The program which I
joined was Sports volunteering in Shilla village of Dharamshala;
it was a newly launched program by the organization. It was a
combination of two programs. So I enjoyed my program in two ways,
I worked for small children and the young boys. It was really a
fun. The villagers are very nice and helpful. I stayed with the
host family, the family was extremely nice. The most important was
the people at Shake Hands office they are very helpful, supportive
and friendly.
Jacob, Denmark
Sports Volunteering Project
The activities you’ll
be doing
India has very less number of sports development coaching centers and
these available centers are only in selected cities and some schools
are conducting and promoting sports development activities. But in the
rural areas; schools are completely far away from this type of
coaching & centers. In these areas mostly schools are governed by
State Government. So, due to lack of financial resources schools do
not teach or develop sports. Therefore most children do not have any
of physical education, which has led to many people lacking vital
coordination skills and an appreciation of the importance of exercise.
Our sports development program in rural part of India is giving you an
opportunity to coach a specific range of sports at some of our
schools. Your help will provide a platform to lots of school children
to not only improve their fitness and health, but to also enjoy more
play time with their friends. As a result, you will become a member of
the local community and experience the interesting and amazing culture
of one of these unique corners of India through sports volunteering
program. In the sports volunteering your time on the program will be
divided amongst sports coaching and other valuable community work.
A day in the life of a volunteer
On working days, volunteers usually get up and have breakfast before
leaving for their Volunteer Placements. The kitchen team will provide
you packed lunch and you bring it to work area. Our staff will provide
transportation to and from your Volunteer Placement if required. You
will probably spend about 5-6 hours at this Volunteer Placement.
Evenings will be filled with opportunities to learn about the local
culture and customs, field trips to places of local interest,
discussions with experts on local issues and others. Evening
meal-times provide another exciting chance to enjoy authentic food
provided by host family/our staff cooks. The food is delicious and
healthy and takes full advantage of local cooking traditions. The
evenings and weekends are free time, to relax or explore the local
area. Volunteers often travel to other parts of the country at
weekends, and the staff who are all from the local area themselves,
are always happy to make recommendations.
