Break the Cycle of Poverty: Volunteer Teach In India.

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Shanti Bhavan’s top-notch volunteers help break the cycle of poverty by contributing to our children’s world-class education. When you volunteer at Shanti Bhavan, you have an experience unlike any other. Your work as a volunteer at our school will be a challenging, culturally enriching, and life-changing experience.

Our volunteers teach classes, tutor students, and lead extra-curricular activities such as art, dance, sports, spelling bee and public speaking. They help plan events, assist with projects relevant to their skills, and introduce our children to new ideas and cultures.

Shanti Bhavan is a boarding school with a tight schedule that runs from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm. Volunteers are expected to teach four to six classes a day, supplementing the full-time teaching staff for pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. The school is accredited by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) in New Delhi.

At the primary level, volunteers are usually responsible for teaching Social studies, Science, Computers, General knowledge, and English. At the middle school level, they are often asked to teach History, Civics, and Geography. At the high school level, they may be responsible for Economics, English literature and English language. The classes available for volunteers to teach are subject to change, as they can vary depending on the active roster of full-time teachers.

Shanti Bhavan provides all volunteers with free on-campus accommodations and meals. You can visit the 'Volunteer FAQ' section of our website to learn more about the volunteer experience. https://www.shantibhavanchildren.org/volunteer-faqs/

We accept volunteer applications in three cycles each year. Depending on when you want to volunteer at Shanti Bhavan, you should complete an application in the following windows of time:

• Summer term (June - August): Accepting applications October - January
• Fall term (September - December): Accepting applications April - June
• Spring term (January - April): Accepting applications July - September

Interested applicants should complete our online application, found on our website, https://www.shantibhavanchildren.org/volunteer-application/
Applicants must be prepared to submit a letter of recommendation, fulfill up to two rounds of video interviews, and participate in two online, pre-departure training sessions (post-acceptance).

Additional items to keep in mind:

• COVID Update: Shanti Bhavan has several new volunteer policies in place related to COVID-19. These include proof of vaccination, 3-day on-campus quarantine upon arrival, restricted travel off-campus, and required testing. It is important for volunteers to know that COVID policies may change from month to month depending on the state of the pandemic.
• Flexibility is essential when working in the field. Consider how you handle yourself in new, different, or stressful situations and if this could impact how you work with children.
• The children of Shanti Bhavan have experienced extreme trauma and difficulties. Whether it is a lack of access to nutritious food, loss of immediate family or friends, or being a victim of racism and discrimination, the children have all survived some form of crisis. Please consider how the reality of these traumas may affect you, and impact the way you interact with the children. We encourage our volunteers to practice self-care throughout their time on campus.
• Due to a variety of unpredictable factors, you will likely need to step out of your comfort zone at some point during your time on campus - whether it’s due to food, living conditions, time constraints, or cultural differences.
• The volunteer’s workload is demanding and requires very long hours. Prospective volunteers should expect a full-time workload with little opportunity to engage in side projects.
• Volunteers are role models for our children. No smoking, alcoholic beverages, or illegal substances are permitted on Shanti Bhavan property ever, without exception.