Volunteer Care work with children overseas in India

Located in Southern Asia, India is a country of rich natural resources and ancient traditions. However, massive overpopulation, extensive poverty and religious disputes have left many children abandoned or worse still, sold into slavery. While we cannot pretend to have the remedy for these social problems, the work that volunteers do on Care projects here touch many lives and make a real difference to some of the most vulnerable people in the Indian Subcontinent.

As a volunteer on a Care project in India you will have an important role to play, whether you are a trained professional offering us the benefit of your experience or a person on a gap year or career break looking for some experience of development work. Everybody is welcomed, provided they are willing to work hard and be committed to the role, their work-colleagues and the children they are there to help.

Voluntary Orphanage and Special Needs work with Projects Abroad

The orphanages and care centres in India that we work in are available in Tamil Nadu and in the neighbouring Ghat Mountain state of Kerala. This is India's deep Hindu South. The centres cater for orphans, children in care and children with disabilities aged from 2 - 18. In many cases your day will begin early when you will be required to help the children get ready for school. You might have the middle of the day free, or you might like to stay on to help out with other social care activities.

In whichever volunteer care project you find yourself, you need to be ready for a challenge. Many of the children are desperate for attention and there will be many present who have health problems or who require special attention due to disabilities.

Volunteering abroad on a Care Project in India

For the younger children there is often a nursery attached to the home where you can help, or perhaps you might even go with the children to school and help teach a little English. When the older children come home at 4.30pm you can help with their homework or organise games and activities for them before dinner.

Some care centres are more inclusive in their approach, teaching both life skills and handcrafts to the older children. As a volunteer, if you are good at art, crafts, sports or even gardening there's a lot you can do to help on a social level. Interaction, friendship and support are the most important things you will need to be able to offer the children we work with.

If you are keen to get more involved in work within the local community, you may be interested in our Conservation & Environment project. Our volunteers are helping to encourage conservation and promote environmental awareness in local villages. To find out more detailed information please go to our Conservation in India page.

To read a more detailed information about this project, you may visit our Volunteer Care & Community in India specialized website.