Experience a rural way of living in a small village and learn about the Swaminarayan Hindu culture in Gujarat, India

Details

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  Description

  The organisation is a registered charity in India, UK and USA, It is situated in the outskirts of a village called Nar in a very peaceful part of Gujarat. This is a very peaceful and spiritual place with a beautiful huge temple in the middle of the campus with lots of greenery including fruit and vegetable garden.
  
  In the morning you will wake up to the singing parrots on the trees ready to take flight for the day, peacocks running through the fields in the morning and monkeys swinging from the trees.
  
  We have a school which provides education to children from the age of 4yrs to 16yrs.
  We also have a mobile "Hospital at your door service" which provides primary healthcare to surrounding 32 villages.
  
  We welcome volunteers for both our community services in Education and Healthcare.
  
  We welcome: -
  • Qualified Primary and Secondary school teachers
  • All Qualified Health Care and medical professionals (e.g. doctors, physiotherapist, paramedics, pharmacist)
  • Teaching and Learning Assistants
  . Sports Coach
  • College or University Professors and lecturers
  • Retired Professionals from all Occupations and Skills set
  • Self-employed professionals
  • Professionals e.g. Lawyers, Accountants, Engineers, Artist, musicians, photographers, Graphic designers, IT sector,
  Engineers, Administrators, writers, Sports etc. who can make a contribution to Occupational/skills based learning
  and extra curriculum activities with the children.
  
  ABOUT OUR SCHOOL:-
  
  The school is part of a campus which has a Care Home for the elderly, a cow shed, mineral water plant, hostel for boys, a beautiful temple and a fruit and vegetable garden.
  
  There are currently around 850 students, drawn from 40 surrounding villages. The school caters for children from 3 years old in the nursery, through to standard 10 (14/15 years old). The school is expanding rapidly due to its high standard of teaching, learning, innovation and international links as children and teachers are encouraged to work in collaboration with other schools locally and internationally.
  
  The school day runs from 07.45 in the morning to 13.30 Monday to Saturday. The academic year has two terms, from mid June to October and November to April. Students take exams towards the end of both terms. We welcome Volunteers throughout the year except during Diwali vacation and summer vacation when the school is closed (So please check vacation dates with us).
  
  ABOUT OUR HOSPITAL AT YOUR DOOR SERVICE:-
  
  We provide a mobile primary heath care service to 32 surrounding villages, where locals can consult with a qualified medical doctor and nursing staff, and receive medicines at the flat token cost of just 10rupees .
  
  • Four full-time employees (Doctor, Pharmacist, Admin assistant and Driver) travel with the fully equipped mobile hospital and dispensary to fixed locations daily.
  • The service is open to everyone regardless of any differentiating factor (age, gender, religion, caste, background)
  • Our employees remain essential to the efficient management and maintenance of this service, graciously dedicating their time and expertise in the service of others.
  • We aim to maintain continuity in the relationship between the patients and doctors, ensuring uninterrupted progress on symptoms, advice and general primary care.
  
  This service has benefitted over 98,342 people in total (and approx. 70 people each day) in our community with timely, affordable and localised healthcare.
  
  Every day the team goes to 5 or 6 different villages, in every village there is either a small office, or a temple, milk dairy, or even some people allow the medical team to use their home to be used as a pop up clinic. The medical team stays around one or two hours in every village depending on the size of the village and need. During the medical teams arrival in the village patients are diagnosed and provided with a medical assistance. The mobile "Hospital at your door service" has a stock of basic medications which is provided to the patients after each examination and diagnosis. All this work is done under the supervision of a lead program Doctor.
  
  The Hospital at your Door Service leaves the Campus at 08.30am and returns back to campus around 12.30 for lunch and rest. Then leaves again around 2.00pm and returns back at 5.30 pm. This mobile service is from Monday to Saturday. However, a detailed time table can be worked out on your arrival to suit the number of hours and days.
  
  You would not be alone at any time with the patients in the villages, but would be volunteering with our local medical team at all times as they will be able to navigate and help you with the local language.
  
