
	HOME DONATE SPREAD THE WORD BLOG VISIT US

AVSAR's Volunteer programs

AVSAR’s main initiatives:
          • Core Volunteer Program
          • The AVSAR Best Practices Initiative
          • Kid4Kids
          • NRI Clinicians Program

Core Volunteer Program:

Every 30 days, AVSAR brings 4-6 highly skilled students and young professionals to partner with an NGO that has identified a specific skill gap in their services. The volunteer is placed in a project that is commensurate with their profession and experience. As AVSAR volunteers, these short-term volunteers (1-6 months) are given an orientation to the city, their NGO, provided with accommodations, cell phone services, and access to AVSAR’s knowledgeable on-the-ground staff. Since AVSAR provides a diverse range of access to resources volunteers are ensured a smooth volunteer experience. In addition to a well-directed volunteer experience, these volunteers also have bi-weekly reflection sessions, daily journal writing, and presentations based on healthcare in India.
AVSAR volunteers are not only providing a wide array of services to NGOs (basic medical care, health education curriculum design and implementation, accounting, strategic planning, evaluation etc.), but they are working with NGOs in a sustainable capacity building model. Through this model, AVSAR ensures there are methods to continue the projects after the volunteers leave and there are structures in place that help the staff learn the skills the AVSAR volunteers share with them. This is called the AVSAR Best Practices Initiative. Through this innovative model, AVSAR connects our partner NGOs with each other for resource mobilization and the sharing of best practices. Through inter-NGO meetings, eNewsletters, and a continuous stream of volunteers, AVSAR helps organizations and volunteers work in a manner where replication of programming is minimal and there is an open forum for the sharing of ideas. Since the launch of the program in February 2004, AVSAR has recruited over 55 volunteers who have completed over 5 1/2 years of free service work for their partner NGOs. At AVSAR, our volunteer’s experiences speak louder than any recruitment strategy. Their satisfaction has been demonstrated in alumni who have continued to stay in touch with their partner-NGOs and continue to volunteer for them via the web. Other alumni have decided to stay longer to work with their NGO or come back again for a longer time frame in the future. The program is presently runnning in Mumbai and soon to be launched in Delhi.

The AVSAR Best Practices Initiative:

As with many NGOs in India and abroad, the sharing of best practices remains the most under utilized method of resource sharing. Communities themselves have the unique ability to create solutions for community issues; however, it is often difficult to share solutions with similar communities facing similar problems. The challenge that remains is how can NGOs become more efficient in the sharing of common solutions? AVSAR organizes a monthly meeting between NGOs to share successes,challenges, and avenues for collaboration.
AVSAR aims to contribute in development of common platform for best practices sharing platform which will help in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of social organisations in the world. Any suggestions/ Ideas will be most welcome (Put a link of email of "Donate Resource" on suggestion/ ideas)

Kid4Kids:

At AVSAR, we firmly believe the desire to give comes from the heart. Children demonstrate this to us everyday, and through Kid4Kids we hope to help kids cultivate the desire to volunteer and help underprivileged children in other parts of the world. Through Kid4Kids, children in the United States will be able to spread awareness about the plight of underprivileged children in India and recruit sponsors for care packages that are sent to India. Can we include more details about this program for example : What are our plans for the program, How do we plan to implement?

NRI Clinicians Program:

Connecting NRIs, Local Doctors, and Services Needed in the Community. AVSAR just completed the successful pilot launch of this program and are currently in the evaluation stage.

• CHOOSE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE