Kindergarten Teaching and Community Outreach Project in India, Udaipur

Please note this trip is on hold so take a look at what we are doing in Goa as an alternative.

To book an activity with us we require you to participate for a minimum of two weeks. Therefore, you would need to book a quantity of two for this activity, unless you choose a separate activity to go with it. See the ‘Related trips…’ section for more options.

Community Work in Udaipur
The great city of Udaipur, in Rajasthan will be your home for the duration of your community volunteer project. The city is oozing Indian culture; from the traditional, bustling markets to the friendly locals it’s easy to see the draw to this marvelous area of India. It is perhaps Udaipur’s unmistakable city landscape that sets this fascinating city apart from the others, universally nicknamed ‘The City of Lakes’, and more commonly known as the “Venice of the East”, Udaipur is awash with culture and is truly stunning. Drawing in a staggering several million tourists per year, Udaipur has loads to offer in terms of art, architecture, culture and cuisine, although the booming tourism industry has created harsh contrasts between the rich and poor in this fascinating city.

By taking part in this community placement, you will have the amazing opportunity to provide children in the local community with the education, compassion and attention that they so desperately need for their future development.

Your Community Volunteer Placements
Many children and community groups in India are severely under supported and are in great need of external support from volunteers and volunteer organisations. It is easy to travel and see this for yourself, however a true traveller will engage with the community and help to develop the opportunities for the people they meet, whether that is through teaching, care work and mentoring, or sports a recreational activities.

Program Description
Educational support will be given to kindergarten and young children of Udaipur in the age group of about 4 to 5 years old who are right at the start of their school careers.

You will be teaching at a local school in the morning and in the afternoons wherein Hindi is mainly taught to children who come from mostly lower middle income families. These schools try to provide the best possible education to the children of tuk-tuk (autorickshaw) drivers, house and office maids, unskilled labourers and also encompassing the children of every-day Rajasthani Indian with average facilities. The teachers of the school are capable of translating Basic English. We need your support to teach young children English.

They will all be excited to see you and exceptionally welcoming, due partly to the natural and genuine friendliness of all Rajasthanis, especially children, but also the fact that you will be one of the few westerners they have met!

The teaching program is informal, same as kindergartens worldwide, and the children will want to play with you more than be ‘taught’ in a formal sense. Your help and assistance will help the kids grow in their confidence and learn better English which will help them in many ways in the future.

The kindergarten school functions from 08:00 to 12:00

● The project will be more interesting if you are creative
● You should adapt to the school administration, teachers & children while you are with them. You are part of a school that is culturally different from other developing systems.
● You should be organised and the daily program will be planned with the aid of the teaching handbooks & coordinator inputs.
● You should be an active person and should be willing to research their lesson planning. Lesson Planning Guides will be available.
● You should be able to interact, communicate with children and teachers of the school, work as a Team and be cooperative with the local coordinator or other participants. Able to adjust to facilities available at the local school.
● Your appearance should be presentable at the project. You should be able to gauge the capacity of different students.
● Should you find any difficulty kindly consult our Coordinators

Community Outreach School
Our Community Outreach program is located in Udaipur. Around the community, most of the children attend school and some of them due to various difficulties some children stay back at the school itself at the boarding facility available at the school. These schools concentrate mainly on vernacular language thus the children are not well equipped with standard English due to this reason the students need training in written and spoken English language as well as awareness on hygienic habits, environmental awareness, behavioural skills, and much more.

At the community outreach centre, there are about 30 children attending the program. The children are all girls between the age of 10 to 16 years. These children live at the hostel facility available at the school as they come from very far off villages. Most of their families live in far-off under-developed villages having odd jobs for their living and earn very little to support their families and to provide education for their little ones.

Assist in teaching young, energetic and enthusiastic girls of the local community by helping with their everyday homework. These classes are held in the evenings after regular school hours and apart from conventional teaching methods, games and other activities may be used to teach the children.

The project starts from 16:00 to 18:00.

The purpose of this after-school outreach project:
● To provide English teaching so as to develop English knowledge.
● To provide an idea to the children to find white coloured jobs in their future.
● To impart hygienic and environmental awareness to the children so as to keep their surroundings clean.
● To impart behavioural skills to respect one and another and also learn behaviour between genders.
● To identify and develop their talents
● To learn and exchange various other cultures and languages
● To take the kids out to various parks, museums, art theatres, libraries to recognise various available resources to learn and enhance their knowledge

What you should have:
● Be empathetic with Community Kids.
● The project will be more interesting if you are creative.
● You must be organise a daily program with our coordinator with a clear plan before going for the project.
● You should be able to work as a teamwork and cooperation with local coordinators or participants.
● Artistic
● Basic English knowledge
● Good at basic mathematics, geography, science and computer knowledge.

CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) Check
It is required that participants complete a CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) check in order to take part in this project. We can provide this service for you at an additional cost because some people may already have one that is valid (please get in touch for more details).

Gap Year and Career Break Volunteering in Udaipur
Take part in a community volunteer placement in Udaipur as part of your gap year or career break and give back to the local communities, whilst you discover one of the most captivating parts of the world, broaden your horizons and make amazing life long memories in India, the continent of colours.

Start dates are every week of the year with your activities starting on a Monday. We therefore request you arrive anytime on the Sunday before to receive a free airport pick-up and transfer. Early or late arrivals will incur an additional charge for the transfer and extra night including food, so arriving on the Sunday will be your better option.

Your trip will finish on the Saturday morning when you will need to vacate the accommodation.

Please also note that India is known for it’s festivals, so during some periods of your trip this may disrupt normal schedules. However, our in-country team are there to make sure you are kept busy and enjoying all aspects of your India experience.

