Many children in Delhi spend their days working or begging instead of going to school. The shelter homes and non-formal education centers we work with give them meals, a safe place to be and a route back into learning. You join the staff for the day, running activities, helping with reading and numbers, and giving children the one-to-one attention a busy center rarely has time for.
No teaching or childcare background is needed. Imagination matters more: lessons often have to work for a mixed-age group with a whiteboard and not much else.
At a glance
- Shelter homes and education centers for children from Delhi’s slums and streets.
- Monday to Friday, about 10am to 4pm, with evenings and weekends free.
- Open from age 17, with no experience needed.
- Stay from one week to 18 weeks, starting on two Sundays a month.
- Live with other volunteers at our base in South Delhi, close to the Metro.
What you’ll do
- Run informal lessons in English, numbers and general knowledge, mostly through games and activities.
- Plan art, music, sport and play sessions, and teach the children new games.
- Help children build everyday habits such as hand-washing, brushing teeth and greeting people.
- Support computer sessions where the center has the equipment, so children pick up basic digital skills.
- Join the occasional outing with staff to a museum or the zoo.
- Share ideas with the center team, and help raise money for food, clothes and stationery if you want to.
About the projects
Two kinds of center take our volunteers. Shelter homes give children who have lost touch with their families, or who are at risk on the streets, somewhere safe to live, with meals, schooling and adults who look out for them. Non-formal education centers sit inside slum communities and catch children who are not in school at all, or who need help to keep up, with classes pitched at whatever level each child has reached.
Both are run by local organizations with their own staff, and both depend on extra hands to give children more attention than a stretched team can manage. Your coordinator places you where you are most useful when you arrive.
Working responsibly
Center staff plan the day, set what is taught and stay responsible for the children. You work alongside them and are never left in sole charge of a child.
We don’t place volunteers in orphanages, and every volunteer on this program shows a clean background check before starting. At orientation we go through our code of conduct for working with children, including the rules on physical contact and photos.
What you add is time, energy and attention for the weeks you are here. The centers carry on their work long after you leave, and the most useful volunteers are the ones who fit in with how they already do things.
A typical day
- 9am: Breakfast at the hostel with the other volunteers.
- 9:30am: Head out by Metro and auto-rickshaw. Your coordinator shows you the route on the first day.
- 10 to 10:30am: Arrive at the center. Mornings are usually lessons: English, numbers and general knowledge, often in small groups by level.
- 12:30 to 2:30pm: Lunch break, usually a thali or a plate of chole bhature at a dhaba near the project, at your own cost.
- Afternoon: Games, art, music or sport, depending on the day and the center.
- 4pm: Finish and travel back. The rest of the day is yours.
- 7pm: Dinner at the hostel.
Every project keeps its own rhythm, and hours move with school holidays, festivals and the weather. Your coordinator confirms your times at orientation.
How your week runs
- Sunday: we meet you at Indira Gandhi International Airport and take you to the hostel.
- Monday: a half-day orientation on safety, culture, getting around and how to dress at your project, then a walk around the neighborhood.
- Tuesday to Friday: your first days at the project, about 10am to 4pm. Your coordinator travels with you the first time and shows you the cheapest route by Metro and auto-rickshaw.
- From week two: Monday to Friday at the project. Evenings and weekends are yours.
Evenings and weekends
Project days finish mid-afternoon, so most evenings start with a Metro ride somewhere new and end back at the hostel over dinner with the other volunteers. Delhi rewards curiosity: within an hour of your base you can be eating parathas in the lanes of Old Delhi, watching the light change on Humayun’s Tomb or bargaining for scarves at Sarojini Nagar.
- In the city: Chandni Chowk and the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, Lodhi Garden, Hauz Khas village, Dilli Haat’s food and craft stalls, and the evening light show at Akshardham.
- Day trips: the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, an easy day out by train or car.
