Is international volunteering right for you? This document will give you a brief outline about
volunteering in India next summer. Please read this information carefully and also read the
FAQ’s on the website. If you have any other questions please email
volunteering@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. If you decide to apply please download the application
form on our website leedsbeckett.ac.uk/volunteering or apply on My Hub.
India Bhopal project information
Join a really exciting volunteer opportunity that Leeds Beckett has been running for a
number of years. Volunteers will be based in Bhopal, Central India and will work on a range
of projects dependent on their skills and experience. Leeds Beckett volunteer groups have
worked with both children and adults during previous years.
Children’s work: spend two weeks working with children who are lived and cared for by host
organisations. Work is fun, but challenging, as you will plan a range of activities to carry out
every day. With an educational emphasis, this may include games, crafts, English teaching,
sports, reading, and writing. The children are full of energy and enthusiasm and really do
relish the time you have with them. Trainee teachers have the opportunity to work at a slum
school helping with the delivery of primary aged curriculum.
Adults: spend the mornings volunteering in a home for adults with mental health problems.
Volunteers build relations, engage in therapeutic activity, and lead on exercise, crafts, and
music based activity. Volunteers are only limited by their imagination as the residents really
enjoy the company and time. Alternatively, work with a great organisation that seeks to
empower and support women who are facing employment discrimination and domestic
violence. Volunteers will get to see how the organisation works, meet groups, communities
and projects that all seek to empower domestic working women. They will value volunteer
skills, experience and cultural viewpoint.
After all the hard work, sit back and be taken on a Golden Triangle tour of Delhi, Agra and
Jaipur which includes a visit to the world famous Taj Mahal. Volunteer for a truly great
experience, but be prepared to leave a part of you behind in India – it’s hard to leave!
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About the organisations and the volunteer work
Volunteers will work in small groups to lead or participate in activities with the
organisations. Tasks will be allocated according to skills and experience and each
volunteer might find themselves doing one or more of the activities. You will have a chance
to choose at least one project that you prefer. However due to logistics and other factors
you may find yourself working on a non-preferred project. Those with special skills and
interests will be matched with projects accordingly.
We are looking for applications from students in all disciplines, however volunteers with a
personal interest or experience in the following would be beneficial:
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Counselling & therapeutic approaches
Creative arts & music
Early years education
English teaching
Film
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Play work
Psychology
Research/project work in mental health or domestic violence
Social work
Speech Therapy
Sports and organised games
Working with mental health and autism
Our University encourages applications to volunteering roles from male students
who are currently under represented in this area.
Leeds Beckett charitable partners in Bhopal are;
Muskaan
http://www.muskaan.org/
RIMHAS
http://rimhas.com/
Sangini
http://www.sangini.org.in/
See previous year’s team blog to read about activities:
Team Bhopal 2014 www.bhopal2014.tumblr.com/
Team Bhopal 2015 www.leedsbeckettbhopalblog2015.wordpress.com
Pre-departure activities and commitments
There’s quite a lot for volunteers to do before departure. If you are interested in applying
you must make sure that you will have enough time to prepare for the project in between
your studies and your work. After the team has been recruited, there will be a compulsory
team briefing and you will need to do fundraising some of which will be as a group and
some you will probably do on your own. There will be other compulsory meetings to help
you get prepared for the experience and talks about essential health information and
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environmental issues. Although it’s not spread evenly, we’d recommend allowing an
average of 2 hours a month from when you find out you get a place to departure.
Don’t forget that the preparation for the trip will add to your personal development!
Below is a list of key dates. Dates for the sessions that are not listed below will be sent out
to the team or agreed in the first team meeting.
12 October 2015
9 November 2015
24 November 2015
Application forms available from website
Application deadline
Volunteer selection event
16:30 – 19:00 (Headingley Campus)
27 November 2015
Find out if you have got a place
11 December 2015
All paper work to be completed and returned
Deposit due
15 December 2015
Compulsory Team briefing
16:30 – 19:00 (City Campus)
February 2016
Second payment due
Feb – April 2016
Team meetings (1-2 hours)
social
Fundraising
Visa session
23/ 24 April 2016
Great Big Volunteering Abseil
Third and final payment due
July 2016
Donations and fundraising money to be paid in
20 August 2016 (approx)
Group departs
13 September 2016 (approx) Group returns
Autumn 2016
Team debrief and reunion
About the trip
Project Dates: 20th August – 13th September 2016 (approx.)
Travel - the team will meet up at the University and travel together by minibus to the
airport. The flights haven’t yet been finalised but volunteers will travel together and be
collected by the in-country coordinator and taken to meet their hosts and community
members.
Support for volunteers – You will be supported by Team Leader, a member of Leeds
Beckett staff who will be facilitating the project work and looking after the volunteer group.
Gill will work with the Leeds Beckett Volunteering office and the charities in-country to
facilitate the volunteering experience.
Accommodation – Accommodation during your stay in Bhopal is at an Ashram where you
will be looked after during the period of volunteering .Volunteers have shared rooms,
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access to basic facilities, and can expect Indian Breakfast and Dinner every day. The
Ashram will also provide packed lunches to take on the busy days volunteering.
