India Goa Volunteer and Adventure

Goa needs the assistance of volunteers, as a lot of the region remains extremely poor and untouched by international money, despite its' prominent tourist industry. By taking part in volunteer work in India, you will give invaluable help to children and adults in deprived communities.

The Volunteer and Adventure programme has the following structure:

1. You will be met at Mumbai Airport (formally Bombay) and will spend a night in a hotel to relax after your flight.
2. Spend the next two days on a tour of Mumbai including the 'Gateway of India' and Mani Bhavan.
3. After this you arrive in Goa itself. You will stay here for your volunteer work.
4. You will go on a trek and experience traditional settlements and see some wildlife.
5. Your orientation will teach you about culture, history, social issues and your volunteer work.
6. After your orientation you will go on a sightseeing tour of Goa including a visit to a Spice Plantation and a river cruise.
7. On the first three days of volunteering you will start your day with a one hour yoga and meditation session.
8. Volunteer work varies, you could teach at a local school, care for young children at a day care centre or help with computer education depending on your preference and the needs of the local people.

The general pattern is to work five days a week for approximately three to five hours per day. Most work occurs in the morning before lunch. But some placements require afternoon work as well.

If you choose the 4-week project your morning volunteer options are:

1. Day care centre work with children
2. Special education camps and bridge courses to children of immigrant and slum dwelling families
3. Computer education to the children for a variety of population segments which may include orphanages, groups of local women and adolescent girls

If you choose the 6 or 8-week project your morning volunteer options are:

1. Day care centre work with children
2. Special education camps and bridge courses to children of immigrant and slum-dwelling families
3. Computer education to the children for a variety of population segments which may include orphanages, groups of local women and adolescent girls
4. Teaching in schools
5. Working in the ASRO HIV home (medical background preferred)
6. Working in the school for mentally challenged.

Volunteer activities in this field include:

• Regularly teaching children English and Mathematics in the schools. No prior teaching experience is necessary.
• Creating a playful environment and enhance the creativity of the children through painting, playing games, singing etc.
• Working in creating low cost teaching material in making education more fun for the children
• Ensuring regular health check ups of the children in each school through co-operating with the local doctors and hospital staff.
• Each volunteer will be expected to take responsibility for everyday attendance of a few children to the school, aimed at improving overall interest in the school and reduce drop-out rate.

Early childhood care and education is an important area of work. Also called "Anganwari", these centres carry out holistic childcare in the area.

At these centres health monitoring, improvement of motor skills, nutritional supplements, vaccination etc. are provided for children from poor or uneducated families.

Volunteer activities include:

• Personal attention and care to the children coming to the centre everyday.
• Assistance to the local worker to maintain records for each child based on health, vaccination, growth and nutritional condition
• 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 newborn babies in the area for regular health check ups and vaccination.
• Creating a colourful and enjoyable environment for the children with games, stories and other creative activities (all material support and training for such activities would be provided.

Please be aware that while corporal punishment is now illegal in India and in no way condoned by Real Gap, it is still a common occurrence at many schools and orphanages. Although we are continuing to work with some of these projects it is with the aim of helping to educate those involved to alternative ways of disciplining children through the involvement of our volunteers and in country teams. 

ASRO is a Community Care and Support Centre( CCSC), for people living with HIV/AIDS. As a transitional shelter for AIDS patients, ASRO acts as a bridge between health care institutions and patients' families to create awareness in the community. Volunteer intervention (limited placements and medical background preferred, for longer term volunteers only) is required to help care for the patients who have often been left out of the social circle due to their condition.

Volunteer activities would include:

•  Everyday care for the patients and assisting nurses in the centre
• Maintenance of the facilities for the patients
• To improve and look and feel of the centre through decorations etc.