Volunteering FAQ

These are the answers to a few of the questions you might have. More detail and information is available in our Field Manual which you can read here. Please realize that we receive a lot of applications and questions and that we are volunteer-run. Please read this document and the Field Manual before you ask any questions. If you still have questions after reading these files, please email them to us at volunteers@helambuproject.org. Thank you.

How can I get involved and what can I to do?
We have a range of ways you can work with us depending on your background.

• You can volunteer at one of the schools we work with in Helambu. To be a volunteer you don’t necessarily have to have prior experience – please check our requirements below.
• You can volunteer in your home country as administrative support or as a fundraiser! Please contact fundraise@helambuproject.org if this is you!
• You can be part of our Educators+ program. If you have relevant skills and experiences you can help develop and/or teach or co-teach a special extracurricular program for students in the region. Please follow the normal application process and you will be asked about your interest in the program when you fill out the form.
• You can intern with us on a program level in Nepal. This option is on a need only basis and generally requires a prior experience or relevant skills. Please email volunteers@helambuproject.org with your CV if you are interested.

What is the application & volunteer process?

1. Read this FAQ.

2. Fill out the application form on our website.

3. You will be contacted shortly about whether or not your application has been accepted. You may be asked to Skype with a HP Volunteer Coordinator or send a CV if we need any more information. Otherwise, you will be asked to:

• Completely read the Volunteer Field Manual
• Send a scan of your passport and signed volunteer agreement
• Send us your flight details (date and time of flight, airline, flight number, and date of departure)
• Send us your proof of insurance (can be sent anytime before you leave to the field site)
• Tell us when you want to leave for the village, what dates you need a hotel booked for, and whether you need any additional assistance.

4. We then encourage all of our volunteers to prepare themselves by reading from our reading list below, preparing lesson plans, and we also strongly encourage you to fundraise (see below for more info). If you are part of our Education+ program you will also have to familiarize yourself with the curriculum you will be teaching.

The readings: we require that you read at least Lonely Planet Nepal, The Rough Guide to Nepal or any other guidebook. Further recommended readings: “Schoolhouse in the Clouds”- Sir Edmund Hillary, “Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh”- Helena Norberg-Hodge, “Sherpas: Reflections on Change in the Himalayas”- James F. Fischer, “Sensory Biographies: Lives and Deaths among Nepal’s Yolmo Buddhists” – Robert Desjarlais.

5. Upon your arrival we will pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel. Sometime before you leave for the village you will also meet with our volunteer coordinator and receive your cultural orientation.

6. You will then leave for the village with our Field Coordinator. Travel times vary depending on where your volunteer field site is but expect at least a full day. You will also be introduced to the principal at the school and your home stay family.

7. When you are ready to depart your home stay family or someone from the school will help you get on a bus back to Kathmandu.

8. Before you leave Kathmandu, our Volunteer Coordinator will meet with you to conduct an exit interview or you may be asked to fill out one via email.

9. Continue your involvement with Helambu Project back home and stay in touch via our newsletter and Facebook page!

What are our requirements for volunteers?
Our volunteers must be …

1. willing to make a minimum time commitment of 28 days and we prefer volunteers to stay two months or longer.

2. at least 21 years of age but we will make exceptions for qualified individuals after additional screening.

3. relatively healthy and fit – they must be able to be away from primary care services and be willing to take responsibility for their own health.

4. culturally sensitive – agree to respect traditions and customs and not proselytize any beliefs they may hold.

5. able to take initiative and be independent – we do not arrange your day to day schedule when you are in the village and require you to take responsibility for your own contribution and experience.

6. flexible – travel plans and arrangements often change in Nepal and you must be willing to adapt to the unknown and unexpected.

All volunteers must also agree to comply with Helambu Project’s policies and code of conduct for volunteers. Everyone must also read the field manual before asking questions.

What are the costs associated with volunteering?
You will be required to pay for the following:

• Volunteer fee (10,000 Nepali rupees).
• Homestay fee for room & board (350-500 Nepali rupees per day).
• Porter for personal luggage (800 Nepali rupees a day).
• Any additional medical expenses.
• Cost of travel to Nepal.
• Personal expenditures.
• Insurance.

What does my volunteer fee cover and what do you provide me with?
We charge a modest volunteer fee of 10,000 Nepali rupees (roughly 100 EUR or 130 USD) that helps cover the services listed below. Our local Field Coordinator provides all volunteers with a receipt. The additional money goes exclusively into our general fund for projects and covers the local Field Coordinator’s salary. The volunteer fee will be waived for anyone who fundraises the equivalent or greater amount.

Services covered by your volunteer fee:

• Airport pick up
• Hotel Reservation
• Cultural sensitivity and field site orientation
• Transportation to field site
• Porter for donated goods

We also will check in with your during your stay and will help arrange any medical needs you have while in the field. If you are part of the Education+ program, we may also provide a local assistant depending on the program.

When is a good time to come?

In general there is no one best time to come. Do keep in mind the monsoon season means rainy weather and delayed travel. There are also yearly holidays at the following times that you may need to work around your trip. We try and plan these as far in advance with our volunteers as possible but the dates are often not fixed far in advance. We usually can work around the school’s schedules, and should be able to let you know in advance if your volunteering may be interrupted. They major holiday times are:

Nepali New Years	March / April
Dashain / Tihar	September / October
Tibetan New Year	January / February
Summer Break	June

How can I fundraise?

Helambu Project is a volunteer run organization. We need yours and others’ support to continue the work that we do. Volunteering is only one part of the solutions we seek and we strongly encourage everyone to do some fundraising, however small, before they come.

There are tons of ways to have fun and fundraise at the same time. People who fundraise before they come to Nepal and volunteer with us will have their fees waived and sometimes be able to participate in and see how the money is being spent. We have plenty of materials and ideas that can help you fundraise; for more information please contact fundraise@helambuproject.org.

When is the best time to come?

The schools we work with have two or three big holidays every year when they are closed: around January/­February (Tibetan New Year), a summer holiday, and another around October (Dashain celebrations). You will need to check with us in advance and be flexible if you want to volunteer during this time.

Please keep in mind that, unless there is some kind of emergency, we expect you to stay in the village as long as you stated on your application. School principals arrange the lessons with you, and it disrupts the schedule if you decide to leave early.

What kind of insurance do I need?
To volunteer with us you will need medical insurance that covers you in Nepal up to the altitude of 3,000 meters. It is also good to have helicopter evacuation coverage in case of immediate emergencies; however, standard evacuation coverage via Jeep or bus will also suffice.

What kind of vaccines do I need?
You should consult a travel doctor or your general practitioner. Helambu Project does not require you to have any vaccinations; however, we have the following vaccinations when we travel to Nepal: typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Rabies pre-exposure, MMR, tetanus, polio, and meningitis.

The area we work is not in a malarial region of Nepal nor will you travel through one if you leave from Kathmandu.

Official recommendations on vaccines for Nepal can be found here: Immunization Advice for Nepal.

How do I get my Visa?
Here is a website of Immigration Office: http://immi.gov.np. You can get a tourist visa in the airport when they fly in. You need 2 passport photos and certain amount of cash for a three months tourist visa (please check on Immigration Office website for up to date information on the price). You can extend it while you’re in Nepal to maximum 5 months in a year.

Where do I find out more?
Our Volunteer Field Manual has more details and answers to your questions.

We hope this answers your questions and are looking forward to hear from you.