Challenges while Volunteering in India.

Who benefits from volunteers in India?

It is a well-known fact, that the people of India face many challenges. There are a lot of needs to be addressed and many gaps to be filled. The first nostalgically remembered volunteers were well-wishers from faith based groups who offered their time and money to the most vulnerable members of society.

Development projects set up by volunteer projects.

Feeding programs were established to feed the poor. Children’s homes were set up to open up to orphaned, abused and neglected children. Schools for children with physical disability were designed and medical camps were regularly set up.

Professional Volunteers from different backgrounds came together to offer their services free of charge. Their presence could be felt even by the local administration. They even challenged the government to adopt legislation that would increase the efficiency of voluntary bodies.

Current state of Volunteerism in India.

Things have drastically changed and the days of signing volunteer forms for soup kitchens are almost behind us. Philanthropy has become an industry that is rapidly growing. Small gatherings of well-meaning helpers are now replaced by flashy websites and aggressive recruiters. They target emotionally vulnerable people who are at a crossroad in their lives.

Advertisements promise a life changing experience that will shape their destiny. People from all walks of life invest their money into this trap because it comes with a chance of touring around India. It becomes a unique type of holiday. In addition, you get to help a needy person with your generous donation.

Management of volunteers with local non-governmental organizations in India.

The volunteers are provided with paid meals and accommodation. They interact with the beneficiaries of their charity in organized settings where one of the organizers has always been present.

A typical week in the schedule of these volunteers includes guided tours of the sites of India. They may also visit the slum homes of underprivileged people.

A critical look at the situation brings some concerns to light. We are forced to ask ourselves hard questions about the benefits of this short term volunteers with little or no skills to offer. The authenticity of the organizers of those tours is also under the spotlight.

The problem.

Some information was gathered by speaking with members of the community. These are local professional volunteers who work full time with the organizations. They earn a small stipend as appreciation. This is much lower than what they would be paid by a reputable company that remunerates at market value.

The first complaint that workers across the board expressed, was the burden of hosting these short term volunteers. The norm is that, every fortnight a new set of volunteers are red into the organization. They are trained hurriedly followed by immediate incorporation into the work force. They are taken from department to department until they have experienced all aspects of the organization.

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Lack of motivated volunteers.

Those tasked with supervising volunteers also have their concerns. Volunteers are usually uncooperative and they want you choose what activities to carry out. Even when they choose these activities, their participation is half baked. Often the permanent volunteers are forced to finish tasks that were abandoned half way.

Projects such as construction of low cost housing fall into serious trouble when volunteers do a shoddy job. The loss of materials is experienced often and permanent staffs have to redo the projects.

Their frustration is clear as this process is replicated over and over again. They begin to resent this group of volunteers who don’t help much.

Clash with the locals.

The jobs taken by volunteers are those that the local citizens would like to be involved in. Companies profit doubles from the money these volunteers pay to do the same jobs. This situation causes a clash between the volunteers and the local community. As a result, the locals resent the volunteers and blame them for taking up their jobs.

The solution.

To stop the buildup of resentment, some changes have been proposed. Skilled volunteers are most likely to offer the greatest benefit to the community. Therefore, longer volunteer sessions are seen as the way to make a difference.

For example, a three month medical camp will benefit large multitudes. In the same way, a 6 month housing project will see a large number of units erected and completed. In conclusion, a shift in mindset, will do more for the community than sticking to the status quo.