Education – Preschool and Elementary
Montessori education – Primary Years

Where: Mumbai (Bombay), India

Setting: Urban

Mission: Aseema’s mission is to provide underprivileged children with a nurturing and stimulating educational environment that helps them recognize their limitless potential.

Organization Website: www.aseema.org

What kinds of projects could Aseema offer an Isla short term volunteer?
Teachers, teacher assistants
Montessori teachers
Administrative

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to Aseema? Minimum of 12 weeks 

What kinds of projects could Aseema offer an Isla intern?
Teachers, teacher assistants
Montessori teachers
Administrative

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to the Aseema? 12+ weeks during the periods of June-December and/or December-March.

Pre-Primary Centers (preschool):

Montessori (2 ½ - 6 1/2  year old children)
The Aseema Montessori is the first center of its kind for street children in India. The Center was established in August 2000 at the Pali Chimbai Municipal School (PCMS) in a room that is rented from the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC). The Montessori curriculum provides the children with a firm educational foundation that prepares them well for mainstream schools at a later age.   The Montessori Centre functions from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and again from 1 p.m. to 3p.m. 

Montessori Balwadi (Kindergarten 3 ½ - 5 ½ year old children)
To cope with the increasing number of children seeking admission, Aseema established a Balwadi in 2004 for children 3 ½ - 5 ½ years. This consists of junior and senior sections and caters to children who are too old for the three year Montessori cycle which begins at age three, and too young for Standard I, the first year of school.  However, the Balwaldi follows Montessori methods.

Balvikas  (5 ½ - 6 year old children) 
A new Pre-Primary class, the Balvikas was started in June 2006 for children 5 ½ - 6 years to prepare them adequately for Standard I.  

Elementary (Primary):

The Pali-Chimbai Municipal School
Adopting the school in 2001, Aseema works together with the Bombay Municipal Corporation to provide relevant and quality education to underprivileged children. The school has grown from 100 to 629 children.  As part of reviving the academic program, the school also offers art, sports, gymnastics, judo, yoga, drama and needlework.

The Activity Center
The students at Aseema's Activity Center learn embroidery, crochet and sewing and make many lovely items which are displayed and sold at exhibitions. The students at PCMS also have classes in basic sewing and embroidery.

Requirements:
Teacher training graduates or education undergraduates, an aptitude for working with children, and a commitment to work for our cause.

Working Conditions:
Aseema interns and volunteers will be working primarily in Mumbai.  Mumbai is the second largest city in the world, with over 13 million people.  It is important that individuals come to serve with an understanding that there are indeed many challenges of living in a developing country.

Education
Youth Development
Civil Society – empowering youth
Administrative

Where: Mumbai (Bombay), India

Setting: Urban

Mission:
The Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCS) mission is to educate and engage young people actively in the process of reclaiming civic virtues and citizenship and complement the ongoing efforts of civil society organizations.  CMCS’s objectives are to:

Sensitize civic club members to civic and environmental issues and to make them knowledgeable about these issues

Create awareness among others in the school with respect to civic sense and other civic and environmental issues and to spread this awareness to homes and friends of school children

Energize the civic education curriculum in schools

Create a core of active citizens in society

Develop a model for civic education, which can be implemented in any part of the country

Organization Website: www.cmcaindia.org

What a kind of projects could CMCS offer an Isla short term volunteer?
If a volunteer agrees to CMCS requirement of a minimum stay of 12 weeks, the assignment is to either work as a volunteer with the Civic Club in the schools or to work on administrative projects in the CMCS office.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to CMCA? Minimum of 12 weeks.

What kinds of projects could CMCS offer an Isla intern?
An intern could serve through teaching, program design and support, and/or administrative support.  Teaching involves work at various city schools with the Civic Club projects.  The intern might also choose to design and support Civic Club projects and/or promote and support programs initiated by student based civic clubs.  There is also need for help with the daily office operations at CMCA.  

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to CMCA? 24-52 weeks, preferably 52 weeks.

Requirements:
CMCA requires all interns and volunteers to be pursuing or who have already completed a college degree and have basic computer skills.  Additionally, CMCA desires interns and volunteers to have a passion for inner-city community development. 

Working Conditions:
CMCA interns and volunteers will be working primarily out of the CMCA office and will teach once a week interfacing with young people in the schools of Mumbai.  Mumbai is the second largest city in the world, with over 13 million people.  It is important that individuals come to serve with an understanding that there are indeed many challenges of living in a developing country.  

Health and Health Administration
Public Policy
Education specialization in conventional and unconventional methods of teaching
HIV specialization - Medical care, Education and Research
Counseling
Nursing and Medical Care

Mission   The Committed Communities Development Trust (CCDT) believes that marginalized groups and communities have the potential and will to participate in their own growth and development. We help realize this by:

Intervention at the grass root level for problem solving.

Advocacy to review and influence policy.

Building support systems and sustainable partnership through networking.

Our strength lies in the people we work with. We collaborate with the Government, Municipal Corporation, NGOs and the corporate sector.  CCDT’s slogan is “one person makes a difference; together we can make a bigger difference.”

Organization Website: www.ccdtrust.org

What kinds of projects could the CCDT offer an Isla short term volunteer (minimum 8 weeks)?

Field projects in the areas of health and education.
Field Projects in HIV/AIDS.
Office projects including human resources, systems, communications and resource mobilization.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to CCDT? Minimum 8 weeks

What kinds of projects could the CCDT offer an Isla intern?

Field projects in the areas of health, education, economic development.
Field Projects in HIV/AIDS.
Field Projects related to community development.
Office projects including human resources, systems, communications and resource mobilization.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla intern assigned to CCDT? 9-26+ weeks

Requirements: 
CCDT requests volunteers to be undergraduates or have a Bachelors/Masters degree, computer literacy, and functional skills such as marketing for the purposes of resource mobilization.

Working Conditions:
CCDT interns and volunteers will be working primarily out of the CCDT office and in the city of Mumbai.  

Education – teaching, curriculum development
Educational Research
Marketing
Human Resources
Computer Design
DVD documentary production

Where: Mumbai, India

Setting : Rural

Mission  
The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to impact the lives of less privileged children, enabling them to maximize their potential and change their lives. Akanksha works primarily in the field of education, addressing non formal education through the Akanksha centre and also formal education by initiating school reform.

Over the past 15 years, the organization has expanded from 15 children in one centre to over 2,600 children in 51 centers in Mumbai and Pune, with an additional 2,100 children in 10 schools. A commitment is made to support each individual child by providing a strong educational foundation, a good time, self esteem and values, and to help them plan how they can earn a steady livelihood as a step towards improving their standard of living. 

Organization Website: www.akanksha.org

What kinds of projects could Akanksha offer an Isla short term volunteer?
Akanksha center is a class of 45-60 students with 2 teachers and volunteers.  It is a bright, cheerful and safe place where children come to learn for 2.5 hours, Monday-Friday.  

A volunteer can take part in the center volunteering for 3-5 days a week for 3-5 hours a day.  Volunteers will serve as assistants to the teacher at the center.  Volunteering at the Akanksha center will provide an excellent opportunity to obtain firsthand experience of working with children.  Please see below the possibilities for short term volunteers under opportunities for interns.

What is the ideal length of time for an Isla short term volunteer assigned to Akanksha? A minimum of 6-8 weeks.

What kinds of projects could Akanksha offer an Isla intern?  The following is a list of one or more possibilities in which an intern could be involved:

1.  Work with the Education Department

Curriculum Development interns may work at any time of the year for a minimum of 8-12 weeks.  The education and skills required are for someone who has worked on the curriculum development and standards for math, English, values, and/or general awareness.

Individualized Education - Interns will work with Akanksha’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Coordinator wherein the intern will work with the special needs children.  Akanksha’s IEP is developed to help the slow learner cope with the rest of the class by giving them individual attention and developing a special plan for their own particular learning style and abilities.  Interns can help prepare worksheets for the children, work directly with the students, and identify their problems and find solutions.  Positions are available throughout the year for 12+ weeks.  Interns should have good spoken English, be good with children, patience to work with slow learners, and be prepared to plan the children’s IEP.  

Teacher Training - Teacher training opportunities in subjects related to teaching and learning are available in the month of May.  Training needs include discipline management, making math more fun, critical thinking skills, etc.

Assessments - Assist with student assessments which occur three times a year.  Akanksha needs someone to go into the different centers to conduct assessments, corrections of the assessments, and putting the scores on a computer.  This usually occurs in October, February, and March for a period of 3-4 weeks each.  A good command of English, patience, and basic computer skills are necessary.

2.   Work with the Akanksha Beyond School Department

Curriculum Development Language - Research and develop materials for the Incredible India curriculum for older students.   This opportunity is available any time of the year for 4-8 weeks.  An education student or teacher is needed with curriculum development skills and research capabilities.

Curriculum Development Math - Develop math materials around basic math concepts for teachers to use in class.  This opportunity is available any time of the year for 4-8 weeks.  An education student or teacher is need with curriculum development skills and research capabilities. 

3.  Akanksha Schools

Evaluation - Evaluate the school project to create a case study of the Akanksha Schools. This opportunity is available any time of the year for 8-12 weeks.  We need someone with an interest in writing, research, and interviewing.

Documentary - Create a professional DVD/documentary on the Akanksha School at any time of the year for 4-8 weeks.  We would like someone with a talent in film making.

Photographer - Create quality photographs of The Akanksha Schools for use in marketing/other material. We need someone with talent or professional any time of the year except for May for 8-24 weeks.

Data collection - Collect and analyze data from our schools at any time of the year except for May for 4-8 weeks.  We need someone with skills and interest in data analysis and statistics.

4.  Learning to Lead Program

Research Project   A community research project for 8^th-9^th grade students.  We would need someone who is at least an undergraduate from mid July to mid August.

Teach language and basic math to 7^th-9^th grade students.  We are looking for someone with a good command of language and math and who is very enthusiastic from mid-April to Mid-May.

5.  Fundraising for the Departments - Akanksha needs someone with fundraising skills to organize fundraising campaigns.  This is open throughout the year.  We need someone with marketing and sales skills as well as good communication and presentation skills.

6.  Human Resources - A volunteer specializing in Human Resources and staff training.  We need someone with good organizational skills, interview skills, good communication skills to do HR related work.  We need someone throughout the year.

7.  Marketing - Akanksha needs someone to conduct our sales and marketing related activities in the months of September-December.  This includes organizing stalls for Akanksha at corporations, schools, institutions, exhibitions, etc.  We need someone to help with the marketing of our Diwali and Christmas cards and to be involved in corporate giving campaigns.  

8.  Computer Design - Corel drawing, Photoshop, Page maker, etc. for 3-6 weeks at any time of the year.