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GYC2963 - Community work Country: India Cost: £945.00 Please note: £60.00 per week Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food, kit and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance or visas      Duration: 3 weeks (3 - 12 weeks avaliable) Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7592 or

 

	This placement would suit... volunteers with initiative and a willingness to learn will be perfect for this placement. There’s a variety of work to be done so get ready to pitch in when necessary. If you come with a genuine interest in meeting new people and experiencing a new culture then you won’t leave disappointed. This is the perfect placement to add spice to your gap year and can even be combined with other i-to-i projects. Volunteer in India and prepare for a truly unique experience in the second largest nation on the planet! By immersing yourself in the fascinating culture of local life in a tea plantation near Darjeeling, your volunteering experience will be of a mixed bag. You will be able to get involved in education, health care or agriculture in the rural villages. Have a taste of all three or indulge yourself on one, we'll leave it to you to decide. You could be providing basic health and hygiene advice to families, and working on maternity health programmes. You may also find yourself in hot demand in the local primary schools which are in desperate need of teaching staff. And, if you're green fingered you can learn about pioneering biodynamic practices and get involved with herb growing and composting. If you're mature, motivated, open-minded and flexible, then this project is ideal for you - it's not suitable for individuals who throw the towel in quickly. Project details: This is a varied project which allows volunteers to work on a number of worthwhile community initiatives, while living in the fascinating surroundings of a tea estate near Darjeeling. There are three main areas of work at the project - education, health care, and agriculture - and volunteers can get involved with one or more, depending on their interests. There are seven villages in the region of the tea estate, and the education and health programmes offer assistance to the families living in this rural community. The health programme was originally aimed at improving basic health and hygiene in the villages, and this has extended to pre- and post-natal care as well as maternity nutrition. Paramedics conduct regular rounds of the village, promoting awareness of basic health issues and offering advice to families. Education is provided to children in the community via a computer school and several primary schools, but there is an inadequate supply of teachers to maintain good standards of education. Volunteers who are interested in working with children can also assist with mother and baby care at local créches. For those who are interested in the agricultural workings of a tea estate, there is the opportunity to learn about pioneering biodynamic practices and get involved with activities like herb growing and composting. Why the project needs volunteers: Historically, tea plantation workers have received low wages and lived in poor housing conditions, resulting in a prevalence of disease and low literacy rates. The projects at this tea estate are aimed at improving standards of health, hygiene and education in the surrounding villages, and volunteers can contribute by bringing valuable native English skills and an extra pair of hands to help out with health and care work. Your role as a volunteer: Depending on your interests and the availability of work, you will get involved with a variety of activities. Volunteers are needed to teach basic conversational English and computer skills at local primary schools, as well as helping with child care at créches. You can also assist the paramedics with their village rounds, disseminating health information and collating statistics. There is also the opportunity to get involved with all biodynamic practices at the tea estate, including herb growing, prep making, composting and many other associated activities. Where the project is based: The tea estate is located near Kurseong, a small town with internet cafés, restaurants and hotels, 30 kms outside of Darjeeling. At a lower elevation than Darjeeling, Kurseong enjoys a more temperate climate and is surrounded by tea gardens and a wealth of flora. Darjeeling can easily be visited at weekends. Please book your flight to arrive into Bagdogra (airport code IXB) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. Our users say: "The people are the nicest I have ever encountered... I am so glad to be there, I am a class two teacher, they are great kids and I am really enjoying giving them a grounding in English and introducing basic health practices." Claire: Community work in Rural Darjeeling, India 0845 344 7592 i-to-i: We pride ourselves in a high level of service to ensure that all our gap year travellers get the most our of their meaningful travel. With Teaching, Community Development, Conservation, Sports, Media and Health placements in 24 countries, we can offer you the meaningful gap year that you want.