Traveling to India as a teenager is a big step, and for many young volunteers it’s the first long trip without their family. Volunteering makes it more than a vacation. You live with volunteers from around the world, spend your weekdays at a local project and come home with experiences few people your age can talk about.
You can join our programs from 17. Here is what you need to know, which programs are open to you, and how we look after younger volunteers.
How old do you need to be?
You need to be at least 17 on your start date. If you are under 18, a parent signs a consent form as part of your application.
Programs that involve children or vulnerable adults also need a clean criminal background check, issued within 12 months of your start date. Find out early how to get one where you live, so it’s ready in time.
Programs you can join at 17
- Street children, Delhi: games, art and simple lessons in English and numbers at shelter homes and non-formal education centers.
- Women’s empowerment, Delhi: spoken English practice with young women at community centers, many of them close to your own age.
- Hindi and culture week, Delhi: Hindi classes, culture talks and sightseeing, finishing with a day trip to the Taj Mahal. No project work.
- Two-week mini break, Delhi and Agra: eight days with children, a guided tour of Delhi and a Taj Mahal day trip, with everything arranged.
- Childcare and elephant rescue: 15 days in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, with three days at an elephant rescue center near Agra, working alongside the keepers. No riding and no performing.
- Women and girls, Jaipur: English conversation with girls aged 12 to 17, plus health, hygiene and literacy sessions for women at a community center.
- Slum schools, Jaipur: small-group lessons and art, dance or sports workshops with a grassroots education project.
- Construction and renovation, Jaipur: painting, repairs and murals for schools, clinics and community centers that can’t pay for the work.
Our guide to the best programs for high school students looks at each one in more detail.
Programs that start at 18
Special needs care in Delhi, teaching and childcare in Jaipur, and the medical internship are open from 18. The internship is also limited to students of medicine, nursing, dentistry or physiotherapy, and pre-med students.
Choosing the right project
Start with what you enjoy. If you’re creative, you might love painting a mural on the renovation program or running an art workshop at a slum school. If you’re good with younger children, look at street children or the mini break. If girls’ education matters to you, the women’s programs in Delhi and Jaipur put you in a classroom with young women and girls close to your own age. And if you’d rather be outdoors and on your feet, try construction or the elephant rescue trip.
Whichever you choose, remember that you are there to support the local staff, who keep the project going long after you leave. Follow their lead, ask questions, and bring a few activities that work without much shared language. Our post on activities for volunteering with children has ideas to get you started.
Safety and support
You won’t be on your own. On your start date, our coordinator picks you up at Delhi airport (any time from 8am to 8pm) or at Jaipur airport or railway station, and takes you to where you’ll stay. Orientation in your first days covers staying safe, getting around, what to wear and local customs, and your coordinator takes you to your project the first time. Someone from our team is on call around the clock for your whole stay.
Your own good sense matters too:
- Don’t go out alone at night. Go in a group and come back together.
- Don’t accept food or drinks from strangers.
- Get around by Metro, pre-booked taxi or ride app, and keep your phone and money out of sight.
- No alcohol or drugs at our accommodation: it’s a firm rule.
- Let your roommates or your coordinator know your plans when you head off for the weekend.
A note for parents
Letting your teenager travel to India is a big decision. Here is what is in place:
- Pickup on arrival, an orientation, and a first trip to the project with a coordinator.
- Accommodation our team knows well (in Delhi, same-gender rooms shared with other volunteers), with meals included: breakfast and dinner from Monday to Saturday in Delhi, and three a day in Jaipur.
- Project staff who stay in charge of all work with children, so volunteers are never left alone in charge of a child. We don’t place volunteers in orphanages.
- A local coordinator, and a team you and your teenager can reach at any hour.
- A parental consent form for under-18s, compulsory travel and medical insurance, and a background check for work with children.
A local SIM card makes it easy to keep in touch, and our coordinator can help set one up. If you have questions before booking, read our FAQ or email us.
Make the most of your free time
Project days run Monday to Friday, so evenings and weekends are yours. Our weekend trips take you to the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Amritsar or Varanasi with the transport arranged.
Save some space in your bag for souvenirs. Delhi’s markets, such as Dilli Haat and Janpath, and the bazaars of Jaipur are full of block-printed fabrics, silver jewelry, embroidered bags and Kashmiri shawls. Bargaining is normal at most market stalls, so smile and start low. Our post on souvenirs to take home has more ideas.
Young volunteers bring energy, fresh ideas and a new way of seeing things. If you’re ready to take the step, email info@volunteeringindia.com and tell us which program you have in mind.