Over 50s volunteering in India. Helping Dreamers Do

From

US $679

7 Days excluding flights

More info:Price includes airport transfers, meals, shared accommodation (private rooms and AC room upgrades are possible for additional fee), project work, staff support, orientation and training on arrival. For 2 weeks or more email us.

Check dates

“I went off volunteering in India when my last born flew the nest. I flew mine too but in a very different way. And one that opened up my world again to exciting times ahead.”

Highlights

Teaching volunteering in India | medical and health volunteering | Volunteering in Kerala or Kolkata | Local support 24/7

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.

Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.com

Check dates

This vacation departs every Saturday throughout the year

Top tip:

Just go for it. You will be in safe and smiling hands.

Trip type:

Tailor made but working with other volunteers.

Solos:

Solo travelers welcome.

Accomm:

Standard, clean and comfortable accommodation.

Meals:

Most meals are usually provided with local cuisine.

Included:

Airport transfers, most meals, accommodation, some excursions, 24/7 support, transport to volunteering project

About this vacation company:

Ridhi set this organization up in 2014, after a life changing volunteering trip that she made to South Africa herself. After that, she returned from London to her home country of India to set up volunteering projects not just in Kerala, but also in Kolkata in everything from teaching to women’s empowerment, human rights and legal training to medical placements. She also works with projects in Sri Lanka, South Africa and Nepal.

Vouchers

Accepted

Responsible tourism

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your vacation will help support conservation and local people.

We are addressing our local environment by working with local communities, local charities, local government bodies, local schools, or indigenous tribes. Our tours are carefully selected – we only partner with local tour operators that are either committed to responsible tourism themselves, are eco-friendly, or have ethical policies. Of course we have to use transport and where possible our local guides encourage walking or biking and traveling on public transport- buses, railways or tuk tuks. This can minimize our demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel whilst giving you plenty of opportunity to meet and interact with local people/communities.

Our operations are also eco- friendly as we introduce policies of minimising and properly disposing of waste created, conserving energy and water, and by ensuring that endangered wildlife and environmentally compromised areas are treated with respect.

On our health, construction and women’s empowerment programs we focus on environmental development projects such as recycling, gardening and planting trees.

Our independent travel options and small group sizes help us to tread lightly and to use more environmentally sound forms of transport, minimizing impact, and ideally enriching the environment.

We will offer traveler’s tips on how to conserve water, reduce waste, and otherwise minimize the environmental impact of their trip. We hope that our travelers will be able to take some of the conservation tips they learn home with them.

Wherever possible, our employees use recycled paper and recycle waste created in the office, as well as attempting to minimise waste created and be a “paperless” office. We also work to minimise energy and water consumption in our offices, and we encourage our partners to follow similar waste management and energy philosophies.

The Impacts of this Trip

Volunteer support makes a big difference on this project, as you will support children who come from disadvantaged families. Many children attending the school have parents who are not educated and need help in learning, and revising subjects. By developing their English skills, and teaching children new skills through extra-curricular activities, it will help in their overall development and confidence.

The schools lack teaching resources and the teachers also need a lot of support from volunteers. They have classes that are too large and hence disruptive. You will help in student monitoring and management and also helping to train teachers with new teaching methods or building teaching aids for a particular class if you possess the relevant qualifications. We screen all applicants for relevant skills/certificates so for example you have TEFL qualified teachers helping with the teacher training and trained medics helping with health care.

In your time off, we use local adventure tour companies to offer you options. The local guides they use: drivers, chefs and others involved all earn income through bookings. We also arrange your stay in local homestays which is a source of income for local families. You will be eating home cooked food and all your food will be sourced from local markets and local areas. You will be taking cooking classes and also attending a cultural dance show to give you a true flavour of life on ground and in turn you will be supporting all those involved.

Environment

Community

The Impacts of this Trip

Climate

2 Reviews of Over 50s volunteering in India

4 out of 5 stars

SHOW

Reviewed on 21 Jan 2017 by Isobel Barnden

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

Just being in Kerala was the first totally wonderful thing! I loved the buzz of life in and around Fort Kochi while we were working at the women's project, and equally enjoyed a beautiful short trip to the more peaceful hills and plantations around Munnar. The project staff were all so hospitable and generous, and keen to make sure that we had a great experience all round.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Come prepared to be delighted; also be prepared for things to change at short notice, and go with the flow. Research in advance the attractions or places you might like to visit, as well as finding out when you arrive what there is and local transport connections, so you can use your free time well.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

I'm sure that the English language and conversation sessions we held at the Women's Empowerment Project were generally enjoyable and perhaps boosted the participants' confidence in interacting with people from different cultures, but I don't think I provided any benefit beyond that. They meet a constant stream of volunteers, and without a structured programme or objective (for example writing a c.v. for a job or study application, or learning business skills to set up a Homestay or other tourist service), or more continuity of longer-term hands-on staff or volunteers, it's hard to see how the project in its current form is providing lasting benefit to the participants or the local economy. But it has great potential, I think it just needs a bit more structure and continuity.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

Truly wonderful!

Read the operator's response here:

Thank you for your constructive feedback. It is difficult to provide a regimented structure as the women find it quite daunting as all they really want to come for is to practice speaking English. We wanted to bring the women out of their homes and this class is to give them an opportunity to learn through interaction.

This does make it challenging for our volunteers. What we are building on is a structured English class delivery and life skills sessions which are useful to the ladies but also give some weekly structure to our volunteers. Business Skill development is also on the agenda and we will surely work on this as well. We most certainly welcome volunteers with appropriate skills to also come and help with this.

Reviewed on 04 Jan 2017 by Gillian Perrott

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

The people, the children, the colours, the food, the sunsets.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Go for it! Initially I felt unprepared, however it was all in my head, everything that I needed was there.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

It was two way ... it benefitted local people and me. I would like to have seen a reduction in environmental impact but that was not evident or possible in the two weeks I was there.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

I highly recommend the experience of joining Volunteering Journeys in Fort Kochin, Kerala. It was a good introduction to the life, culture and people of Fort Kochin.

Initially on arrival I was a little overwhelmed and felt unprepared, however, with Geetha’s positive encouragement, along with a couple of trips out with the other lovely volunteer, Stefane, and on discovering the learning material available at the volunteers’ home, I got a sense of direction and understanding of where we were ‘at’. I really enjoyed the time I spent with the children, they are just so sweet. And, I also enjoyed chatting with the women about Ayurvedic spices etc. and life in Kerala.

Geetha was so welcoming and conscientious about her work and has a nice team of Keralan peope working with her … Midhu, Lakshmi and Gina. Yes, there were some challenges … normal I would say, nothing that could not be resolved e.g. communication, mosquitoes!, driving! The lack of facilities for recycling, collecting plastic, composting organic waste (that I could see) in Fort Kochin and
on the backwaters was disturbing. At least in the house the volunteers stayed in we had a water filter which helped cut down on all the plastic water bottles being added to the garbage pile.

I missed Kerala when I got home … the colours, the gentle polite Keralan people, the beautiful friendly children, the interesting Volunteers, the warm weather, the beautiful sunsets, the food, and Gina’s lovely Keralan breakfasts and lunches at the volunteers’ house.

Thank you everyone for the lovley experience and memories which I brought home with me.