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Fantastic 4.54rating (29)
  • Quality Education

Teach English & Maths in Slum Schools

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

Highlights

  • Teach the three subjects most in demand at these schools - English, maths and sport - in government and NGO-run schools across Jaipur's slums and villages.
  • Teach the way volunteers can and overworked staff often cannot: games, activities and interactive sessions rather than rote learning.
  • Understand what the work is actually for - keeping children in classrooms and out of the factories, workshops and domestic jobs their parents work in.

Highlights

  • Teach the three subjects most in demand at these schools - English, maths and sport - in government and NGO-run schools across Jaipur's slums and villages.
  • Teach the way volunteers can and overworked staff often cannot: games, activities and interactive sessions rather than rote learning.
  • Understand what the work is actually for - keeping children in classrooms and out of the factories, workshops and domestic jobs their parents work in.
  • Get placed on your strengths. The Jaipur team matches each volunteer to a school based on what they can actually teach, rather than filling a rota.
  • Live on three meals a day in a volunteer house or with an Indian host family, with weekends free for the Taj Mahal, Pushkar and Rajasthan.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Teach English, maths or sport at government and NGO schools in Jaipur's slums and villages, where the children are otherwise at risk of ending up in child labour.

    Who these children are

    Volunteers work in the slums and rural fringes of Jaipur, where close to 85% of residents moved from villages looking for work. The adults are in neighbourhood factories, in domestic service in wealthier households, or driving rickshaws. They leave early and come back late, ...

    About the program

    Who these children are

    Volunteers work in the slums and rural fringes of Jaipur, where close to 85% of residents moved from villages looking for work. The adults are in neighbourhood factories, in domestic service in wealthier households, or driving rickshaws. They leave early and come back late, which means the children are alone for most of the day – and children who are alone and out of school are the ones who end up in child labour or domestic work themselves.

    That is the problem this programme exists to push against. Education is the thing that breaks the cycle, and a school that a child actually wants to attend is the mechanism.

    Where you will teach

    Placements are in government schools and NGO-run schools serving these communities, along with social and low-cost private schools for poorer families. English, maths and sport teachers are the ones most in demand, so if you are strong in any of those, say so.

    How you will teach

    The single most useful thing volunteers bring is a different method. Indian classroom teaching in these settings leans heavily on repetition and rote learning, largely because class sizes and resources leave no alternative. Volunteers arrive with the freedom to use games, activities and interactive sessions, and to make the learning enjoyable rather than endured.

    That is not a criticism of the local teachers, who are doing a great deal with very little. It is simply the gap you can fill: you have time and attention they do not.

    Getting matched

    The Jaipur team chooses the school based on what each volunteer can actually offer, rather than slotting people into whichever placement is next on the list. Be honest on your application about your subjects, your experience and your confidence in front of a class – it produces a better placement.

    Practicalities

    Volunteering runs five days a week, leaving weekends free. Minimum age 18. No teaching qualification is required.

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house or with your host family, then out to your school with the other volunteers.

    In the classroom

    You will be assigned classes and work alongside the teacher, or take groups of your own once you have found your feet. English is usually the priority, but maths and ...

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house or with your host family, then out to your school with the other volunteers.

    In the classroom

    You will be assigned classes and work alongside the teacher, or take groups of your own once you have found your feet. English is usually the priority, but maths and sport are equally welcome and often less well covered.

    Class sizes are large and resources thin. What works is structure plus energy: a clear plan for the session, a game or activity built into it, and enough repetition that it sticks. Volunteers who prepare something the night before get noticeably more out of the day than those who improvise.

    Afternoon

    Schools finish in the afternoon. Some volunteers stay on for extra sessions or homework help, others head back. Both are fine.

    Evenings

    Back at the accommodation. Jaipur's old city, the bazaars and the rooftop restaurants around the Hawa Mahal are easy evenings out.

    Weekends

    Free, five days a week being the working pattern. The Taj Mahal at Agra, Pushkar, Delhi and the rest of Rajasthan are all within reach.

    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 school, 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 teaching qualification is required. English, maths and sport are the subjects most in demand, so say which of those you are strongest in - the Jaipur team matches volunteers to schools on that basis. Confidence in front of a large class helps; plenty of volunteers assist for the first week and lead later. Bring flashcards, simple maths games or a football if you have room.

    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 at the school
    • 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 schools, 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 – which many volunteers do, and it is a comfortable five hours – 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, so do not leave it late. Visa fees are not included.

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

    Indian school holidays: government schools in Rajasthan close for a long summer break, roughly mid-May to the end of June, and for shorter winter and festival breaks. If classroom teaching specifically is what you want, avoid those dates – volunteers arriving then are placed on other education projects instead.

    What to bring: flashcards, picture books, simple maths games, a football. Anything light and reusable will be used every day and left behind when you go.

    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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