Do You have the right Stuff to volunteer in India.

Do You have the right Stuff to volunteer in India.

If you have always liked the idea of Travel, Work and doing volunteering work in India, it’s worth considering whether you have “the right stuff”. This term is used to describe the personality types and qualities that lend themselves well to time spent volunteering in India. We’d all like to assume we have what it takes to be a worthwhile and helpful volunteer, but is this necessarily the case?

Below is a guide to “the right stuff” that will serve you well should you choose to volunteer in India.

While you don’t need to have all of the qualities available on this list, it’s helpful if you have a majority-- why not read through and see how you match up?

1) Compassion.

Compassion is vital for anyone who wishes to volunteer in India; you have to be motivated by a genuine desire to provide assistance to those who are most in need.

It’s helpful if you can empathise with the people you work with on a human level, connecting with them so you can work to provide the solutions that you all require.

Most of us consider ourselves to be compassionate people, so you shouldn’t have a problem meeting this requirement. If you are motivated primarily by a desire to assist those who need it, then you already meet the requirements necessary.

2) A dedication to hard work.

While there will usually be “downtime” during your time in India -- time you can spend exploring the sites and seeing the country like a tourist -- you’re also going to need to be ready to work hard.

Furthermore, you will need to work hard in conditions that are very different to the ones you’re used to in the west; mud roads, for examples, are more common in rural areas than tarmac, so you can’t be afraid to get muddy!

Few people who contemplate volunteering in India think that the experience is going to be a walk in the park, so it’s likely you already satisfy this criterion if you have been thinking seriously about taking a volunteering trip.

Nevertheless, there’s no harm in affirming your commitment to working hard, so you can be confident of achieving the best results.

3) Patience.

This is perhaps a more difficult quality, as some of us aren’t very patient people-- and there’s nothing wrong with that in the fast-moving west.

However, in India, the general culture is more relaxed, and things happen as they happen rather than being dictated by a schedule.

This can be something of a culture shock to those of us who have lived our lives expecting things to happen when they are meant to, and if they don’t, most of us are more than willing to make a complaint to whoever deserves it.

You will need to slow down in India, move with the culture, and take things at a steady and sedate pace. This might be jarring, but you may also find it freeing and relaxing-- provided you are prepared beforehand for the difference in attitudes.

In conclusion.

If you can satisfy the three above categories, then it’s fair to say you have “the right stuff” for a truly beneficial volunteering trip to India. volunteerindiaispiice.com Visit for more information.