- Weekends away: the pink sandstone forts and palaces of Jaipur, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the riverside ghats of Varanasi, or the mountain air of Rishikesh.
Our weekend trips take care of the trains, hotels and guides, and your coordinator is happy to help you plan an independent trip. Sundays have no meals at the hostel on purpose: it is the day to try Delhi’s street food.
Your base in Delhi
Home is a hostel in the south of the city that we share with volunteers from other projects, so you are rarely short of company for dinner or a weekend plan. The Metro is a few minutes’ walk away, which puts your project and most of Delhi within easy reach, and the Lotus Temple and Khan Market are close enough for a first evening out.
You share a room with volunteers of the same gender, cooled by air-conditioning in the hot months. If you would like a room to yourself, ask when you apply and we will price it for you.
The kitchen serves vegetarian Indian food at breakfast and dinner from Monday to Saturday. Lunch on project days is your own, usually from a dhaba or cafe near your project, and Sundays are free for exploring the city’s food.
Good to know
- Bedding is provided. Bring your own towel.
- Drinking water is filtered for you; bottled water outside is up to you.
- Do your own washing, or hand it to a local laundry for a small charge.
- Tell us about any special diet before you arrive.
- Alcohol and drugs are not allowed at the accommodation.
What your price covers
- Pre-departure information: packing list, visa and health advice, and your coordinator’s details.
- Pickup at Indira Gandhi International Airport between 8am and 8pm on your start date.
- Orientation, and your first trip to the project with your coordinator.
- A shared room at our base in South Delhi for your whole stay.
- Breakfast and dinner, Monday to Saturday.
- Your placement, plus support from our team at any hour.
- A certificate of participation, if you ask for one.
Not included
- Flights and your Indian visa
- Travel and medical insurance, which is compulsory
- Vaccinations
- Lunch on project days and meals on Sundays
- Metro and auto-rickshaw fares to your project
- Your transfer back to the airport (we can arrange it at extra cost)
- Weekend trips, entry fees, a local SIM card and personal spending
Support while you are here
- Your coordinator lives locally, runs your orientation, takes you to your project the first time and checks in with you and the project while you are there.
- Our team can be reached at any hour, every day of your stay, for anything from a lost phone to a hospital visit.
Before you apply
- You are 17 or older on your start date (under-18s need a consent form signed by a parent).
- A clean criminal background check, issued within 12 months of your start date, because you will work with children or vulnerable adults.
- Travel and medical insurance for your whole stay. Your own policy is fine.
- An open mind, patience and reasonable health. Tell us about any medical condition before you travel.
What volunteers say
4.5 from 64 reviews
The projectEye-Opening and heart wrenching experience working with the poor runaway or abandoned boys at the shelter. Despite their plight, boys were happy, friendly, smart. Most with great potential. The staff working at shelter give boys an opportunity they would otherwise not get for return to families, or training for jobs or futher education. I have such admiration for those staff working there. It was an inspirational place.
Read the full review
Before the tripGood information, prompt and efficient contact.
ArrivalNo Problems, smooth pickup and transfer to home.
Food and accommodationHome stay was very comfortable. host family made everyone feel welcome and part of the family life and celebrations (diwali) with us. they were always supportive and the meals were outstanding. It was a home away from home!
Our teamRajiv was a friendly and supportive coordinator. He had a wealth of knowledge of Indian culture, hostory and way of life, here which he shared with us constantly. He was very organised and always there to sort out any problems.
Would you recommend us?YES!
Kate Wood, AustraliaStreet children
The projectI loved the kids that i worked with ! The staff was also helpful. Especially i would say the biggest challenge was the language barrier.
Read the full review
Before the tripAll of the questions that i asked were answered.My emails were always returned.
ArrivalGood.There was someone there to greet me on my arrival with my name sign.
Food and accommodationHost family were very nice.Meals were great especially.The family was very kind to me and were generous enough to let myself and other volunteers participate in their families Diwali celebration.