Aims & Objectives
The aims & objectives are to help the kids grow in their confidence and learn better English which will help them in many ways in the future and also to provide a global platform for the students of Udaipur by interacting in English and to share the best practices in the education system.

Schedule
Monday
On your first day of the program, you will have an orientation, to better understand your new environment and program. Our coordinators will take you to an energised authentic Rajasthani cultural dance concert, visit the local market, and a few supermarkets located close to our centre. You can also utilise this time of the day to exchange your currency or purchase any of the essential items you might need during your stay.

Tuesday
On Tuesday of your first week, introduction to the local projects and program will be given through an observation time at the project site. Our coordinators will also theoretically orient and train you on the activities of the project onsite so as to introduce you to the project in a step-by-step manner.

Wednesday to Thursday
Your time on the project will commence on Wednesday.
08:00 – Breakfast
09:00 – Departure to the assigned school
09:30 to 12:00 – Assist in teaching at the kindergarten school
13:00 to 14:00 – Lunch
14:00 to 16:00 – Preparation on subjects to be taught at the community school
16:00 to 18:00 – Assist in homework, games, and interaction at the community school
18:30 to 19:30 – Dinner
20:00 onward – Preparation on subjects to be taught for the next day at the kindergarten school or at the community school.

Friday
08:00 – Breakfast
09:00 – Departure to the assigned school
09:30 to 12:00 – Teaching at the kindergarten school
13:00 to 14:00 – Lunch
14:00 to 16:00 – Preparation on subjects to be taught at the community school
16:00 to 18:00 – Assist in homework, games, and interaction at the community school
18:30 to 19:30 – Dinner
20:00 onwards – Feedback about your week at the projects

Udaipur
The Royal city of Udaipur located in the state of Rajasthan is commonly called the Venice of the East and nicknamed ‘the city of lakes’ is located in the princely state of Rajasthan. Primarily known for its art and architecture, it has temples dating as far back as 950 AD and palaces dating back to the Rajput era. Fans of The Jungle Book and James Bond films may recognize Udaipur as the birthplace of Bagheera and the location for the Roger Moore starrer Octopussy. Drawing several million tourists a year, it has loads to offer in terms of art, architecture, culture and cuisine. With all of this and more, Udaipur is one of the cities everyone should visit at least once in their lives.

Accommodation & Food
About the Accommodation
There is a mini library where you can read, a beautiful garden with a lawn to relax in and dining and living room areas where you can hang out with fellow participants.

Available Room Types

* Three meals per day during weekdays and two per day on weekends
** Water, tea, coffee and milk
*** At an additional fee
**** Only mosquito repellent is provided.

Food Arrangements
The meals are a mix of Western and Indian food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. You can expect to have a chicken dish about twice per week. You can also use the kitchen facilities to cook for yourself or eat out at any of the local restaurants.

Facilities
Our house is located seven kilometres away from the city centre, where you can find anything you might need.

The nearest ATM and supermarket are located 2 Km from our accommodation, we can help you get there and return.

Mandatory Orientation Day
On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Schedule

• Welcome, introduction to India, House rules, Code of Conduct and handling of documents
• Witness a Rajasthani cultural dance concert
• Visit the local market, and a few supermarkets located close to our center. You can also utilize this time of the day to exchange your currency or purchase any of the essential items you might need during your stay.

Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.

Sights & Surroundings
Jaisalmer, a gigantic sandcastle that remains inhabited and has mesmerised people from all over the world. With ninety-nine bastions, the castle encircles shops, a palace and more.
Pushkar, a Hindu pilgrimage town that is set around a holy late and home to one of the few Brahma temples, over fifty bathing ghats and over 400 temples. The main street is a long bazaar, where you can find any souvenir you can think of to bring back home.
Jodhpur, dubbed “The Blue City” for its blue-tinted edifices, Jodhpur is considered an architectural masterpiece due to its ever-photogenic streets and Mehrangarh, a magnificent fort that towers over the town.
Jaipur, a colorful and flamboyant city made famous by the Hawa Mahal, a pink-toned building that towers over the main bazaar and was historically built for royal women to be able to see festivals without being on the streets.
Ajmer, famous for its Islamic heritage and for containing one of India’s most important Muslim pilgrimage centers. In Ajmer, you’ll be able to find examples of Muslim architecture such as the Jain golden temples.

Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.

Accommodation
Volunteer camp with shared rooms (2-8 people per room); Basic but comfortable; Shared toilet and shower facilities; Communal areas for socialising and relaxation designed with an authentic Indian style; internet access and use of a TV with international cable channels; Single and double rooms may also be available – contact us.

Food
3 meals a day are provided on weekdays, and then 2 meals per day on weekends; Basic but nutritious vegetarian meals are provided. Meals are of a typical Indian fare.

Airport Transfer
Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you are arriving early/late. You be supported at the end of your trip in your onward travel.

Training
A full orientation and project induction takes place. You will also receive full training relevant to your volunteer role.

Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.

Donation
Part of your fee is used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. If you wish to bring further donation, please make sure that this is in the form of equipment and not monetary donations.

Flights; Travel Insurance; Visas; Vaccinations; Spending money; In country travel; Laundry service; Extra activities not on itinerary; Departure transfer.

Preferred Duration
There is no preferred duration but we believe that the longer you can stay the more you will experience and benefit.

Pre-requisites
No prior experience or qualifications are required, but an interest in working with children, and a desire to help others through education and care is required. It is important that you can speak English. Participants will also require a CRB/DBS check in order to take part in the project.

Ideal for
Care Work and Community Volunteer Holidays and Placements in Asia; Community Work and Activity Breaks in India; Care Work Volunteer Gap Years and Career Breaks in Asia; and Student Summer Holidays in India.

Suitable for ages 18 to 80

Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community.