International Volunteer Work | Volunteering in India

Become A Volunteer
Teaching Programs
Village & Tribal Community Programs
Research and Study

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International Volunteer Work is one of the most rewarding opportunities available for people looking to offer charitable services to people in need while also gaining an experience of a lifetime in working to help others.

At the Cohen Foundation of India we are accepting international volunteers who are interested in working in India and offering their support to women, children, and families living in lower class communities in Southern India. The work available to volunteers varies depending upon their personal skills and academic/experiential training. Some of the possible work positions available to volunteers includes:

Teaching English to children and young adults
Tribal and village based community work and service
Research assistance and cultural studies
Working with AIDs patients and the disabled

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Volunteers who wish to teach English may apply for our teacher programs*. Once selected, teaching volunteers will work in of CFI's local schools in Southern India or within one of the community centers. They will be working mostly with children from primary and secondary education who are typically between the ages of 6 - 17 (although most of the work will be done with the younger groups). Teachers will also be responsible for other activities including after school programs and games, sports activities, and organizing special events for the children including things like hikes through nature and temple tours.

Many Southern Indian schools lack teachers who are proficient in English and able to teach the students beyond basic reading and writing skills. For this reason international volunteers are in high demand to help teach children the basics of the English language. CFI is working with local schools and organizations to bring foreign teachers into the classrooms to assist teachers in managing and running academic classes, organizing games and other fun activities for children as well as help in improving the general reading and writing skills of the children.

The amount of work available to those volunteers who wish to teach in Southern India will vary depending upon the time of the year, duration of the volunteer's stay in India, and the location of work. Because of this we ask all volunteers who wish to do teaching work take plain their trip in advance by submit their applications at least 2 months prior to their visit to India.

* CFI volunteers who wish to participate in our teaching programs do not need to be qualified to teach nor do they need to speak the local language. All the skills that are required for teaching will be addressed upon arrival in India, but it does help if you have prior experience which children including babysitting and summer school programs.

CFI is currently operating in two types of communities; school that are located within villages and schools that are within the lower class communities of the city.

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culture india jpg One learns a lot through experience. We can read many books on a subject, but it is only after we have an experience that we benign to learn and understand the deeper levels of knowledge that exists beyond the words.

The Indian culture is a very rich and complex system that has been evolving for tens of thousands of years. while westernization has taken flight in India, there are still many communities in the country that practice traditions and rituals that were used thousand of years ago. while there are many large cities throughout India, much of the population is still living in village communities, some without electricity or running water.

At CFI we are committed to our volunteer who have taken the initiative to visit India and offer their service and support to communities within this culturally diverse nation. Although our primary goal is to help the people trapped by poverty, we are also devoted to our volunteers who are here to learn and grow. If you take the the first step by coming out to India, we will make sure that you get immersed in the culture and experience the ancient tradition and culture first hand. We also work to pay close attention the health and safety of our volunteers to ensure their success and well-being.

Volunteers who come to India are looking for an experience while they share their knowledge and skills with the people, and at CFI we try to present the opportunity for foreign staff to really get their hand dirty and actually live as an India resident for some time. This not only makes our work more effective but it also allows our volunteers to find a connection with the people they are working with.

Volunteers are given the opportunity to work with village and tribal communities in India, lending their service and aid to women and children. Village living is humble and simple, and volunteers who wish to work in these communities will find it very rewarding and self-transforming.

Although the types of projects will change periodically, some of the services that are needed in the villages are better education, better rights for women, and healthier and more sustainable means of living.

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Students are the roots of knowledge: if they choose to explore, they can expand their wisdom as well as the wisdom of the communities they live in .Students generate the momentum for change, and with their self-motivation they can encourage the positive growth and development of our future.

At CFI we open our doors to all students who wish to study the Indian Culture, and we will provide whatever support we can in order to encourage students to explore the ancient traditions of the India.

At CFI we will do our best to arrange all the accommodations necessary for students who are interested in studying the in India. We will be able to organize safe lodging, food, specialized teachers, and research assistants within the locations which CFI is currently operating.

The Following are some of the courses and fields that are open to foreign students who wish to study in Southern India:

Study of traditional music including the classical Karnatic style of music as well as the traditional village music.
Study of Indian dance and the performing arts.
Study of traditional crafts and pottery.
Study of martial arts.
Study of Yoga
Study of Women's rights in India
Study of Environmental Issues
Study of Eastern Philosophy
Study of Eastern Medicine
Study of Indian Politics

For more information about any of these topics please contact us.

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