Volunteer Work In India

This Page is still under development, Sorry for any inconvenience

 

To help us run these important projects and to make a difference to the lives of India’s poor, we need volunteers in Goa.  Could you be one of them?

 

"If you reject the food,
ignore the customs,
fear the religion and avoid the people,
you might better stay home"

James A Michener

 

 

EDUCATORS’ TRUST INDIA – BACKGROUND

Educators’ Trust India (ETI) is solely funded by charitable donations and is staffed by a dedicated team of global volunteer members who include teachers and doctors. 

The charity was started in 2008 by Diego Baptista and his family and run three schools (New Light, Leading Light and Inspiring Light) in Goa, western India, where they provide formal education to the children of the migrant workers who come to Goa from other parts of India each autumn.

Many of these children live in slums and spend their days rag picking and begging. The children and families come to Goa from other parts of India seeking a “better life”. They construct makeshift homes, often simply of polythene and a few branches. The land they squat on is usually owned by someone who either charge a high rent or have the police evict them, so they go from place to place searching for somewhere to live. The children can earn between 50p- £1 a day in the markets, from rag picking or begging.

These are the children who you may have seen begging on the beach or perhaps selling jewellery and peanuts; ETI works to break the cycle of illiteracy and child labour which keeps them in poverty, by teaching them to read and write, to speak English and to learn maths. 

The charity’s slogan is: We give India’s forgotten children a future.

In addition to the two schools, ETI also runs an outreach programme called Morning Light in the slum areas where volunteer members help the parents understand the need for education, good food and hygiene; there are many links between poor health and poverty and ETI will always help sick or injured children via a weekly drop-in clinic, run by a retired British GP.

To help ETI run these important projects,  volunteer members are needed. 

Could you be one of them?

IS IT FOR YOU : Educators’ Trust India  is solely funded by charitable donations, the work of our teachers and other dedicated staff members is supported by a team of global volunteers who include teachers, doctors and other professionals. The work that we do includes running schools, working in slum areas, undertaking fund raising and organising events.
It is not for the faint hearted (or the squeamish!) but it is very rewarding.
If you are interested in any of the following then membership could be for you.
Administration, accounting, graphic design, project management, fund raising, teaching, general assistance in both our schools, nursing, attending our outings and fund-raising projects or any number of the activities involved with our outreach programme Morning Light
Most areas will not require you to have any specific skills or qualifications, just a love of children and an interest in Educators’ Trust India and the work we do. For areas such as teaching and some medical work you will need to show you have experience within these fields.

VISITORS/HELPERS :...If you are already in Goa and decide that you would like to help us:
Then a different process applies. We know that it is difficult to become CRB approved if you are away from home and do not have your documentation with you. However, we are grateful for your interest, so we have a range of different roles available where you can assist with administration, accounting project management, fund raising and excursions but will not have direct teaching access or personal contact with the children.

In the first instance, please speak to one of the local team and outline your skills, background, the amount of time that you will be in Goa and the number of days you can help out per week. We will need to know what you hope to get out of your time with us, so that we can assess where best to place you within an ETI project. We will ask for a minimum of three days’ commitment per week; we do not work at weekends but we do sometimes have events on Sunday evenings or take the children to the beach on Saturdays. Please fill in the simple one page application form which you can obtain from a member of the team in Goa

 

Upon arrival

Welcome to Goa!

Please make your own way (pre-paid taxis are available at the airport) to your accommodation and settle in. Please let us know that you have arrived safely,  confirm the date on which you would like to have your induction meeting and share your local contact details with us (we suggest you obtain an Indian SIM card for your mobile phone as soon as you can – you will need ID and two passport photos for this).

Post arrival

We suggest you spend a few days acclimatising to the Goan weather and getting to know the area.  Once you have settled into your accommodation,  we will provide you with an induction meeting, your uniform and ID card/badge and introduce you to our staff and some of the children. We can also answer any immediate questions you may have and we will agree your work schedule with you.

The badge must be returned at the end of your stay, in order to receive the return of your volunteer deposit.

Driving

The driving standards in India are very erratic and challenging; for this reason we do not recommend you driving during your stay, unless you are an extremely competent driver.

If you want to hire a scooter you must obtain an International Driving Permit from the AA or the RAC or a main UK Post Office prior to your arrival in India. Application forms are available online from the AA at
www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/

The cost is currently £5.50 per year and applications are usually processed within a week.

Please ensure you have adequate insurance to cover you for the full duration of your stay to cover the activities in which you may decide to participate.

Local Transport

Buses are very cheap and run every few minutes between the main towns in northern Goa or about every half an hour between the school and Mapusa, Panjim or Calangute.

Money Exchange

Travellers cheques can be exchanged easily. Only exchange a small amount at the airport, as they may give you a poor rate. The best rate will be obtained in the tourist areas such as Baga, Anjuna or Calangute. Most towns have ATMs where it is easy to withdraw money from your home account with your valid PIN - this is generally the simplest and safest way of obtaining cash.