Would you like to make a real difference as a HOPE volunteer and experience a truly rewarding time working with street and slum children in India?
To volunteer overseas please read on…
Have you thought about volunteering overseas?
Volunteer in Kolkata
HOPE welcomes a large number of volunteers and visitors to our projects every year. Join the HOPE Overseas Volunteer Programme and you will be working to change the lives of the poorest street and slum children in Kolkata (Calcutta).
Volunteers will be placed, as best as possible, according to their skills and experience.
About the HOPE Volunteer Placement Programme
Placements may be offered to volunteers who meet the below requirements.
Please read carefully to ensure you are eligible.If you wish to progress your application please fill in the Online Application Form
Ideally you will have a qualification, skills and/or experience relevant to The Hope Foundation’s work, examples of which are listed to the right.
If you do not have skills in any of these areas and would still like to work as a volunteer, you can still apply. We welcome all kinds of flexible volunteers who are willing to lend a hand. On your application form, you can tell us about your experiences and explain how you think your skills could benefit HOPE’s work with street children.
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Teaching
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Special Needs assistance
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Nursing (general & paediatric)
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Sports Coaching
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Art
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Drama
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Music
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Dance
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Cooking
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Computers
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Administration
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Clothing Design
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Crafts
“Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.”
– Confucius
You will be required to make a commitment to fundraise for The Hope Foundation’s projects. Fundraising targets depend on your proposed length of stay. Targets begin at €2,000 for a placement of up to 6 weeks. Full details are given upon application.
Note, this is treated as a donation to HOPE. Accommodation is provided for during your stay at no cost, however travel costs need to be covered privately by volunteers.
You must make a commitment to organise and fund your own travel arrangements, including:
– Flight
– Travel Insurance
– Vaccinations
– Visa (with assistance from HOPE)
You need to be organised and have an ability to work on your own initiative. You also need to be flexible and prepared to turn your hand to different tasks as required. Applicants must be prepared to fill roles subject to current requirements on HOPE’s projects.
First and foremost, you will need to be the type of person who has a positive, open attitude and gets along well with others. Volunteers work with lots of different HOPE staff and are involved in a range of work structures and environments.It is important that the children you work with feel comfortable and safe.
To be successful in your volunteer role, you need to be an organised person and have an ability to work on your own initiative. You also need to be flexible and prepared to turn your hand to different tasks as required.
Applicants must be prepared to fill roles subject to current requirements on HOPE’s projects.
You need to be realistic about what to expect in a culture that may be very different to your own and what you can expect to achieve during your placement. We recommend that you thoroughly research Kolkata, the work of HOPE and volunteering in general before making a decision to apply
How to Apply
If not resident in Ireland, please apply to the HOPE office in your country of residence:
We will respond to all queries as soon as possible. If you are eligible for HOPE’s Volunteer Programme you will be provided with further details and a programme Application Form if you would like to officially apply for a volunteer placement with HOPE.
The Comhlámh Code of Good Practice (CoGP) for Volunteer Sending Agencies.
The Hope Foundation is a signatory of the Comhlámh Code of Good Practice (CoGP) for Volunteer Sending Agencies. The Code is a set of standards for organisations involved in facilitating international volunteer placements in the global south.
Read more about the CoGP here.
If you feel we are not adhering to the Code please email admin@hopefoundation.ie or info@comhlamh.org.
The Global Citizen Award
The Hope Foundation is a partner with The Global Citizen Awards. The Global Citizen Award is a personal development award that enables you to share your overseas volunteering experiences and help raise awareness of global issues in Ireland. The Award is free and open to all returned international volunteers. It offers you an opportunity to take what you have experienced overseas and continue to make a difference to Global Justice issues right here at home.
Read more about The Global Citizen Award here.
