HOPE is currently seeking the following qualified volunteers for our placements in Kolkata:
Applicants must hold an Irish Passport or have been a resident in the Republic of Ireland for at least 2 years. All overseas placements are subject to granted visas.
You will be required to make a commitment to fundraise for The Hope Foundation’s projects. Fundraising targets depend on your proposed length of stay. The currently placement length is 30 days and the target is €2,000. Full details are given upon application.
Note, this is treated as a donation to HOPE. Accommodation is provided for during your stay at no cost, however travel costs need to be covered privately by volunteers.
You must make a commitment to organise and fund your own travel arrangements, including:
– Flight
– Travel Insurance
– Vaccinations
– Visa (with assistance from HOPE)
Volunteers will be working under the supervision of HOPE staff in Kolkata. A flexible and open minded attitude is needed and a willingness to take instruction from experienced staff members. You may be asked to be flexible and respond to varying role requirements.
You need to be realistic about what to expect in a culture that may be very different to your own and what you can expect to achieve during your placement. We recommend that you thoroughly research Kolkata, the work of HOPE and volunteering in general before making a decision to apply.
The Hope Foundation recruits volunteers in Ireland and India for residents of those countries only. If you are an Indian resident please apply through our Branch Office website here.
The Hope Foundation is a signatory of the Comhlámh Code of Good Practice (CoGP) for Volunteer Sending Agencies.
Comhlámh’s Code of Good Practice is a set of standards for Irish Volunteer Sending Agencies facilitating international placements. The Code is based on a vision of volunteers working in solidarity for a just, equitable and sustainable world. It promotes responsible and responsive volunteering to ensure a positive impact for the overseas project and community, the volunteer and the sending agency. The Code promotes development education, which enables people to more deeply understand the world around them and to address the root causes of inequality and poverty. Every Volunteer Sending Agency, which is party to the Code of Good Practice, commits to the implementation of the Code’s five values that underpin the work of international volunteer programmes. These are solidarity, respect, social justice, ecological sustainability and integrity.
Full details of the Code are here.
For further insights on volunteering and the issues to consider, we recommend visiting the following websites:
- Comhlámh’s website sections including ‘Issues to Consider’ and ‘Trainings and Courses’;
- Comhlámh’s online pre-decision and post-return courses, ‘Where Do I Start’ and ‘What Next’;
- Irish Development Education Association (IDEA) website: https://www.ideaonline.ie