Our teamHe was very helpful and kind. I felt like i could talk to him.He answered any question that i asked.
Would you recommend us?YES
Sarah Hearld, USAStreet children
The projectWill never forget it. Staff was very helpful. Did much cleaning and washing, painting etc.Took kids to zoo.Hope to keep contact.
Read the full review
Before the tripAbsolutely no problems. Emails answered promptly and professionally.
Food and accommodationNice and friendly family
Our teamHe was knowledgable at history and culture and a great guide. Would be good to have spent more time with.
Would you recommend us?YES
Keith Wiggins, AustraliaStreet children
The projectI really enjoyed my placement, mainly due to the other teachers making me feel very welcome.
HighlightThe highlight of my trip was working with the kids and the NGO, the kids were very humbling and very enjoyable.
Read the full review
Before the tripVery helpful and informative about pre - departure info and things to bring.
Food and accommodationAccommodation was clean and comfortable. Meals were nice and delicious.
Our teamI found Rajiv and Priya both very friendly and answered any questions I had. Thanks.
Would you recommend us?Yes, I found it a worthwhile experience.
Daniel Snell, United KingdomStreet children
Questions volunteers ask
Do I need teaching experience?
No. The centers want patient, reliable people who can keep a group of children busy and learning. Your coordinator explains the routine on your first visit, and staff are there every day.
How old are the children?
A mix, often in the same room: young children learning letters and numbers alongside older ones catching up on school. Staff tell you who needs what, and you will find yourself planning for several levels at once.
Do the children speak English?
Some know a little, most know very little. That is part of why you are there. Simple words, pictures, songs and games get you a long way, and the Hindi you learn at orientation helps.
What hours will I work?
About 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, with lunch near the project at your own cost. In your first week you start on Tuesday, after orientation.
How do I get to the project?
By Metro and auto-rickshaw. Your coordinator goes with you the first time and shows you the cheapest route. After that you travel on your own or with other volunteers. Local transport is not included in the price.
Can I bring donations?
Yes. Pens, pencils, exercise books and art supplies are always useful. You can also buy them in Delhi, which supports local shops. If you would like to raise money for a center, ask your coordinator what it needs most.
Can I take photos of the children?
Ask the staff first, and follow the center’s rules. Never share photos online that show where a child lives or studies, or that a child or the staff would not be happy with.
How much spending money will I need?
Less than you might expect. Lunch near your project, Metro and auto-rickshaw rides and the odd coffee cost little each day; Sunday meals out are cheap too. Budget more for weekend trips, monument tickets and shopping, which is where most volunteers spend their money.
Which visa do I need?
Most volunteers come on an Indian e-Visa, applied for online before you travel. Your passport needs at least six months’ validity after your return and two blank pages. Rules change, so check the official Indian government e-Visa website; we send guidance after you book and can write a supporting letter if you need one.
Do I need vaccinations?
There are usually no compulsory vaccinations for travelers from most countries, but keep your routine ones up to date. Travel clinics commonly recommend hepatitis A and typhoid, plus protection against mosquito bites. See a clinic six to eight weeks before you leave.
Is Delhi safe for volunteers?
Yes, with sensible precautions. You are met at the airport, you live where our team knows the area well, and orientation covers how to get around, what to wear and what to avoid. Use the Metro, pre-booked taxis or ride apps, keep valuables out of sight, and go out in groups at night. Our team can be reached at any hour.
What should I wear at the project?
Light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and closed shoes. Cotton kurtas cost little at Delhi’s markets and are cooler than most Western clothes in the heat.
Can I stay longer or combine programs?
Yes. Delhi programs run for up to 18 weeks, and many volunteers start with the Hindi & culture week or add a placement in Jaipur. Tell us your plan when you apply and we line up the dates.
Can I come with a friend, partner or family?
Yes. Tell us who is coming when you apply and we place you together where we can. Ask us about group prices and which programs suit younger travelers.