Food – most of meals will be taken on site and prepared in by a dedicated cook in a
separate kitchen for the volunteers. Past volunteers have had mixed responses to the food
– some loved it where as others found it quite spicy, you will need to have a certain amount
of tolerance for spice as there are few alternatives available. Either way, it will be freshly
prepared, plentiful, and vegetarian and you can expect to have curry for breakfast, lunch
and dinner. Halal diets can be catered for.
Average volunteering day – daily tasks and working hours will vary depending on the
needs of the charities at the time. We will tailor the skills of applicants to the tasks needed.
The role description is a rough guide and we welcome volunteers who will be comfortable
with change and adapting work to what is required by host community.
Health: stomach upsets will be common partially due to the rich food, heat and also
perhaps because of the water. Even though bottled water will be provided, is likely that
everyone will have an upset stomach to varying degree at some point during the trip so it
might be wise to take Imodium or something similar. Other precautions, especially if you
are prone to stomach upsets are to avoid ice in drinks and to be extra hygienic (e.g.
washing your hands often, not sharing water bottles, brushing teeth with bottled water).
Another important health consideration is the weather which is expected to be warm over
Christmas: 25-30ºC. There is no air conditioning whilst at Sneyhalaya so keeping cool and
hydrated is crucial. Full advice will be given nearer the time.
Dress and other cultural sensitivities: it is important to be culturally aware during your
time in India and especially when working with any of the projects as they are working hard
to raise the children with certain attitudes and values. Dressing appropriately is a very large
part of this. Opinions on appropriate clothes are very different in different countries and it is
extremely important to respect the wishes of the host organisation which can be difficult
when the weather is warm. To give you an example, for women, hemlines must be below
the knee and tops must be loose and cover the shoulders and if possible the elbows too.
Men should aim for the ‘smart/casual’ look with long shorts or preferably trousers and smart
t-shirts or short sleeved shirts. Prospective volunteers must not underestimate the
importance of this. If you are in any doubt that you cannot comply with the dress code
then please do not apply. Full guidelines will be given near the time and it may actually be
easier to purchase some outfits when you arrive.
There are also cultural sensitivities surrounding alcohol, there will be no access to
alcohol whilst you are at the Ashram and smoking is frowned upon so smokers must be
discreet.
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Cultural activities and free time: three and a half weeks in India will give you a fantastic
introduction to Indian culture and community volunteering; you’ll be able to spend time with
local community groups and will gain practical (and fun!) experience. We’re sure that you’d
like to explore a bit, so some free time has been worked into the programme to do
sightseeing to local attractions and further afield. Various cultural activities will be worked
into the itinerary like early morning yoga and talks on various subjects.
The costs
The overall cost for each volunteer is about £1400. For first time international volunteer
participants Leeds Beckett pay £200 of your costs and the overall fee is reduced to £1200.
What’s included:
 Minibus transport to UK airport
 Return flights to India
 Visas
 Local transport in India for project work
 Meals & bottled water during project work
 Travel insurance if you are eligible (see section below)
 24 hour support from Leeds Beckett volunteering office
 Volunteer handbook
 Branded Hoodie & t-shirts
 Golden Triangle tour of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, inc. budget B&B accommodation
What isn’t included:
 Personal spending money
 Meals whilst on tour and monument entry fees
 Vaccinations – see NHS advice for travel to India
http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/destinations/asia-(east)/india.aspx
The costs and payment deadlines are as follows:
Fees
Category
First time international
volunteer cost
Returning volunteers
Total Cost
(£)
1200
1400
Payment deadlines
11 Dec 2015
February 2016
July 2016
Deposit due £150
Second payment
Third payment
Where your money goes:
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The largest percentage of your costs is for the long haul flights, accommodation and incountry transport, due to rising fuel and taxes. Money is transferred directly to the
charitable organisations that you will be working with, and they do not make any profit from
the monies that they receive. You do not pay any Leeds Beckett staff costs as part of your
fee. The Team Leader gives their time for free (using their person annual leave) and in
return get their travel expenses paid by the University.
Fundraising
Fundraising for the organisations that you will be working
with is a requirement to being accepted on the trip. As
well as providing much needed funds for the
organisations we think it’ll be a great way for you to get to
know your team. Lots of our previous volunteers have had
great success fundraising and some have continued
raising money after they got back (after being so inspired
by the work of the organisation). We’ll help you with your
fundraising and encourage you to work as a group. Previous examples include cake sales,
sponsored walks and even approaching companies for donations. Don’t forget,
volunteering and fundraising look wonderful on your CV!
Minimum fundraising target: £100
How to apply
You can download an application form here or if you have trouble downloading the
documents you can request them from Susan Robinson. Read the FAQs on our website
and return completed forms to volunteering@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or apply on My Hub.
Contact
For more information about this opportunity please contact Susan Robinson in the
Volunteering team. Email: S.C.Robinson@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
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