Voluntary Project Overview

MondoChallenge volunteers work in small local schools in the area, each with approximately 60-80 pupils. These schools are spread across the area and located in the villages that could be about an hour from Kalimpong, the district’s second town, or closer to Darjeeling town itself.

Unlike many of their counterparts in cities, the children in these remote villages do not have access to educational facilities or trained teachers. Consequently, many never have the chance to learn English to a decent degree or progress beyond a basic education.

Career break volunteers help to compensate for this lack of resources by providing fluent English language skills, as well as energy and creative teaching techniques

The voluntary projects are well organised so that career break volunteers can make a good contribution in a relatively short amount of time. Pre-departure briefings and ongoing support from locally based managers help enable volunteers to maximise their contribution as well as their own enjoyment.

The Volunteer Abroad Role

Volunteers work as a teachers in the schools, concentrating mainly on English language and conversation but with opportunities to develop sports, music, drama, dance or other academic lessons.

These voluntary projects provide an opportunity for a career break abroad where volunteers live and work in local villages and are able to contribute something to local communities where monetary wealth and opportunities are limited. The school classes are small and the students are very willing to learn, so even those volunteers without prior teacher training or experience are able to make a valuable impact.

In addition to the satisfaction of making a difference to the lives of the children, many career break volunteers feel they gain enormously themselves from their placements. Often sited in this context are increased self-confidence, teaching experience, and the enjoyment of living a simple, mountain lifestyle for a little while!

Other Volunteer Abroad opportunities

Volunteering in this region has been hugely popular with MondoChallenge volunteers, not least due to the scope for getting involved with a number of other initiatives in the villages.

With the help of our sister charity, career break volunteers have set up and run a variety of interschool activities for all the schools including sports, quiz and drama events as well as activities including cubs and brownies. A small eco-tourism project has been established to help generate some funds for the communities, and a number of the schools have been encouraged to cultivate vegetables with a view to improving local diets.

Voluntary Programme Requirements/Eligibility Criteria

Prior teaching experience is not essential. Enthusiasm, energy, resourcefulness and an open mind are crucial, however, an interest in education and an affinity for children. Career break volunteers should be prepared to immerse themselves in a new culture and a more basic way of life.

Volunteer Accommodation and Living arrangements

The Darjeeling District is one of the most beautiful parts of the Himalayan foothills, with a long tradition as a hill station much sought after by those living in the heat of the plains! The famous Darjeeling railway is one of the highest operating in the world, and Kalimpong is right on the border of Sikkim, famous for its beauty and isolation.

The people in this area are largely Nepali, and are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality. Volunteers live with families in the villages, and are often struck by the welcome and generosity of their hosts.

Spending some time in these villages is a great opportunity to enjoy stunning views of the Himalaya, witness the beauty of the famous Teesta Valley Tea Plantations, and take trips to some of the many monasteries and view points around the area, which most tourists never get to see.

What’s included in your Programme Fee?

• Project selection and placement - Our in-country teams work constantly to identify and select projects that are doing exemplary work in developing countries but need your skills and effort. Our staff are in dialogue with you to ensure that we choose a project that really needs you, where you will use your skills and contribute, because at MondoChallenge, we believe that a great volunteering experience is largely dependant on matching you with the right project
• Pre Departure Briefing - Before you leave, we will arrange for a pre departure briefing where we help you with small but extremely helpful details on your chosen destination. Things like: what to pack, local culture and customs, food, safety and precautions if any - simple things to make your life easier!
• Guidance for processing visa - MondoChallenge will arrange for any relevant documents and guide you through the visa process.
• Airport Pick Up - Arriving in a new city and not knowing where to go and how to go can be quite unnerving. A MondoChallenge representative will meet you at the airport and take you to your place of stay where you can put your feet up after a long flight.
• In country Orientation and Welcome Pack - When you arrive at your location, you will be given an orientation where you could meet other volunteers from MondoChallenge, learn all about your location, how to find your way around, where to get SIM cards for the phone, small bits that you will need help sorting out in the first few days.
• In Country Support - Our local co-ordinators are there to guide you through out your stay. They will make sure that you are settled at your project, are comfortable with your accommodation and provide guidance on local culture and customs to ensure that you have a memorable and rewarding experience.
• Accommodation - In most cases you stay with a local host family. It gives you a taste of the daily life of a local. You will be sharing a room with another volunteer, however if you prefer to have a single room to youself, this can be arranged but a cost supplement may apply. If you prefer totally independent accommodation, this maybe possible in certain areas at an additional cost and our Programme Managers will be able to assist you with this.
• Breakfast and Dinner - Local home cooked food, will be provided at the home stays. This gives you a chance to experience local dishes.
• Optional Contribution to the Education Grant - The Educational Grant helps projects like the one you will volunteer with, to get basic infrastructure and resources. Open air schools need a roof, some need tables or chairs and some need books for children. We identify needs and constantly work at improving the conditions at our partner projects. We also encourage you to identify needs at your project and let our local management know of any specifics that you feel may help. The grants are made through our registered charity, FutureSense Foundation (Charity No: 1132101). In the project fee above we recommend an optional contribution towards these grants. If you would like to fund raise or contribute further amounts towards this directly to the foundation we can assist you through the process.

Not Included:

• International Flights
• Visa and Travel insurance Costs
• Vaccination
• Local Transport and Travel
• Personal Expenses

Project photos

Testimonials