  As a medical volunteer you will be able to also experience cultural events and festivals, which take place in the campus e.g. Kite festival, Republic day celebrations, Navratri celebrations , Independence day, mass marriage, eye camp, tricycle distribution for disabled, Prosthetics workshop, tiffin service to local hospitals and other health initiatives in surrounding villages. Some of these activities and initiatives take place through out the year and some annually from mid November until end of February each year.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Language practice

  Elderly Companionship

  Teaching

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  This is an opportunity for volunteers to be able to stay and experience a rural way of living in a small village. Learn about the Swaminarayan Hindu culture as well as be able to contribute to children's education in a school and Hostel situated in a very rural and peaceful part of Gujarat.
  
  As a healthcare/Medical professional you will be able to provide Primary Health care to 32 villages a week as part of a community service and also learn about very rural areas and villages.
  
  Please note that there are no bars, clubs or beaches in this area. And this opportunity of only for those seeking a spiritual and peaceful area to help children in the school or patients in rural areas.
  
  This is an opportunity for you to learn about local culture, festivals, events and language in a peaceful, clean and green area with monkey swinging on trees, peacocks running across the fields and beautiful birds singing near your accommodation.

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  FOR THE SCHOOL:-
  
  As a volunteer you would support the children and teachers in the school and hostel. We would particularly welcome volunteers who have some experience and interest of teaching English or other subjects and are also native English speakers from U.S.A, U.K, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and India. OR Fluent English speakers from other countries.
  
  You must be educated to a degree level AND hold a TEFL/CELTA/EAL/PGCE/NQT/NVQ OR an equivalent teaching qualification from your home country AND classroom teaching experience.
  
  We also welcome volunteers from a Professional background and experience e.g. Lawler, Doctors, Accountants, IT Professionals, Health care professions, Photographers, Dance and music therapist, Speech and Language therapist, self employed professionals etc.... However, you must have experience of working with children and be fluent in speaking, listening and understanding in English Language and have experience of working with children.
  
  We welcome volunteers to:-
  
  • Provide support to the children and teachers improve their speaking, listening, reading
  and writing skills in English and contribute to other subjects
  • One to one support to those with special educational needs/disability
  • Contribute to the teaching and learning experience by fun, creative and innovative methods
  and prepare joint lesson plans with our teachers.
  . Plan and deliver lessons jointly or independently with the classroom teachers.
  • Help with creating educational games, sports and craft activities
  . Sing and play a musical instrument
  • contribute to activities, seminars, meetings, parent’s day, festivals, sports and school trips/picnics and assembly
  • Play games, puzzles, music, reading, storytelling, give ICT and library support
  . Play cricket, Badminton, Netball, Football and other out door sports in our Sports Academy/Grounds
  • Extra-curricular activities with hostel/boarding students in the campus in the afternoon
  . Help children with homework and one to one support in the Hostel/Boarding
  • help create activities for developing listening & speaking skills.
  • Deliver presentations about your home country/town, e.g. Places of Interest, food, festivals, culture etc.
  • Facilitate debates on various topics to build confidence and improve communication skills in English
  . Add value to lesson plans, especially in English language skills
  . Cover for absent teachers where there might be a need
  
  On site, there is a computer room with broadband access, a music room, a library and an Interactive classroom with Smart board facilities which is used by the children, teachers and volunteers.
  
  Your main role would be to volunteer in the school teaching English. However, there is also a fruit garden, cow shed, temple and a care home for the elderly so volunteers have plenty of opportunities to interact and be involved with a range of activities in the campus during out of school hours. So this is your opportunity to learn about other areas of our charitable work, make a positive contribution in other areas, learn about the schools ethos and culture whilst making your stay with us more interesting and variable.
  
  The campus also runs a mobile "Hospital at your door Service" which covers 32 surrounding villages by providing Primary healthcare services and medication. Volunteers can visit this should they wish to during out of school hours and this would be a opportunity to visit surrounding villages if they wish to gain an insight into this community programme.
  
  
  FOR THE HOSPITAL AT YOUR DOOR SERVICE:-
  
  We welcome volunteers from all medical and healthcare professions e.g. Doctors, Paramedics, health emergency medical professionals, pharmacist, physiotherapist including other's who have experience and can provide Primary Healthcare Service.
  
  You will also have opportunity to be involved in the school's annual function, other community projects e.g. mass marriage, eye camp, health checks, prosthetics workshop, school annual function, Tiffin service to local hospitals, Aarti at the temple. But this depends on the duration of your stay with us and time of your visit to the campus.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Gujarati: Fluent
  Hindi: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  The school children are very eager to learn and practice English language, and you can learn Hindi or Gujarati in the school.
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  Accommodation

  The nearest airport is Ahmedabad International airport, in Gujarat. The school campus is about 2 hours’ drive from the airport. All teachers and/or Health Care Professionals would be picked up from the airport to ensure a safe journey to the campus by a member of staff.
  
