Community Work in Calcutta

The Facts

Placement details:
The projects offered in Calcutta are working in a women's rights centre that works towards the empowerment of women or providing health care and education to street children and young people with special needs in and around Calcutta. The projects operate in a range of facilities, including 60 outreach centres, a mother-and-child clinic, a computer training centre for children, psychological testing and guidance centres, therapeutic programmes and anti-drug centres. The majority of the children who attend the projects are street children, child workers, children who are victims of social injustice or are in need of care and protection.

Why the placement needs volunteers:
The main aims of the programmes are to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in the area, educate and improve literacy, medical care and nutrition, education on physical and mental health, skill development, life-skill training and the social and cultural development of children. As a volunteer you will work directly with social workers and may help to administer programmes such as English language training, computer training, and medical care. Volunteers are needed to support the staff at the centre. These projects provide a culturally immersive experience while allowing volunteers to make a meaningful contribution to the Indian people.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of placement:
Characteristics needed for these projects include initiative, commitment and patience, sensitivity, adaptability, as well as a willingness to learn. Volunteers should be emotionally mature and able to cope with distressing situation that could occur. A background in care work is not necessary.

Your role as a volunteer:
Your role will be to help disadvantaged people on a wide variety of projects. You may be involved in a range of activities from teaching English to helping with extra curricular activities. You will also get involved with making materials for the ongoing camps and training programmes. You will teach and work with small groups or on a one-to-one basis. As well as teaching English you may spend some time making resources, singing songs, playing games and offering advice on healthcare and nutrition. You will act as a role model to the children so the more you get involved in all aspects of life at the project, the better your experience will be and the more the children will benefit from your involvement.

Where the placement is based:
The placements are based in and around the city of Calcutta. Volunteers live in either an apartment/flat or a homestay run by a local Indian family and either walk or take local transport to their projects.

Please book your flight to arrive into Calcutta (airport code CCU) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup.