Volunteer Work In GoaAs we are only a small trust, volunteers are a vital part of everything we do.
Volunteers are required all year round. All volunteers are based at
Mango House near the town of Mapusa in North Goa. From there we run
an outreach programme workng mainly in two local slums. We run a
slum school in the mornings and have afternoon sessions either in
the slum, at a local field or at a local school as the situation
demands. We pack and serve over 100 meals each day and attend to the
more basic medical needs of the children we help. We often give out
items in other nearby slums.Do you have what it takes to volunteer for us?
As long as you are at least 18 it doesn't matter what age you are; we have had a huge range of volunteers help us, we don't have an upper age limit but experience does show that often more senior volunteers do struggle to find the energy and stamina required on a daily basis with the heat and humidy and we do ask that potential volunteers consider whether they will be able to meet the challenges they will face. If you're fit and healthy and think you can work in difficult conditions for at least three months? then please get in touch. The next few pages will hopefully give you an idea of what we need and what is involved in becoming a volunteer in India for Children Walking Tall.
It is important to understand that it is the Indian Trust
"Children Walking Tall", based at Mango House, that you will be
volunteering to, not the UK Charity of the same name. Click the
link above to ensure that you understand the implications of
this.
This is probably the most important part. We can only offer a fixed number of volunteer places and these are provided on a first come, first served basis. Please look at the calendar to see if the months you want to volunteer are available. We usually get a high number of applicants for the months October to March and less for April to September, so please think about that when you apply.
You won't
be our first volunteer so perhaps reading what previous
volunteers have to say may help you to decide. We ask all
volunteers to write a couple of paragraphs before they leave us.
As you can see many of them have wonderful experiences - but
there are rare occasions when a volunteer leaves early because
volunteering simply was not for them for some reason. Generally
people do not want to write about what was not a great
experience for them. We would like them to give a balanced view
and to make prospective volunteers think a little bit. Having a
volunteer leave early is never good news - it will have cost
them a lot of money to join us, plus we have an empty place
which we cannot fill at short notice - which is not good either.
Do bear in mind that alongside these happy tales there will be
an odd volunteer here and there who didn't have such a happy
experience.
We know that volunteering actually costs people a great deal of
money. We do, however, require each volunteer committing to a
place to make a one-off donation of £50 to the UK Charity
Children Walking Tall. We do this to ensure that only those
people who are serious about joining us reserve a place. We will
make sure that you are met on arrival at Dabolim airport or
Thivim/Margao railway station as necessary and transferred to
wherever you are staying or to Mango House. We will arrange to
bring you in to Mango House on your first day, and if necessary
accompany you to the police station at Panjim to complete any
registration formalities and take you back there to collect your
passport and registration papers. We will meet all of the costs
arising from this processing.
Generally volunteers work 9.30 to 5.00 Monday to Friday. Please
follow the link above to see an approximate timetable, though
this will change when special events, trips etc take place
Please use this form to let us now that you are interested in volunteering. Once we receive a form, we will than send out a standard email giving you a little more details about what's involved. If you have any questions, please write them down in the other information field.
All volunteers are required to obtain an employment visa to
undertake voluntary work in India. More details on how to apply for these can be found here
- please visit your local High Commission of India or their authorised agents (VFS) for up to date details.
We want to maintain the safest possible environment for our
children. We therefore insist that every volunteer provides a
recent police check. If you are a British citizen we require an
Enhanced CRB check. If you are not British, please visit your
local police station to enquire what is available. Please note
that we will not accept volunteers who cannot provide a clear
police check. We understand that occasionally individuals do
have relatively minor convictions from many years ago, but we
are monitored by the local authorities who may take a different
view. We do not want to jeapordise our volunteer programme in
any way.
This isn't a complete list but will give you an idea of what we need. If you have a skill, then we can put it to use.
If you have a question then perhaps the answer is here. India might initially seem a daunting place to be. Hopefully some of the details on this page will put your mind at ease....
Your Health In India
When traveling anywhere, it is vital that you consult with your local GP or nurse to find out if you require any vaccinations. This list below should be used as a guide only; contact your GP for the latest recommendations.
- T.B.
- Polio
- Tetanus
- Diphtheria
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid
- Rabies More Info ( http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/en.aspx?printPage=1&articleId=308 ) (There are many stray dogs around in Goa)
Volunteer - Words of wisdom
Below is one of our volunteer experiences which might give volunteers an Idea of what it's like volunteering and if it's right for you.
| Kates "Words Of Wisdom" |
 During my time at the charity
After volunteering from August to November 2007, I was lucky enough to return to Children Walking Tall again for another two months, March and April 2008.
I don’t think it is an exaggeration for me to say that my time at The Mango House has literally changed my life. Before I arrived in Mapusa very early on a rainy morning in the middle of Monsoon last year, I had no real long term direction after the five months I had planned in India. The time I spent with our inspirational children opened my eyes to a whole new career option, and I have now moved on to Teach English to kids in Thailand. The idea of me becoming a teacher would have struck me as crazy a year ago!
During my time at the charity I have met many other volunteers, all with different backgrounds, stories and reasons to be at The Mango House. The majority have fallen in love with, and been changed by the children and the work Rob and the gang do, but some do find that volunteering just isn’t for them, or what they expected it to be.
Two things that potential volunteers needI think that there are two things that potential volunteers need to take into account before signing up to the charity. The first is that you will be living and working in a third world country. Life can be hard here, often getting from A to B includes a detour via X, Y and Z, if someone promises you something will be done in an hour, expect to wait at least 24, if it’ll be done at all. Sometimes being told something is possible can actually mean it’s not possible, but the person telling you doesn’t want to upset you by telling you that. You will have to deal with power cuts, poverty, over crowding, putrid smells, flies, beggars and con artists. You will be either hot and sweaty or soaking wet depending on the season. You will be dirty and you will probably get sick. Everyday life during your time at The Mango House will be challenging. It will also make you feel alive, at the end of everyday you will feel you have achieved something, that your day had a purpose, even if you have only completed tasks you would take for granted at home. Life in India is about as far removed from mundane as you can get, and once over the initial culture shock, most people grow to love the craziness that is life in Goa. One of the keys to settling in is to try to stop comparing everything to the way it would be ‘back home’ and to accept and embrace the Indian way as fast as you can. No, at home you wouldn’t see three people and a goat on a motorbike driving through town, you wouldn’t have a bus so packed it resembled a sardine tin and you wouldn’t eat lunch off a metal plate sat cross legged on the floor using your fingers instead of a knife and fork. But this isn’t wherever you’ve come from, it is India, and everything is different!
The second thing volunteers should realise, is that during the time you sign up to volunteer, there will be an expectation that you are available to work every week day, Monday – Friday for the duration of the time that you have agreed. This isn’t to say that you will never be able to get time off to go and explore this amazing country, if there are other volunteers available to cover your shift, to make sure the children’s needs are met, the management will work with you to ensure you can occasionally take a day off. But this will be an exception rather than a rule.
 Remember, this is not a holiday!
As a volunteer, you will be a valued member of the Children Walking Tall team. You will have jobs to complete on a daily basis, which vary from supervising the children as they play, to assisting with showers, to serving lunch, to cleaning the house, to visiting the slums, to planning lessons and activities for the following days and weeks as well as organising special events like the end of month birthday parties and excursions as and when they are happening. As so much importance is placed on the role of the volunteer, it is vital you take your place in the team seriously, and put in as much effort as you can.
Obviously everyone who walks through the doors of The Mango House has different skills and interests, and the management is keen to utilise the skills available to them the best they can. So, if you have a particular interest or speciality, please let us know, so that we can make the best use of it! Also, if there is a job you really are not comfortable with, please talk to the management about your concerns, and your needs can usually be accommodated.
When you arrive at The Mango House as a volunteer, you are not stepping into a ready made position, or into the shoes of the volunteer before you. Yes there will be support and guidance, but a lot of what you get out of your volunteering experience will depend on what you are willing to put into it! The two biggest skills everyone coming to volunteer at Children Walking Tall should bring with them are ENTHUSIASM and IDEAS!
Be EnthusiasticBeing enthusiastic about everything you do whilst at The Mango House really makes a difference to the enjoyment the children get, as well as the memories you will end up taking away with you. We all have our off days, and this is understood. However, the majority of volunteers will live in either Calangute or Anjuna areas, which are major Western tourist destinations, and so there is a lot of temptation to go out every night with others staying around you on two week holidays. Enjoying yourself is great, but remember that you have responsibilities at the charity the next day, and persistent lateness or turning up to The Mango House in the wrong frame of mind to be enthusiastic with the children will not be tolerated.
We are very lucky at The Mango House with the generosity of the donations from the public. This means that we usually have a good selection of art and craft materials available to use with the children. So, as a volunteer, it is great if you can come up with ideas for original craft projects to run for the children. The same applies for outdoor activities and lessons for school time. There are very few things that are not possible, all that limits what we do is the imagination and resourcefulness of our volunteers and staff. Anything that is a change from the norm and well planned and executed with enthusiasm, will be loved by the children, and usually the staff too!
We appreciate proactive people, if you see something you think can be changed for the better, tell us! If you have an idea, share it! We have weekly meetings to discuss ideas, issues and events, and are always available to hear what you have to say.
If you turn up to Children Walking Tall up for an adventure, with an open mind and are willing to give the children your all, we are sure you will have a very positive experience and give and get a lot out of your time with us. |
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