  Free facilities provided during your entire stay as a volunteer is safe/secure two room apartment with bedding/linen, laundry service, all meals, Internet access, mineral water, tea/coffee in the school campus. The rooms are well-equipped, with fans, and your own en-suite bathroom and toilet.
  
  During your stay in the campus you will feel part of the Indian community experiencing the very rural local cultural and way of life in a very quite, green and peaceful part of Gujarat.
  
  Meals are vegetarian only and are served in the communal dining hall with the other students, staff and residents of the campus. Each meal is freshly prepared daily in our kitchen and is typical of traditional Gujarati Swaminarayan food (no onion and garlic). There is a mineral water plant within the campus so environmentally friendly, fresh mineral water is freely available throughout your stay.
  
  The dress code is smart casual during your entire stay with us and you must follow the cultural norms by dressing modestly at all times. Female teachers must wear Salwar Kameez and male teachers must wear smart shirt and trousers.

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  What else ...

  You will get a feel for the real India as the campus is not in a tourist area but a very rural peaceful area with lots of peacocks, monkeys bouncing in the fields and green/yellow parakeets in their thousands on tress . Therefore volunteers need to be comfortable with green peaceful environment where there are no clubs or bars or beaches.
  
  The nearest city is “Anand” which is about 30 minutes drive. Anand has railway connection to other parts of India should you wish to travel to other parts of India either before or after your volunteering period with us.
  
  This volunteering opportunity in the school and hostel is for those volunteers who are seeking a peaceful green environment away from the crowded, noisy and polluted cities but in a very rural part of India. Volunteers must have an interest in teaching and helping the children whilst learning about the rural life, language, customs and culture of the local Swaminarayan community in Gujarat.
  
  Past volunteers have told us that they would recommend ideally volunteering with a companion/friend rather than on their own if they are visiting a rural part of India for the first time, unless of course you are someone who is well travelled, confident and comfortable with volunteering alone in a very rural area. Where possible we try to buddy you up with other volunteers if you are volunteering alone.
  
  When leaving the school campus we do where possible provide a buddy to help you with your local shopping, travels to farms, villages, temples and for your own safety, security until you are familiar with the local area. This is also to help you navigate through the local language, so hope this is seen in a positive and non-intrusive spirit.
  
  If you are interested in volunteering with us, have the appropriate qualification, skills, knowledge, experience and a four week minimum commitment then a detailed list of Frequently Asked Questions and an application form will be sent to you by the volunteer coordinator. Once you have completed and returned your application form, in all cases an interview/chat will be conducted via Zoom or what's app video call before a placement is offered and specific dates finalised and confirmed.
  
  Our volunteer co-ordinator (who is also a volunteer is based in London) will provide you with further details. This is a free service to ensure we get the right volunteers and also the volunteers receive a personalized information and tips to prepare for their volunteering opportunity with us. Hopefully this way expectations are managed well from someone who understands both East and West cultures.
  
  
  This Volunteering Opportunity in the school is for:-
  1) Those who are Fluent in English Language;
  2) Have experience of working with children and/or a teaching qualification;
  3) Serious about teaching in a school in a rural and peaceful part of India;
  4) Be able to commit of a minimum of 4 weeks in our school. However, we very much welcome volunteers who wish to stay for a longer period.
  
  
  If you are a Healthcare/Medical Professionals than this volunteering Opportunity is for:-
  1) Those who are Fluent in English Language;
  2) Is a Health Care/medical professional with the right qualifications, skills knowledge and experience
  3) Be able to commit of a minimum of 4 weeks in a rural part of Gujarat. However, we very much welcome volunteers who wish to stay for a longer period.
  
  
  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU INCLUDE YOUR DIRECT EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE MESSAGE SO THAT WE CAN SEND YOU AN APPLICATION FORM, VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIPTION AND A LIST OF FAQS WHICH GIVES MORE DETAILS.
  
  WE HAVE A VERY STRICT NO SMOKING, NO ALCOHOL AND NO DRUGS POLICY FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS DURING THEIR ENTIRE STAY WITH US. THIS INCLUDES IN AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL AND CAMPUS.
  
  
  
  NAMASTE

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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