientation on arrival and your placement on the project
    • 24-hour assistance and support from the in-country team
    • Comprehensive pre-departure information
    • Certificate of participation, on request

    Not included

    • Airfare
    • Visa fees – India requires a visa arranged in advance, there is no visa on arrival
    • Travel and medical insurance – mandatory, and available through us at extra cost
    • Vaccinations
    • Local transport, a local SIM card, and personal spending

    The price shown already includes your application fee – there is nothing further to pay us on arrival. Programme fees can be paid in interest-free instalments, with the balance due 45 days before departure.

    Airport Pickup at Jaipur Airport

    Transfers from Jaipur airport are included – and unusually, so are transfers from the railway station. A lot of volunteers fly into Delhi and take the train to Jaipur, which is comfortable, cheap and scenic, and you will still be met.

    Fly into Jaipur International Airport (JAI) if you can, or into Delhi (DEL) and travel on by train – roughly five hours. Send your arrival details in advance so the team knows which to meet.

    Before you fly: India requires a visa arranged in advance for almost all nationalities. The e-Visa is applied for online and is straightforward, but there is no visa on arrival, so do not leave it late. Visa fees are not included.

    Accommodation

    You stay either in the volunteer house or with an Indian host family in Jaipur – the local team assigns based on availability and what suits you. Both are shared, simple and clean, with the basic amenities you need.

    The volunteer house puts you with other volunteers from around the world, which most people find is half the experience – you arrive alone and end up with a group to see Rajasthan with. A host family gives you a closer view of Indian daily life and much faster progress with Hindi.

    A local coordinator is based in Jaipur and available throughout your stay.

    Jaipur is a large, busy city and the accommodation is within reach of the project, with the old city and bazaars easy to get to in the evenings.

    Food & Beverages

    Three meals a day are included. Expect North Indian home cooking – dal, sabzi, rice, roti or chapati fresh off the tawa, and Rajasthani specialities like dal baati churma if you are lucky.

    Food is generally mild by Indian standards for volunteers, but say so if you cannot manage chilli, and equally say so if you want it properly spiced. Vegetarians are extremely well catered for; Rajasthan is one of the most vegetarian regions in India and the food is better for it.

    Note any dietary requirements on your application form. Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water, and be sensible about street food in your first week while your stomach adjusts.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Jaipur Airport (JAI) in Jaipur. We assist you to find cheap flights to India. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for India provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in India you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for India. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Start dates: weekly, year-round.

    Airport: Jaipur International Airport (JAI). Transfers from the airport or the railway station in Jaipur are included, so if you fly into Delhi and take the train – a comfortable five hours, and what many volunteers do – you will still be met.

    Visa: India requires a visa arranged in advance for almost all nationalities. The e-Visa is applied for online and is straightforward, but there is no visa on arrival. Visa fees are not included.

    Health: check recommended vaccinations with a travel clinic before departure. Vaccinations are not included.

    What to bring: teaching materials of any kind – flashcards, picture books, simple maths games, stickers. The project runs on volunteer funding, so anything you leave behind genuinely extends what it can do.

    Climate: Jaipur is very hot from April to June and wet in the monsoon from July to September. October to March is the most comfortable window if your dates are flexible.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program Fees

    $226 per week 4 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    4 - 12 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.5
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Asia > Southern Asia > India > Jaipur

    Meet your project coordinator

    Sahil
    29
    reviews
    4.54
    Fantastic
    2007
    Founded

    Verified

      Below average response rate
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    Volunteer Abroad  >  Education  >  English Teaching in India
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    Travel dates

    1. - 1. Jan 1

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